Abstract: A method of protecting an electronic document, the method comprising dividing an original document into data blocks; generating a corresponding hash value for each data block; generating a corresponding hash value for a group of data blocks (GOB); generating a hash tree structure based on the corresponding hash values for the data blocks and for the GOB; calculating a hash value of a root node of the hash tree structure, the root node having no parent in the hash tree structure; signing the hash value of the root node; and generating auxiliary authentication data; wherein said auxiliary authentication data enables authentication of portions of the electronic document based on a reconstruction of the hash tree structure.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 1, 2004
Date of Patent:
January 1, 2008
Assignee:
Agency for Science, Technology and Research