METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR AN ELECTRONIC CONTRACT

A method and system for digitally signing an electronic contract document. An electronic communication contains an identifier, a message, which includes the document, and a digital signature generated with a private key of an asymmetric key pair (247). The identifier may be used to retrieve a corresponding public key (287) and account information pertaining to the sender of the message. The public key may be used to authenticate the sender and the message. A device containing the private key may be used to protect the privacy thereof. The device may also generate a verification status indicator corresponding to verification data input into the device. The indicator may also be used as evidence that the sender of a contract document performed an overt act in causing the electronic communication to be digitally signed. A security profile linked to the public key in a secure database indicates security characteristics of the device.