!!! Overview [1]
[{$pagename}] (or [ Signature Scheme]) includes a [Digital Signature] [Signature Generation] process and a [Signature] [VSignature Verification] process. 

%%warning
[Digital Signature] and therefore [{$pagename}] are not [Encryption] even though they are used within the [Encryption] process
%%

Each signatory has a [Public Key] and [Private Key]. The [Private Key] is used in the signature generation process. The owner [entity] [MUST] have exclusive control over the use of the [Private Key] to generate [Digital Signatures]. In order to prevent other [entities] from [impersonation] of pair owner and using the [Private Key] to generate fraudulent [Digital Signatures], the [Private Key] [MUST] remain [secret]. 

!! [{$pagename}] vs [Electronic Signatures] 
While [Digital Signatures] are often used to implement [Electronic Signatures], but not all [Electronic Signatures] use [Digital Signatures].

!! [{$pagename}] 
[Digital Signature Algorithm] typically consists of three [algorithms];
* A [Key Generation] [algorithm] that selects a [Private Key] from a set of possible private keys. The [algorithm] outputs the [Private Key] and a corresponding [Public Key].
* A [Signature Generation] that, given a [message] and a [Private Key], produces a [Digital Signature].
* A [Signature Verification] that, given the [message], [Public Key] and [Digital Signature], either accepts or rejects the [message]'s [claim] for [authenticity].

!! Common [{$pagename}]
* The [Digital Signature Algorithm] ([DSA]) 
* The [RSA Digital Signature Algorithm]
* The [Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm] ([ECDSA])

!! [FIPS 186]
[{$pagename}] ([DSA]), is also an [algorithm] defined by the [Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS] for [Digital Signatures].

[{$pagename}] was proposed by the [National Institute of Standards and Technology] ([NIST]) in August [1991|Year 1991] for use in their [Digital Signature Standard] ([DSS]) and adopted as [FIPS 186] in [1993|Year 1993].

Four revisions to the initial specification have been released: 
* [FIPS 186]-1 in [1996|Year 1996]
* [FIPS 186]-2 in [2000|Year 2000]
* [FIPS 186]-3 in [2009|Year 2009]
* [FIPS 186]-4 in [2013|Year 2013]

[{$pagename}] is covered by U.S. Patent 5,231,668, filed July 26, [1991|Year 1991] and attributed to David W. Kravitz,[6] a former [NSA] employee. This patent was given to "The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, Washington, D.C.", and [NIST] has made this patent available worldwide royalty-free.[7] Claus P. Schnorr claims that his U.S. Patent 4,995,082 (expired) covered DSA; this claim is disputed.[8] 

[{$pagename}] is a variant of the ElGamal Signature Scheme.

!! More Information
There might be more information for this subject on one of the following:
[{ReferringPagesPlugin before='*' after='\n' }]
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* [#1] - [Digital_Signature_Algorithm|http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.186-4.pdf|target='_blank'] - based on information obtained 2017-08-02-
* [#2] - [Digital_Signature_Algorithm|Wikipedia:Digital_Signature_Algorithm|target='_blank'] - based on information obtained 2014-08-04

http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.186-4.pdf