- Biometric notarization noun
- A method of notarizing a document in which the signer's identity is verified by physical biometric checks — face match, voice challenge, liveness — rather than by a visual inspection by a commissioned notary. District Seal performs biometric notarization using a six-step identity ceremony: WebAuthn hardware authentication, forced document scroll, informed consent, spoken challenge phrase, head-turn liveness, and face match.
- Court-admissible electronic signature noun
- An electronic signature produced through a process designed to satisfy the evidentiary standards a court applies when determining whether a signed document is authentic, attributed to the signer, and unaltered since signing. In the U.S., the ESIGN Act and UETA establish the baseline requirements; higher assurance comes from documented identity verification and cryptographic binding.
- Remote online notarization (RON) noun
- A notarization conducted over a live audio-video connection with a commissioned notary, permitted in most U.S. states under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) and equivalent state statutes. RON still requires a human notary present on the call. Biometric notarization, as performed by District Seal, does not — the identity checks replace the notary's visual inspection.
- Document hash (SHA-256) noun
- A 64-character fingerprint produced by running a document through the SHA-256 cryptographic function. Any change to the document — a single character, a comma, a date — changes the hash entirely. When a certificate carries the hash of the document as signed, any later alteration becomes detectable.
- Liveness detection noun
- A biometric technique used to confirm that the face presented to a camera belongs to a live person present at the time of signing, rather than a photograph, a video playback, or a mask. District Seal performs liveness by requiring the signer to turn their head left, then right, on cue — movement that a static spoof cannot produce.
- Duress flag noun
- A status applied to a signed document in which the signer reports that they were coerced, threatened, or otherwise signed under duress. A duress flag does not void the signature; it records the dispute so that anyone checking the certificate sees it. District Seal's duress process is documented on the Contact page and in section 6 of the Terms.
- Public verification URL noun
- A permanent web address attached to every signed certificate that allows anyone — a court, a counterparty, an auditor — to confirm the certificate's validity without needing an account or contacting the issuing organisation. The URL shows the signer's name, reference number, hash prefix, verification mode, and timestamp.
- WebAuthn noun
- A web standard (also known as FIDO2) that lets a website authenticate a user using hardware-backed credentials — a platform biometric sensor, a hardware security key, or a TPM. Considered one of the strongest forms of user authentication available in browsers. Phishing-resistant.
- FIDO2 noun
- The set of specifications (WebAuthn + CTAP) that allows web applications to use hardware-based authentication for user verification. FIDO2 credentials cannot be replayed across sites and are resistant to phishing and credential-stuffing attacks.
- Device fingerprint noun
- A hash derived from stable characteristics of a browser and device — screen dimensions, timezone, language, platform, canvas rendering — used to recognise the same device across sessions without storing personally identifying information about the device itself. District Seal records a device fingerprint only when the browser supplies one; it is a hash, not raw device state.
- Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) noun
- An identity-verification method that asks the user questions derived from their credit history or public records — previous addresses, vehicle registrations, former employers. Distinct from biometric verification, which does not rely on information an attacker might already possess.
- Identity assurance level (IAL) noun
- A classification defined by NIST Special Publication 800-63-3 describing how thoroughly a claimed identity has been verified. IAL1 is self-asserted. IAL2 requires documentary or biometric evidence. IAL3 requires in-person or supervised verification.
- AAL2 (Authenticator Assurance Level 2) noun
- A NIST 800-63-3 classification that requires multi-factor authentication with a hardware-backed credential. WebAuthn satisfies AAL2. District Seal's signing ceremony is designed around AAL2.
- ESIGN Act noun
- The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, a 2000 U.S. federal law establishing that electronic signatures have the same legal effect as handwritten signatures where the parties intend to sign electronically. Requires intent, consent, attribution, and retention.
- UETA noun
- The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, a model state law that mirrors the ESIGN Act at the state level. Adopted by 49 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Every U.S. state except New York, Illinois, and Washington has adopted UETA or equivalent legislation.
- eIDAS noun
- An EU regulation (No 910/2014) that establishes a legal framework for electronic identification and trust services across the European Union. A "qualified electronic signature" (QES) under eIDAS carries the same legal weight as a handwritten signature within the EU. District Seal does not currently issue QES; eIDAS certification requires a licensed trust service provider.
- Tamper-evident certificate noun
- A signed document in which any modification to the underlying content is detectable. District Seal certificates are tamper-evident because they carry the SHA-256 hash of the document as signed; if the document is later altered, the certificate no longer verifies.
- Attestation type noun
- The legal character of a signing ceremony — e.g. signature, approval, review, consent, acknowledgment, certification, witness. District Seal allows the transaction creator to designate which attestation applies; the certificate is worded accordingly.
- Forensic event log noun
- A chronological record of every action taken during a signing ceremony — WebAuthn verification, document exposure, consent, liveness capture, face match, ledger issuance — with timestamps, IP address, user agent, and (when available) device fingerprint for each event.
- Zero-media retention noun
- A data-handling policy in which the raw media captured during a ceremony (voice recordings, liveness video, face frames) is destroyed immediately after the ceremony completes, and only the derived result — pass or fail, plus a numeric distance score — is retained. District Seal operates on zero-media retention.
