RON RON Electronic Signatures and Seals 3

Question 1

Under what circumstances may a notary refuse to notarize a document during a RON session even if the signer has passed identity verification?

Accepted Answer

If the notary believes the signer is under duress, lacks capacity, or the document is fraudulent or illegal

Answer

A notary has both the right and duty to refuse notarization if they have reasonable grounds to believe the signer is being coerced, lacks mental capacity, or the document is being used for an illegal purpose.

Question 2

What is a 'smart card' or 'USB token' used for in the context of RON electronic seal management?

Accepted Answer

A physical hardware device that securely stores the notary's private key for their digital certificate and requires physical possession to use

Answer

Hardware security devices like smart cards and USB tokens store the notary's private cryptographic key in tamper-resistant hardware, ensuring that the electronic seal can only be used when the notary physically possesses the device.

Question 3

What does it mean when a notarized RON document shows 'signature validation failed' when opened in a PDF reader?

Accepted Answer

The document has been altered since it was notarized, or the signing certificate is not trusted by the PDF reader

Answer

A 'signature validation failed' error typically indicates that the document was modified after the notarial seal was applied or that the signing certificate is not in the reader's trusted certificate store.

Question 4

What is the 'long-term validation' (LTV) feature of electronic signatures and why is it important for RON documents?

Accepted Answer

LTV embeds all certificate chain and revocation data into the document so it can be verified even after the signing certificate expires

Answer

Long-term validation embeds all the cryptographic verification data needed to validate a signature into the document itself, ensuring it remains verifiable for decades even after the original certificate expires.

Question 5

Can a notary's electronic seal be used by their employer or signing service on their behalf without the notary present?

Accepted Answer

No — only the commissioned notary may use their own electronic seal, and delegating it to others is prohibited and may constitute fraud

Answer

A notary's electronic seal, like their physical stamp, is personal to them and cannot be used by any other person — unauthorized use by an employer or signing service constitutes fraud and could expose both parties to criminal liability.

RON - Remote Online Notary Practice Test

RON - Remote Online Notary Practice Test

RON RON Electronic Signatures and Seals 3