How to sign a PDF with your Security Data certificate

Sign PDFs with your Security Data (.p12) certificate from the browser, free and with nothing to install. Compatible with Ecuador's most-used ACE. Works on mobile.

By IDK Manager Team ·

Security Data is one of Ecuador’s most-used certification authorities (ACE), accredited by ARCOTEL. If you have your certificate as a .p12 file, this guide shows how to sign your PDFs free, in your browser, with nothing to install — including on your phone, with no Java or FirmaEC desktop.

Total time: 2-3 minutes per PDF.

What you need

  • Your Security Data certificate as a .p12 / .pfx file and its password.
  • The PDF you want to sign.
  • A modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).

If your Security Data certificate lives on a physical USB token rather than as a .p12 file, this guide does not apply directly: you would need to export it to .p12 from the token software, or use FirmaEC desktop. Token signing via WebUSB is on the roadmap.

How to sign

The flow is the same as how to sign a PDF on firmar.ec, using your Security Data .p12. Everything happens in your browser — your private key is never uploaded to any server.

  1. Open app.firmar.ec/firmar.
  2. Load the PDF and place the visible seal (with your name, “Security Data” as issuer and a verification QR).
  3. Upload your Security Data .p12 and enter the password.
  4. Review the summary and press Sign PDF.
  5. Download the <document>-firmado.pdf or share it via WhatsApp/email.

Want to check your certificate first? Use Validate certificate: it shows the holder, validity and that the Security Data chain links to its ARCOTEL-accredited root.

After signing

Validate your own signature at app.firmar.ec/verificar: it confirms integrity, issuer and revocation. The result is PAdES Baseline B-B (ETSI EN 319 142-1), valid in Adobe Reader, the MINTEL validator, the SRI (administrative PDFs) and any standard PAdES verifier.

FAQ

Is it compatible with FirmaEC? Yes. The PAdES B-B profile is the same one FirmaEC desktop produces; PDFs validate both ways.

Is it free? Yes. firmar.ec is free for personal use and open source (AGPL-3.0).

My Security Data .p12 ships leaf-only — does it work? Yes: firmar.ec bundles Security Data’s intermediate CA and completes the chain automatically.