Configure document access security

When the documents are shared on the web with other users, it's important to upscale the security levels to prevent fraudulent attempts and bad actors from compromising your document security. SigningHub provides you with three methods that can be configured for either individual or all recipients collectively:

1. Access duration - to allow document access only for a specified duration

2. Access authentication - to authenticate the recipient through a specified password, a One-Time Password or a Time-based One-Time Password when attempting to access the document

3. Signing authentication - to authenticate the recipient through a One-Time Password or a Time-based One-Time Password when attempting to sign the document

In case the authentication/validation fails in any of the above scenarios, the recipient will be restricted from accessing/signing the document. By default, these document security features are disabled for a new workflow. You can always enable them as required before sharing.

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Document Access Security

Fields	Description
Access duration	Select the check box to allow document access only for a specified duration for the selected or all recipients. You can specify the access duration via a specific date and time or a number of days. On enabling the toggle shown in the image below, the following options will be displayed: Based on dates Set a specific form and till date/time for a recipient to access the document. The recipient will not be able to access the document beyond this duration. If the document is not processed within the specified time, the document will be considered declined. Based on days Set a number of days in which a recipient can sign the document after receiving it. The recipient will not be able to access the document after this duration. Also if the document is not processed within the specified days, the document will be considered declined.
Access authentication	Enable the toggle to enable recipient authentication through a specified password or an OTP when attempting to access the document. The following options will be displayed: Shared password Set a password that the recipient would need to provide in order to access the document. While typing in a password, the Password Policy will be displayed. SigningHub will allow you to specify a password that complies with the given Password Policy. Password Policy will be configured at the Enterprise level or Administrator level according to account type. One-Time Password (SMS & Email) This option will let the document owner send an OTP to the recipient that will used for recipient authentication. Whenever the recipient tries to open this document an OTP will be sent to the recipient's email, mobile number, or both depending upon the document owner's service plan configuration. When the service plan allows "SMS OTP", a field to specify the mobile number of a recipient to send an OTP will be displayed. The document will be accessible only upon providing the correct OTP. By default, the specified number is displayed partially masked to comply with the GDPR policy. Click the 'Eye' icon to view the complete number. Time-based One-Time Password This authentication option will let the recipient access the document after they have entered the Time-based One-Time Password. Whenever the recipient tries to open this document they will be prompted to enter the Time-based One-Time Password from the authenticator app configured on their mobile device. In case the recipient has not configured two-factor authentication (2FA), upon trying to access a document that requires Time time-based One-Time Password, an email will be sent to their email address to configure two-factor authentication (2FA). The document will be accessible only upon providing the correct Time-based One-Time Password.
Signing authentication	Enable this option to enable recipient authentication through the OTP process when attempting to sign the document. On enabling the toggle shown in the image below, the following options will be displayed: One-Time Password (SMS & Email) This option will let the document owner send an OTP to the recipient that will used to sign authentication. Whenever the recipient tries to sign this document an OTP will be sent to the recipient's email, mobile number, or both depending upon the document owner's service plan configuration. When the service plan allows "SMS OTP", a field to specify the mobile number of a recipient to send an OTP will be displayed. The document will be signed only upon providing the correct OTP. By default, the specified number is displayed partially masked to comply with the GDPR policy. Click the 'Eye' icon to view the complete number. Time-based one-time password This authentication option will let the recipient sign the document after they have entered the Time-based One-Time Password. Whenever the recipient tries to sign this document they will be prompted to enter the Time-based One-Time Password from the authenticator app configured on their mobile device. In case the recipient has not configured two-factor authentication (2FA), upon trying to sign a document that requires Time time-based One-Time Password, an email will be sent to their email address to configure two-factor authentication (2FA). The document will be signed only upon providing the correct Time-based One-Time Password.
Save	Click to save the information entered on the dialog.
Cancel	Click to discard the information entered on the dialog.

1. In the following cases, the "Document Signing Authentication" option is not available on the "Set Access Security" dialog:

   • For the recipients of type "Reviewer", "Editor" or "Send A Copy"

   • Signing order is set to "Individual"

   • The recipient is a Group signer

   • One-Time Password (OTP) and Time-based One-Time Password options are disabled in the service plan

2. In the "Mobile Number" field, enter the recipient's mobile number on which the OTP will be sent via SMS. The full international number must be entered in the 00 44 234334334 or [phone] format. By default, the specified mobile number is displayed partially masked to comply with the GDPR policy. Click the 'Eye' icon to view the complete number.

3. If the recipient's mobile number exists in the user's personal or enterprise contacts, the "Mobile Number" field will be auto-populated with the mobile number.

4. For the currently logged-in user, in case two different mobile numbers have been configured in the user's profile and the user's contacts, the system will auto-populate the "Mobile Number" field with the number configured in the user's profile.

5. When the delivery method is either "SMS" or "Email & SMS", the provided mobile number in case of a guest user, will be auto-populated in the "Mobile Number" field.

6. The following rules will be followed for initiating the OTP process:

   • The system will initiate when the recipients attempt to sign a signature field, and will not initiate the OTP process when the recipient attempts to mark an Initials field.

   • Even if Document Signing OTP Authentication is configured, the OTP process will fail to initiate in case the signer is performing Bulk Sign.

   • When the recipient is a registered user and attempts to sign a signature field, the system will follow the OTP authentication settings (including mobile number) as configured by the document owner via the "Document Access Security" dialogue box.

     • In case the OTP authentication is not configured by the document owner, the system will follow the OTP authentication settings configured in the Enterprise Role while using the mobile number specified on the user's "My Settings" page.

     • In case OTP authentication is not configured in the Enterprise Role or Service Plan, then the OTP process will not initiate.

   • When the recipient is a guest user and attempts to sign a signature field, the system will follow the OTP authentication settings (including the mobile number) as configured by the document owner via the "Document Access Security" dialogue box.

     • In addition, even if the OTP authentication is configured in the Enterprise role, the OTP process will still not initiate.

7. This OTP authentication option will only be displayed if the "Enable One Time Password (OTP)" option is enabled in the document owner's service plan. If you cannot find this option in your account, upgrade your service plan.

8. The OTP method for "Document Signing OTP Authentication" will be the same as per the configured OTP method in the document owner's service plan.

   • "(Email)", in case only "Email OTP" is configured in the service plan

   • "(SMS)", in case only "SMS OTP" is configured in the service plan

   • "(SMS and Email)", in case both "Email OTP" and "SMS OTP" are configured in the service plan

9. The Time-based One-Time Password option will only be displayed if the "Enable Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP)" option is enabled in the document owner's service plan. If you cannot find this option in your account, upgrade your service plan.

10. If the user does not have two-factor authentication (2FA) configured, they will be sent an email to set up and to provide a Time based One Time Password. If the user has already configured two-factor authentication (2FA) they will be prompted to provide the Time-based One-Time Password from the authenticator app configured on their mobile device.

11. To configure the two factor authentication (2FA) the user will need to install an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, etc.) on their mobile device. The email sent to the user to configure two-factor authentication (2FA) will contain:

    • QR Code

    • Manual Key

    • Recovery Codes

    To set up, the user can either scan the "QR Code" or manually input the "Manual Key" in the Authenticator app. Once the registration is successful, the user can provide the automatically generated Time-based One-Time Password from the Authenticator app to SigningHub in order to proceed. The list of recovery codes included in the configuration email can be used in place of a Time-based One-Time Password, once each recovery code is to regain access to your SigningHub account, in case you lose access to your mobile device. It is advised to save the recovery codes in a safe place. The user can, however, regenerate a new list of the recovery codes from the Manage Two Factor Authentication (2FA) option. In case an enterprise user loses access to your mobile device and recovery codes, or has used all of the recovery codes, you can ask your enterprise admin to reset the two-factor authentication (2FA) against your account.

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Set the access duration

Based on dates:

Considering the screenshot scenario, the document will be accessible only from October 31, 2024, 12:57:00 to November 08, 2024, 12:57:00 for processing. The document will be considered declined if it is not processed within this period.

Based on days:

Considering the screenshot scenario, the document will be accessible for the next 10 days after receiving it. The document will be considered declined if it is not processed within this period.

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Set the access authentication

Shared password:

Considering the screenshot scenario, the recipient will have to provide this (specified) password to access and process the document.

One-Time Password (SMS & Email)

Considering the screenshot scenario, an OTP will be sent to the email address and specified mobile number of recipient, whenever he attempts to access the document. He must provide the received OTP to access and process the document.

Time-Based One-Time Password

Considering the screenshot scenario, the recipient will be prompted to provide the Time-based One-Time Password whenever he attempts to access the document.

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To set document signing authentication

One-Time Password (SMS & Email)

Considering the screenshot scenario, an OTP will be sent to the email address and specified mobile number of recipient, whenever he attempts to sign the document. He must provide the received OTP to sign the document.

Time-based One-Time Password

Considering the screenshot scenario, the recipient will be prompted to provide the Time-based One-Time Password whenever he attempts to sign the document.

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1. A document owner can edit recipient permissions even after the document has been shared with the recipients. However, if a read-only template has been used, the document owner won't be able to edit recipient permissions after sharing the document.

2. In the service plan, if under "Enable One Time Password (OTP)", the "Email OTP" was checked and the "SMS OTP" was unchecked, and the document owner shared the workflow with either the "Document Access Authentication" and/or "Document Signing OTP Authentication" but before the recipient could process the document, under "Enable One Time Password (OTP)", "Email OTP" was unchecked and the "SMS OTP" was checked, the system will prompt an error and the recipient will be unable to access the document. In this case, the recipient should ask the document owner to configure the recipient's mobile number in the "Set Access Security" dialogue box of the shared workflow.

3. If the "Set Document Access Authentication for all recipients" option is selected against the document owner's user role, the document owner will not be allowed to share the workflow until "Document Access Authentication" is set for all the recipients in the workflow.

4. If the "Set Document Signing Authentication for all recipients" option is selected against the document owner's user role, the document owner will not be allowed to share the workflow until "Document Signing Authentication" is set for all the recipients in the workflow.

5. The option to configure "Recipient Permissions", Document Access Security", Auto Reminders", and Email Reminders" is not available for an electronic seal which has been added to the workflow.