GENERATING A SECURE SIGNATURE UTILIZING A PLURALITY OF KEY SHARES

A method begins by a module to generate a secure signature on an item by selecting a first key representation index of a set of key representation indexes, wherein a first mathematical encoding of a private key generates a first plurality of key shares as a first key representation. The method continues with the module determining whether a first plurality of signature contributions have been received in response to a signature request for the item based on the first key representation index, wherein one of a first set of dispersed storage (DS) units executes a first mathematical signature function using one of the first plurality of key shares on the item to produce a signature contribution of the first plurality of signature contributions and when the first plurality of signature contributions have been received, generating the secure signature on the item from the first plurality of signature contributions.