Abstract: A method of automated signature verification, in which a test signature, e.g., a signature entered by an operator, may be preprocessed and examined for test features. The test features may be compared against features of a set of template signatures, and verified in response to the presence or absence of the test features in the template signatures. The test signature may be preprocessed, so as to normalize it and remove artifacts which are irrelevant to verification. The features of the template signatures may be determined and stored in an associative memory or a data structure with associative memory capabilities, e.g., a discrete Hopfield artificial neural network. The method of verification may be adjusted to greater or lesser sensitivity in response to external conditions.