Download XML Signer (XAdES) (Free 30-Day Trial)
XML Signer (XAdES) is a Windows application that digitally signs XML documents with X.509 certificates. It creates XAdES signatures (ETSI EN 319 132-1, baseline levels B-B, B-T, B-LT and B-LTA), the format used for advanced and qualified electronic signatures under the eIDAS Regulation (EU) No 910/2014. You can sign a single document or a complete folder of documents in one operation, from the program window or automatically from the command line, without purchasing any additional software.
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eIDAS-Compliant XML Signatures, QSCD and Qualified Certificates
The signatures created by XML Signer follow the XAdES baseline profiles of ETSI EN 319 132-1, the standard for XML advanced electronic signatures in the European Union. They can be verified with the validation tool of the European Commission (DSS – eSignature validation) and with other eIDAS-compliant validators. The validator reports the signature format, the signer’s certificate, the time of the signature or of the time stamp, the revocation status and, based on the EU Trusted Lists, whether the certificate is qualified and whether its private key is stored on a qualified signature creation device (QSCD).
Qualified certificates and QSCD – XML Signer signs with qualified certificates whose private key is stored on a QSCD, such as a smart card or a USB token (for example SafeNet eToken). The private key never leaves the device: the signature is created inside it. A signature created with a qualified certificate on a QSCD is a qualified electronic signature (QES). According to Article 25 of the eIDAS Regulation, a qualified electronic signature has the equivalent legal effect of a handwritten signature and is recognised in all the Member States of the European Union. Qualified certificates for electronic seals, stored on a QSCD, are used in the same way.
The qualification level of a signature is given by the certificate and by the device, not by the software. XML Signer creates the signature in the format that the validators expect. For a qualified electronic signature, use a qualified certificate on a QSCD issued by a qualified trust service provider. Advanced electronic signatures can be created with any valid X.509 certificate, including certificates stored in the Windows certificate store or in PFX files.
Benefits:
– Support for qualified certificates on QSCD, smart card, USB token, eToken, DSC
– Support for eIDAS digital certificates (EU Regulation 910/2014)
– XAdES-B-B, XAdES-B-T, XAdES-B-LT and XAdES-B-LTA (ETSI EN 319 132-1)
– Signatures that can be verified with the European Commission validator
– RFC 3161 time stamping and long-term validation (OCSP and CRL)
– SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512 support
– RSA and Elliptic Curve (ECDSA) certificates
– Bulk signing of folders and automatic signing from the command line
– Bypass smart card/USB token PIN for automatic signing
– XML Signer Viewer included
– XMLDSig standard (older format)
Features
XAdES Standard – XML Signer creates XAdES baseline signatures at four levels. Choose the level that matches the requirements of the system that receives your documents:
| Signature format | What it contains | Typical use |
| XAdES-B-B (basic) | The signature, the signer’s certificate and the signing time | Invoices, contracts and documents exchanged between organizations |
| XAdES-B-T | B-B plus a trusted time stamp | When the exact time of the signature must be proven |
| XAdES-B-LT (long term) | B-T plus the certificates and the revocation data (OCSP or CRL) | Documents that must remain verifiable after the certificate expires |
| XAdES-B-LTA (long term archival) | B-LT plus an archive time stamp | Archives that must remain provable for many years |
The XAdES signature is added inside the XML document and the content of the document is not changed. The older XMLDSig format is also available for systems that require it.
Certificates, Smart Cards and USB Tokens – XML Signer is completely PKI neutral and will work with PKI components from any vendor (this includes CAs, certificates, CRLs, smartcards, etc.). You can sign with a certificate from the Windows certificate store (smart card and USB token certificates are added to the store by the driver of the token), or with a PFX/P12 file. The program shows the certificate provider, so you can see if the private key is stored on a device. RSA and Elliptic Curve (ECDSA) certificates are supported. XML Signer refuses to sign with an expired certificate, or with a certificate that is not valid yet, before any document is processed.
Bypass the Smart Card PIN – For automatic signing you can save the PIN of the smart card or of the USB token. It is stored encrypted and it belongs to the selected certificate. If the device rejects the PIN, XML Signer stops using it, so the token is not locked by repeated wrong attempts.
Time Stamping – XAdES-B-T, XAdES-B-LT and XAdES-B-LTA signatures include a RFC 3161 time stamp, issued by a time stamp authority (TSA). The time stamp proves that the signature existed at a given moment and that the document was not changed after that moment. You can configure the TSA address, the authentication, the policy and the use of a nonce. Only a hash is sent to the TSA: your document does not leave your computer.
Long-Term Validation – The XAdES-B-LT and XAdES-B-LTA formats embed the certificates and the revocation data (OCSP responses or CRLs) of the signer, so the signature can be verified even after the signer’s certificate expires or is revoked and the servers of the issuer are no longer available. You choose the type of revocation data and the maximum size of a CRL.
SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512 Algorithms – XML Signer can digitally sign XML documents using the SHA-256, SHA-384 or SHA-512 hash algorithms. The hash algorithm of the signature and of the time stamp request are configurable.
Bulk and Automatic Signing – Select an input folder and an output folder and XML Signer signs all the XML documents of the folder, with a progress indicator. The same operation can run without user intervention from the command line, from a script or from the Windows Task Scheduler. Different signature configurations (certificate, format, time stamp) can be saved in files and used for different folders. The program returns a result code (0 for success) and writes the log files, so the process can be monitored.
Built on the eIDAS Signature Library – XML Signer uses the same Signature Library (SignLib) that is available to developers. You can test a signature format, a hash algorithm or a certificate in the program and then create the same signatures from your own application in C#, VB.NET or Windows PowerShell. See Digitally Sign an XML File in Visual Studio with C#.
Where XML Signer Is Used
– Electronic invoices and other XML business documents
– Contracts, reports and documents that are exchanged in XML format
– Submissions to public administration and regulatory systems that require XAdES signatures
– Archives of XML documents that must remain verifiable in the long term
Before you start, check the signature format required by the receiving system (for example XAdES-B-B or XAdES-B-LT), and choose the same format in XML Signer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does XML Signer create qualified electronic signatures?
XML Signer creates XAdES signatures. When you sign with a qualified certificate whose private key is stored on a QSCD (a smart card or a USB token), the result is a qualified electronic signature (QES) in the sense of the eIDAS Regulation. With any other valid certificate the result is an advanced electronic signature.
How can I check the signatures?
Open the signed document with XML Signer Viewer, included in the product. For a validation according to the eIDAS rules, use the validation tool of the European Commission (DSS) or another eIDAS-compliant validator.
Can I sign with a smart card or a USB token?
Yes. Install the driver of the token, select its certificate from the Windows certificate store and, if you wish, save the PIN for automatic signing.
Can I sign many XML files automatically?
Yes. Select an input folder and an output folder, or start XML Signer from the command line with the source, the destination and an optional configuration file.
Are my documents sent to a server?
No. The documents are signed on your computer. An Internet connection is used only for the time stamp (a hash is sent to the time stamp server) and for the revocation data of the long-term formats.
Which hash algorithms are supported?
SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512.
Requirements:
– A digital certificate (eIDAS qualified digital certificates, QSCD are supported)
– Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2 or higher
– Windows 7 or later (including Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022)
Licensing:
The license for XML Signer is a lifetime license. There is no additional cost like monthly / annual fees or fees per use. When a new version is released you can continue using your purchased version as usual.
The technical support and updates are free for 12 months after purchase. If you need help with our software, please contact us to receive prompt assistance from our technical support team. We offer free before-and-after purchase technical support for our programs. Technical support is provided by email only. Email response time is usually less than 24 hours.
60 Day Money Back Guarantee – If you are not pleased with our software for any reason, you are entitled to our 60 day no hassle, no questions asked, money back guarantee.
Buy XML Signer
| License type | Price (€) | Buy with PayPal | Buy with credit card |
| Single License (for 1 computer) |
19 EUR Lifetime License |
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| Company License (for 10 computers) |
90 EUR Lifetime License |
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| Technical Support | The technical support is free for 12 months after purchase | ||
Download XML Signer (XAdES) (Free 30-Day Trial)
(latest version: 6.4)
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