What is Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) in BoldSign?

Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) is a signer authentication method in BoldSign that helps verify a signer’s identity before the signer can access and sign a document. When KBA is enabled for a signer, the signer must provide legal identity information and answer security questions generated from public record information.

KBA is useful when you need stronger signer authentication without requiring the signer to upload an identity document. It adds an extra verification step to help ensure that the person accessing the document is the intended recipient.

Key features

1. Signer identity verification: KBA verifies signers through personal security questions based on the legal information they provide during the authentication process.

2. Sender control: Senders can choose which signers must complete KBA authentication. This allows different authentication requirements for different recipients in the same document.

3. Document access protection: Signers must complete KBA before they can access the document, based on the configured KBA frequency.

4. Configurable retry limit: Admins or senders can control how many KBA attempts are allowed. If the signer exceeds the permitted attempts, access to the document is restricted until the sender resets KBA or removes authentication.

5. Name-match control: KBA can compare the signer’s name in BoldSign with the identity details provided during authentication. The available tolerance levels are None, Strict, Moderate, and Lenient.

6. Business profile settings: Account admins can configure default KBA settings such as frequency, retry attempts, and name-match tolerance from Business Profile settings.

7. Usage and billing visibility: KBA usage is tracked separately from ID verification. Admins can review KBA usage and related transactions from the subscription or transaction pages.

How KBA works?

• When a signer opens a document that requires KBA, BoldSign asks the signer to provide current legal information. This information is used to generate security questions. The signer must answer the questions correctly to continue to the document.

• If KBA is completed successfully, the signer can access and sign the document. If KBA fails, the signer may retry within the allowed attempt limit. After the maximum number of attempts is reached, the document is locked for that signer until the sender takes action.

• KBA is different from ID verification. ID verification requires the signer to submit an identity document, such as a passport, driver’s license, or national ID. KBA verifies the signer through identity details and security questions instead of document upload.