Document Hash Marking for Secure Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing document management systems face challenges in securely identifying and authenticating paper documents, as machine-readable codes can be easily transferred between documents, and existing techniques do not effectively relate the document content to its identifier.
Innovation Solution
The system creates hash marked pages by scanning documents, generating a cryptographic hash, and embedding this hash as a machine-readable code within the document, allowing for secure and content-related identification and authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a machine readable code is used as an identifier for document retrieval, then document identification is enabled, but the code is susceptible to transfer attacks where it can be removed from one document and pasted onto another
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the machine readable code with the document content by embedding it within the document structure or placing it in a location that is integral to the document's integrity. This merging ensures that the code cannot be easily separated or transferred to another document, as it is now part of the document's overall structure and authentication mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds the machine readable code within the document's internal structure, nesting it among other document elements. This nesting makes the code inseparable from the document content, preventing transfer attacks while maintaining ease of identification.
2Reliability
If a machine readable code includes an identifier to uniquely identify a document, then document uniqueness is achieved, but the identifier selection becomes a complex matter requiring sophisticated techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the document itself to generate its unique identifier through cryptographic hashing of its content. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external complex identifier assignment systems, as the document's content directly determines its unique identifier through deterministic hashing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or administrative identifier assignment systems with cryptographic hash functions. This substitution simplifies the identifier selection process from a complex human-managed system to a deterministic computational process that automatically generates unique identifiers based on document content.
3Reliability
If cryptographic hash marks are embedded in documents, then transfer attacks are prevented and document authentication is improved, but the process of creating and verifying hash marked pages adds overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs cryptographic hashing and embeds the hash mark in the document during the document creation or scanning process, rather than adding it later. This preliminary action ensures the hash is already in place when the document enters the management system, eliminating the need for separate authentication steps and reducing processing overhead.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus are disclosed herein for paper-based document logging. In one embodiment, the method comprises scanning bits of a document; generating a cryptographic hash; converting the cryptographic hash into a machine readable code; selecting a plurality of locations for the code on the document; and rewriting the document with the code contained thereon by modifying the document at an area.