1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to timestamping data objects.
2. Related Art
Digital cameras are increasingly available. Many mobile phones are now equipped with a digital camera. Due to the wide availability of digital cameras on mobile phones, images taken from phones are often used in investigative journalism and in judicial proceedings. The photographic image files produced by mobile phone cameras include a timestamp to record the time that the camera takes a photo. However, this timestamp may be easily tampered with. The risk that a timestamp may have been altered draws into question its authenticity.
Systems and methods are needed to generate more secure timestamps for data objects, such as digital photographs.