The National Institute of Standards and Technology is proposing changes to the digital signature standard. Digital signatures are mathematical algorithms that ensure authenticity of digital documents. They are specified in Federal Information Processing Standard, or FIPS 186 — 3. The standard first came out in 1994.

The changes are open for public comment until May 15. NIST said the proposed revisions clarify how to implement the digital signature algorithms. One change would allow the use of new random number generators. The devices create the keys for locking and unlocking digitally signed documents.

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