Enterprise Signing Architecture Blueprint

Decouple your applications from cryptography. One REST API for PDF, EDI, and Banking signatures, backed by your HSMs.

The Problem: The "Crypto Spaghetti"

In most enterprises, cryptographic logic is scattered across multiple applications:

This creates three critical problems:

  1. Security Risk: Keys are exposed in app configs, version control, and deployment pipelines.
  2. Audit Nightmare: Logs are scattered and inconsistent across systems. Compliance reviews become a manual nightmare.
  3. Agility Zero: Rotating a key or changing an HSM requires redeploying 3+ different apps and testing each one separately.

The Solution: The 3-Layer Architecture

Introduce a Universal Gateway that sits between your applications and your keys. Applications no longer know about cryptography. They simply send a request to the Gateway.

Layer 1: The Application (Business Logic)

Responsibility: Knows what needs to be signed and why.

Action: Sends a JSON payload to the Gateway.

  • Interface: REST / JSON
  • Knowledge: Zero crypto knowledge. Only knows "Key Alias" (e.g., finance-signing-key).
  • Example: POST /sign { file: "invoice.pdf", key: "finance" }

Layer 2: The Universal Gateway (safeX)

Responsibility: Protocol enforcement and orchestration.

  • Validates the request (AuthN/AuthZ)
  • Formats the data (PDF, EDIFACT, PKCS#7)
  • Selects the correct algorithm (SHA-256, RSA-4096)
  • Calls the HSM for the raw signature
  • Assembles the final signed file
  • Logs the complete audit trail

Deployment: Docker Container (On-Prem or Hybrid)

Layer 3: The Root of Trust (HSM)

Responsibility: Storing and protecting the private key.

Action: Performs the raw mathematical operation (Sign Hash).

Constraint: Private key never leaves this hardware.

Implementation Guide

Step 1: Centralize Key Management

Move keys from file systems (.pem, .p12) into the HSM or a central Key Vault. Assign logical aliases that your applications can reference (e.g., finance-signing-key, logistics-gpg-key).

Step 2: Deploy the Gateway

Spin up the safex/gateway container. Configure it with read-only access to the HSM (via PKCS#11). No apps have direct HSM access anymore.

Step 3: Refactor Apps

Replace hundreds of lines of BouncyCastle, OpenSSL, or custom crypto code with 1 HTTP call:

POST /sign
{
  "file": "base64-encoded-data",
  "key": "finance",
  "format": "pdf"
}

Why This Architecture Wins

Easy Key Rotation

Change the key in the HSM/Gateway. Apps don't change. No re-deployment needed.

Unified Audit Trail

One log stream for ALL signing events across your entire company.

Developer Velocity

Developers ship features, not crypto debugging. One simple API to learn.

Enhanced Security

Keys isolated in hardware. No credentials scattered in app configs.

Compliance Ready

Evidence bundles and decision traces for audit and regulatory requirements.

Flexibility

Support PDF, EDI, PKCS#7, PGP, and more—all from the same Gateway.

Ready to Decouple Your Architecture?

Learn how the Universal Signing Gateway can streamline your enterprise signing infrastructure.

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