A method, comprising: determining, by a first device in a media processing chain, whether a type of media processing has been performed on an output version of media data; in response to determining, by the first device, that the type of media processing has been performed on the output version of the media data, performing: creating or modifying, by the first device, a state of the media data, the state specifying the type of media processing performed on the output version of the media data; digitally signing, by the first device, the state of the media data with a cryptographic hash value; communicating, from the first device to a second device downstream in the media processing chain, the output version of the media data and the state of the media data; validating, by the second device, the state of the media data based on the cryptographic hash value; disabling, by the second device, performance of the type of media processing indicated by the state of the media data if the state of the media data is found to be valid; and performing, by the second device, the type of media processing indicated by the state of the media data if the state of the media data is found to be invalid. determining, by a first device in a media processing chain, whether a type of media processing has been performed on an output version of media data; in response to determining, by the first device, that the type of media processing has been performed on the output version of the media data, performing: creating or modifying, by the first device, a state of the media data, the state specifying the type of media processing performed on the output version of the media data; digitally signing, by the first device, the state of the media data with a cryptographic hash value; communicating, from the first device to a second device downstream in the media processing chain, the output version of the media data and the state of the media data; validating, by the second device, the state of the media data based on the cryptographic hash value; disabling, by the second device, performance of the type of media processing indicated by the state of the media data if the state of the media data is found to be valid; and performing, by the second device, the type of media processing indicated by the state of the media data if the state of the media data is found to be invalid. creating or modifying, by the first device, a state of the media data, the state specifying the type of media processing performed on the output version of the media data; digitally signing, by the first device, the state of the media data with a cryptographic hash value; communicating, from the first device to a second device downstream in the media processing chain, the output version of the media data and the state of the media data; validating, by the second device, the state of the media data based on the cryptographic hash value; disabling, by the second device, performance of the type of media processing indicated by the state of the media data if the state of the media data is found to be valid; and performing, by the second device, the type of media processing indicated by the state of the media data if the state of the media data is found to be invalid.