When a document is fully signed in Mifiel, two files are generated: a PDF and an XML. How do these files work? Why split it into two?
Once all signers of a document in Mifiel have signed it, a record of data integrity is obtained for the data message. Two files are then generated: an XML and a PDF.
Although some electronic signature platforms generate a single final signed file (generally a PDF), at Mifiel we chose to separate it into a PDF and an XML because there was already a precedent for using both: electronic invoices or CFDIs. Judges are very familiar with that system.
In Mifiel, the XML and the PDF work as follows:
XML
It is a structured data set or container with full legal validity, which contains:
- Hash of the original document.
- Original document in a computational format called “Base64”.
- Signature, signer and certificate data:
- RFC.
- Name or company name.
- Email address.
- Certificate number.
- Certificate issuer.
- Signature algorithm (encryption).
- Signature date.
- Electronic signature (uniquely encrypted hash for each private key).
- Record of data integrity information:
- Time stamp with date and time of issuance.
- Issuer of the certificate.
- Record of data integrity (hash of the signed document to which the date and time of issuance was concatenated and which was encrypted with the issuer's private key).
The integrity of this file and the authenticity of its signatures can be verified in the Mifiel Verifier, an auditable tool.
It is a visual representation of the XML that can be easily printed and interpreted. Although it has no legal validity, in case of trial it is essential as a support for the judge and the parties
At the end it includes one or more signature pages with relevant information of the document, the signatures and the signers, and as its name says, the characters that make up each electronic signature stamped.