Document management with verifiable time-of-archive capability

摘要

A document archiving and retrieval system enables third parties to verify that an electronic document had been archived on a particular date and time. For each document to be archived, a hash function generates a digital fingerprint of the document, and inserts it into a hash list file, together with an indicator of the location of the file in the archive. The hash list file is submitted to an electronic time stamping authority to obtain a corresponding digital time stamp. Upon request, authentication of the hash list file with the digital time stamp, and verification that the current hash of the file matches that in the hash list file proves that the document was archived on the date indicated by the digital time stamp, and had not subsequently been altered.

主权项

1. An electronic document management method comprising:
generating, by a processor, a plurality of file hash results with a first hash function for a corresponding plurality of electronic documents; generating, by the processor, a hash list file comprising the plurality of file hash results and a plurality of corresponding locations in memory of the plurality of electronic documents; utilizing an electric time stamping authority to obtain a digital time stamp of the hash list file; and storing, in memory, the hash list file and the digital time stamp for a later verification step.