Tampering (crime) in the context of Digital signature

The Chicago Tylenol murders were a series of poisoning deaths resulting from drug tampering in the Chicago metropolitan area in 1982. The victims consumed Tylenol branded acetaminophen (paracetamol) powder-filled capsules that had been adulterated with potassium cyanide. At least seven people died in the original poisonings, and there were several more deaths in subsequent copycat crimes.

No suspect has been charged or convicted of the poisonings as of 2025. New York City resident James William Lewis was convicted of extortion for sending a letter to Tylenol's then-manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, that claimed responsibility for the deaths and demanded $1 million to stop them, but when he was discovered, he said the letter's claim was false, and further investigation failed to establish his involvement. The incidents led to a discontinuation of the use of powder-filled capsules for over-the-counter medicines, reforms in medication packaging, and federal anti-tampering laws.

A digital signature is a mathematical scheme for verifying the authenticity of digital messages or documents. A valid digital signature on a message gives a recipient confidence that the message came from a sender known to the recipient.

Digital signatures are a type of public-key cryptography, and are commonly used for software distribution,financial transactions, contract management software, and in other cases where it is important to detect forgery or tampering.