# Verify an ASiC-E signature: the quick check and the official check

> To verify an ASiC-E signature you do not have to start with heavy tools. A one-minute pre-check tells you whether something is obviously wrong; the official check settles the rest.

Source: https://asiceviewer.com/en/blog/verify-asice-signature/
Published: 2026-11-10 · Digixy

## In short

- Stage 1, quick: open the container in a viewer and read the signature card.
- Stage 2, official: open it in DigiDoc4 and read the validity status.
- Keep the original file; verification can be repeated at any time.

## Stage 1: the one-minute pre-check

1. Open [asiceviewer.com](https://asiceviewer.com/en/#tool) and drop the container in.
2. Count the signature cards. Is everyone there who should have signed?
3. Read each signer's name and personal code. Is it the right person?
4. Check the signing time. Does it fit the story?
5. Look at the integrity line. It should say OK for every signer.
6. Open **Details** and confirm "Certificate valid at signing time: Yes".

If any of these fails, you already know the container cannot be relied on as it stands.

## Reading the pre-check result

| What you see | What it means |
| Integrity OK | The documents are the ones that were signed |
| Integrity error, file changed | A document was modified after signing |
| Integrity error, file missing | A signed document was removed from the container |
| No signatures | The container was created but never signed |
| Certificate not valid at signing time | The signer's certificate had expired or was not yet valid |

## Stage 2: the official check

1. Install the ID-software from id.ee and start DigiDoc4.
2. Drag the same `.asice` file into the window.
3. Each signature is listed with a status: valid, valid with warnings, or invalid.
4. Click a signature to see the signer's certificate, the time stamp and the validity confirmation.

DigiDoc4 verifies the signature value, builds the certificate chain to a trusted root and evaluates the revocation data. That is the verdict to rely on.

## Without installing: validation services

Organisations can run or use a validation service that returns a report for a submitted container. The Estonian state provides the open-source SiVa service for this purpose, and the European Commission publishes the open-source DSS library with a demonstration validator. Remember that these receive your file, so mind what you send.

## Verifying on a phone

The [ASiC-E Viewer app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.digixy.asiceviewer&hl=en&referrer=utm_source%3Dasiceviewer.com%26utm_medium%3Dblog-md) performs the integrity check on the device, checks the certificate's validity period at signing time and verifies PKCS#7 signatures cryptographically. It states clearly that the XAdES signature value is not recomputed.

## Keep the evidence

A verification result is only reproducible if you keep the original container. Store the `.asice` file unchanged. Background on the layers is in [ASiC-E signature verification](https://asiceviewer.com/en/blog/asice-signature-verification/).

## Frequently asked questions

**How long does it take to verify an ASiC-E signature?**

The pre-check takes about a minute. The official check takes a few minutes once DigiDoc4 is installed.

**Can I verify a signature years later?**

Yes, if the container includes a time stamp and revocation data (level LT or higher), it carries its own proof.

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Open your .asice file now: https://asiceviewer.com/en/
ASiC-E Viewer on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.digixy.asiceviewer