Time Stamping Authority
Cryptomathic's Time Stamping Authority issues a unique and irrefutable time stamp upon request from an external time stamp client that can then be assigned to any piece of electronic data to provide proof that it existed at a certain point in time.
Why Time Stamp?
Time stamps are an important measure of protection for intellectual property rights, and documents or communication relating to patents or legal proceedings e.g. annual reports.
Digital Signatures
An equally important application is to time stamp digital signatures. The digital signature fixes the contents of a transaction or document and links it uniquely to the signer. To achieve true non-repudiation, however, the recipient of a digital signature should also secure a proof of the signature's existence at this point in time. Only a trusted time stamp can provide this proof.