Implementing Digital Signatures with Ed25519
Overview
Ed25519 is a high-performance digital signature algorithm using the Edwards curve Curve25519. It provides 128-bit security with 64-byte signatures and 32-byte keys, offering significant advantages over RSA and ECDSA including deterministic signatures (no random nonce needed), resistance to side-channel attacks, and fast verification. This guide covers implementing Ed25519 for document signing, code signing, and API authentication.
Objectives
- Generate Ed25519 key pairs for signing
- Sign messages and files with Ed25519
- Verify signatures against public keys
- Implement multi-signature verification
- Build a simple code signing system
- Compare Ed25519 performance with RSA and ECDSA
Key Concepts
Ed25519 vs RSA vs ECDSA
| Property | Ed25519 | RSA-3072 | ECDSA P-256 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security | 128-bit | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| Public key size | 32 bytes | 384 bytes | 64 bytes |
| Signature size | 64 bytes | 384 bytes | 64 bytes |
| Key generation | ~50 us | ~100 ms | ~1 ms |
| Sign | ~70 us | ~5 ms | ~200 us |
| Verify | ~200 us | ~200 us | ~500 us |
| Deterministic | Yes | No (PSS) | No (unless RFC 6979) |
Key Properties
- Deterministic: Same message + key always produces same signature
- Collision-resistant: No separate hash function needed
- Side-channel resistant: Constant-time implementation
- Small keys: 32 bytes each (public and private)
Security Considerations
- Ed25519 does not support key recovery from signatures
- Verify the full message, not a hash (Ed25519 hashes internally)
- Public keys must be validated before use (check for low-order points)
- Private keys should be stored encrypted at rest
- Ed25519 is not yet approved for all NIST use cases (Ed448 is preferred for federal)
Validation Criteria
- [ ] Key pair generation produces valid Ed25519 keys
- [ ] Signature verification succeeds for valid message
- [ ] Signature verification fails for tampered message
- [ ] Signature verification fails for wrong public key
- [ ] Deterministic: same input produces same signature
- [ ] File signing and verification works correctly
- [ ] Performance meets or exceeds RSA-3072
Compliance Framework Mapping
This skill supports compliance evidence collection across multiple frameworks:
- SOC 2: CC6.7 (Restriction on Transmission), CC6.1 (Logical Access)
- ISO 27001: A.10.1 (Cryptographic Controls)
- NIST 800-53: SC-12 (Cryptographic Key Management), SC-13 (Cryptographic Protection), SC-8 (Transmission Confidentiality)
- NIST CSF: PR.DS (Data Security)
Claw GRC Tip: When this skill is executed by a registered agent, compliance evidence is automatically captured and mapped to the relevant controls in your active frameworks.
Deploying This Skill with Claw GRC
Agent Execution
Register this skill with your Claw GRC agent for automated execution:
# Install via CLI
npx claw-grc skills add implementing-digital-signatures-with-ed25519
# Or load dynamically via MCP
grc.load_skill("implementing-digital-signatures-with-ed25519")Audit Trail Integration
When executed through Claw GRC, every step of this skill generates tamper-evident audit records:
- SHA-256 chain hashing ensures no step can be modified after execution
- Evidence artifacts (configs, scan results, logs) are automatically attached to relevant controls
- Trust score impact — successful execution increases your agent's trust score
Continuous Compliance
Schedule this skill for recurring execution to maintain continuous compliance posture. Claw GRC monitors for drift and alerts when re-execution is needed.