Grant begins with the basics, showing how security problems evolved and what they entail. She explains the five elements of security: authenticating that people are who they say they are, assuring they are authorized to do what they want to do, guaranteeing that private communications remain private, guarding data from being fraudulently changed, and making certain that others cannot deny responsibility for the consequences of their actions by pretending that they were not really the ones acting. Grant then looks at digital signatures from a businessperson's point of view, using case studies to explore how the technology is currently being used in the business world and what uses are planned for the immediate future.
She covers many surrounding issues, such as the legal responsibilities of those who certify digital signatures, the legislation required to truly make digital signatures the working equivalent of an autograph on a contract, and the business policies required to let companies take advantage of the technology while protecting themselves and their customers. Grant wraps up the book with a preview of up-and-coming applications.