crypto stamping scanned documents/WP files and court?

[Adrian Midgley]

My impression is that if someone shows me a file which is an image of a=20
letter, scanned in or is a plain word processor file, database file or=20
whatever, and shows me the MD5 digest or SHA hash or some similar result =
of a=20
one way crypto function of it in its current state (I mean lets me derive=
 it=20
from a copy) and demonstrtates that  the copy of the file that was deposi=
ted=20
in the safe of their solicitor (or similar) on a given date 6 months ago=20
gives the same MD5 digest/hash ...

Then it would be unreasonable to assume that the stored file was not the =
same=20
content that it had been at that date.

In medicine the context is an effort to demonstrate that a record has not=
=20
been altered since a date which is before the time at which it would be k=
nown=20
that there wa an advantage to be gained from altering it.

But are the Courts inclined to come to the same view of it?



--=20
=46rom one of the Linux desktops of Dr Adrian Midgley=20
http://www.defoam.net/            =20