A server, e.g., a client (105, 107, 109), receives a request for a digital signature to be applied to digital information, obtains a representation of the information, determines a designation of key pair(s) to be applied thereto; and transmits a request for the digital signature to a front end server (103a, 103b). The front end server determines one or more of whether the client is authentic and authorized, the user identifier is authentic, and the user identifier is permitted to make the request. If so, the front end server transmits a request to generate a digital signature to a back end server (101). The back end server determines one or more of whether the front end server is authentic and the designated key pair correspond to the requesting front end server. If so, the back end server generates the digital signature based on the information and the key pair(s).