title: Python decrypt signatures with only a public key
body: <p>A company wants to send me a <strong>digital signature</strong> i.e this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Digital_signature" rel="nofollow">method</a>. I only have the <strong>public key</strong>. This signature is used to authenticate who it came from <strong>AND</strong> contains details of the user, which I need. </p>
  
  <p>What I don't understand is how I decrypt the signature with only public key and the signature I'm sent.  All can do from the example I can find is verify the signature. Without knowing what the encrypted string is you cannot decrypt.  </p>
  
  <pre><code>from ecdsa import SigningKey, NIST384p
  sk = SigningKey.generate(curve=NIST384p)
  vk = sk.get_verifying_key()
  signature = sk.sign("message")
  assert vk.verify(signature, "message")
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I'm I misunderstanding or is there a different type of digital signature they are suggesting?</p>