Using the functions described in this section, a user can "digitally sign" a piece of data such that any other user can easily verify that the data has not been changed since it was signed. The identity of the user that signed the data can also be easily verified.
A digital signature consists of a small amount of binary data, typically less than 256 bytes. This signature can be bundled with the signed message or stored separately; this is up to the individual application.
The Microsoft RSA Base Provider creates digital signatures that conform to the RSA Public-Key Cryptography Standard (PKCS) #6.