LTV Signature (Long-Term Validation) The digital signature that never expires

Ensuring the integrity and authenticity of electronic documents is essential. Digital signatures play a key role in this process, but a critical question arises: How can their validity be maintained over time?

Signing a document should be synonymous with permanent trust, not just for a limited period. However, in the digital environment, that promise can easily be broken, and the signature may lose its evidentiary value if any of the following occur:

  • Expiration of the signer’s certificate.

    👉 Every digital signature is based on a certificate issued by a certification authority. This certificate has a validity period. Once it expires, the signature still exists, but it can no longer be directly verified with that certificate without additional evidence.

  • Revocation or disappearance of the Certification Authority.

    👉 If the certification authority that issued the certificate ceases to operate or revokes the certificate, the signature loses its backing and no one can directly confirm its authenticity.

  • Loss of validity evidence.

    👉 To validate a signature, revocation lists (CRLs) or OCSP responses are required. If this data is not preserved, the signature cannot be verified, even if the document remains intact.

  • Change or disappearance of certification authorities.

    👉 If the authority that issued the certificate ceases to exist, it may be impossible to verify the signature without a timestamp or additional evidence.

Long-Term Validation (LTV) emerges to address this fragility.

This technology allows a digital signature to preserve its evidentiary value and authenticity for years, without relying on external factors. In other words, a document with an LTV signature not only certifies the fact but also protects it and maintains its validity over time.

At SaveTheProof, our position is clear: trust in evidence cannot depend on third parties. That’s why every certificate generated on our platform incorporates advanced digital signature with LTV, ensuring that any proof remains verifiable over time, no matter when or where it is accessed.

How does an LTV digital signature work?

An LTV digital signature not only electronically signs a document but also embeds all the information required to ensure the signature remains verifiable in the future, even if certificates expire or issuing authorities no longer exist.

This is achieved by integrating into the document:

  • The signer’s digital certificate.

  • The full certification chain (intermediate and root).

  • Validity evidence, such as revocation lists (CRLs) or OCSP responses.

  • A trusted timestamp issued by a reliable authority.

Thus, the main differences between a standard digital signature and an LTV signature are:

Digital signature vs LTV

If you wish, you can find more information about LTV signatures on the page: https://www.cert.fnmt.es/catalogo-de-servicios/firma-larga-duracion

Advanced LTV Digital Signature in SaveTheProof Certificates

All digital evidence certificates generated on our platform incorporate the advanced LTV digital signature, ensuring that:

🚀 The evidence can be verified even many years later

🚀 Its authenticity does not depend on external services

🚀The traceability and tamper-resistance of the document are guaranteed, both technically and legally

You can verify the activation of the advanced LTV digital signature yourself on the Web Browsing Certificates, Web Page Certificates, or File Certificates you have issued with SaveTheProof:

Open the certificate in PDF > Click on SIGNATURES (pen icon): The signature is activated for LTV

LTV Digital Signature in a SaveTheProof Certificate

In this way, any digital certificate issued by SaveTheProof will remain admissible and verifiable over time, regardless of when it is accessed, becoming a guarantee of trust.

Have questions? Write to us at [email protected] or use the chat on our website.

We’ll be happy to help you 😉.

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