Multiple different credentials and/or signatures based on different
credentials may be included in a header portion of a single electronic
message. Different recipients of intermediary computing systems may use
the different credentials/signatures to identify the signer. The
electronic message may include an encoding algorithm and a type
identification of a credential included in the electronic message,
allowing the recipient to decode and process the credential as
appropriate given the type of credential. Also, the electronic message
may include a pointer that references a credential associated with a
signature included in the electronic message. That referenced credential
may be accessed from the same electronic message, or from some other
location. The recipient may then compare the references credential from
the credentials used to generate the signature. If a match occurs, the
integrity of the electronic message has more likely been preserved.