Is DocuSign Secure? What to Know in 2024

DocuSign provides digital signature solutions to organizations across a wide spectrum of industries. Security is a key concern when handling sensitive documents electronically. This article examines DocuSign’s security posture in 2024.

Is DocuSign Secure?

Security is paramount for any e-signature platform, as it deals with highly confidential customer data that requires integrity and privacy controls. Electronic signatures must ensure documents’ authenticity, integrity, non-repudiation, and auditability through cryptographic methods.

DocuSign implements robust security in the form of access, infrastructure, and data protections that align with industry best practices and undergo regular internal and external audits. While no centralized management system for electronic signatures has a spotless electronic record, DocuSign rapidly addresses vulnerabilities through its incident response process.

In addition, DocuSign offers advanced features such as multi-factor authentication and detailed audit trails, providing users additional layers of security and transparency in their document management processes.

Users can also report suspicious activities for further investigation. DocuSign offers a mature security program appropriate for sensitive transactions, but occasional enhancements occur to mitigate emerging threats. Up next is a review of the nuts and bolts of DocuSign’s multilayered defenses.

DocuSign Security Features

DocuSign uses many security protections to keep user data safe. Some major features include:

• Electronic Signature Verification – Checks that people are who they say they are before the signing process. This is an intrusion prevention mechanism DocuSign maintains as one of its rigorous automated security measures. 
• Encryption – Scrambles data so only authorized parties can read it. Protects private info.
• Access Controls – Limits internal data access on a “need to know” basis. Reduces risk.
• Auditing – Keeps detailed logs of actions taken in the system. Useful for investigating issues.
• Compliance Certifications – DocuSign passes independent audits to confirm it meets industry recognized standards.
• User Reporting – Enables users to report suspicious activity to DocuSign’s security team.
• Training – Requires employees to take regular security awareness training. Promotes vigilance.
• Third-Party Reviews – Gets external experts to evaluate risks from integrations and suppliers.

While no system is impenetrable, DocuSign stays on top of risks through layered security and prompt response.

DocuSign Legality & Compliance

Laws and regulations establish:

• The legal validity of electronic signatures
• Rules companies must follow to protect user data
• Major laws like the U.S. ESIGN Act and E.U. eIDAS regulate electronic signatures. They make e-sigs as legal as paper signatures. This allows widespread digital adoption.

DocuSign, along with many of its competitors, also complies with security rules like ISO and SOC 2. External auditors confirm DocuSign’s solid security practices.

Specific industries have extra compliance needs. DocuSign customizes features to align with financial, healthcare, and other vertical regulations.

Ongoing internal and external audits help uncover new risks or compliance gaps. DocuSign rapidly responds to any issues discovered.

Ultimately, DocuSign strikes a balance between ease of use and compliance:

• Its electronic signatures instantly become legal records
• Strong security controls preserve regulatory obligations
• This twin achievement speeds up digital transformation

DocuSign’s commitment to legality and compliance extends beyond mere adherence to existing laws. The company actively participates in industry forums and collaborates with regulatory bodies to shape future legislation related to electronic signatures. This proactive approach ensures that DocuSign remains at the forefront of legal and compliance standards. Additionally, DocuSign provides comprehensive documentation and training materials to help users understand the legal implications of electronic signatures in various jurisdictions.

DocuSign Data & Document Storage

Safeguarding data and documents is imperative when providing e-signature solutions. Stringent security controls around access, infrastructure, and encryption help prevent unauthorized exposure and misuse of sensitive information.

DocuSign utilizes advanced AES 256-bit encryption to scramble data in transit and at rest. This renders intercepted information incomprehensible to cybercriminals lacking cryptographic keys. DocuSign also operates geographically distributed data centers, allowing customers to select preferred regions matching their compliance obligations.

Customers retain control over document lifecycles, with capabilities to purge records or redact PII as mandated by internal policies or external regulations. A Certificate of Completion audit trail also assures against tampering while confirming signer identities and signing chronology.

DocuSign institutes mandatory access controls, restricting document visibility to authorized accounts and logically separating customer data—yet another deterrent against insider threats. Once documents reach their designated expiration, DocuSign’s secure data disposal procedures permanently destroy them to block inadvertent exposure.

With multilayered protections spanning encryption, identity verification, logical segmentation, access management, and resilient infrastructure, DocuSign furnishes a hardened environment to deposit sensitive agreements.

Are Electronic Signatures Safe to Use?

Using an electronic signature in today’s fast-paced business and consumer environment cements digital transformation, furnishing numerous advantages over wet signatures – principally enhanced, configurable security and efficiency. Core security technologies include:

• Encryption – Scrambles data using cryptographic techniques, ensuring only intended recipients can decipher the content. This prevents interception.
• Identity Verification – Authenticates signers through multi-factor authentication, denying access to impersonators. This is especially important for accessing electronic signatures for landlords, renters, and other transactions. 
• Audit Trails – Comprehensively tracks viewing, sharing, and signing activities for transparency. This is critical for regulatory obligations.
• Compliance – Adheres to national and international rules around data protection – establishing e-signature validity.

Benefits of the paper include:

• Convenience – Sign PDFs and contracts without geographic restrictions. This is popular for dispersed teams and across use cases, including real estate.
• Speed – Accelerate automated document workflows by eliminating printing, faxing, and overnight deliveries.
• Cost Savings – Slash expenses like paper, storage, postage, and carbon emissions.
• Security Exposure – Tamper-proof storage for electronic signatures outperform pen and paper vulnerable to forgery– a significant plus for security teams. 
• Sustainability – Minimize paper usage benefits the environment.

E-signatures facilitate the instant, secure sign-off of binding agreements without logistical hindrances. PDF signing software helps elevate this indispensable tool for the modern enterprise.

Signaturely is the Best DocuSign Alternative

Signaturely is a top rival to DocuSign for e-signatures. It strikes a nice balance between pricing, ease of use, and good security. This makes Signaturely very appealing to small businesses and individuals.

DocuSign and Signaturely actually have lots of security similarities. Both use tough AES 256-bit encryption to lock down your data. And they meet all the legal standards for valid e-signatures.

Where Signaturely pulls ahead is on value and simplicity:

• Cheaper plans suit bootstrappers
• Intuitive design means less learning curve
• Free mode lets you test-drive the platform

For those who prioritize affordability and convenience over enterprise-grade controls, Signaturely can be the superior choice. As one of the best electronic signature software on the market, the platform delivers ease of use in handling complicated workflows. 

Ready to try it out? You can sign up today and get unlimited free e-signatures for a week. See firsthand why small businesses increasingly pick Signaturely over DocuSign for their signing needs.

What You Need to Remember About DocuSign Security

DocuSign employs multilayered security protections aligned with industry best practices to safeguard sensitive data. Encryption, access controls, compliance certifications, and prompt response to emerging threats provide robust defenses against cyberattacks. Legally binding DocuSign electronic signatures also furnish efficiencies over paper records while upholding integrity.

Occasional vulnerabilities uncovered during audits undergo rapid remediation, upholding DocuSign’s secure posture. DocuSign effectively balances security, compliance obligations, and ease of use – cementing digital transformation for most organizations. Yet more cost-conscious users may prefer Signaturely’s scaled-down protections, which are traded for affordability and simplicity.

FAQs About DocuSign Security

Users often have questions about the risks of digital signing and document signing software. Some common ones: