Patent ID: 7124190

Claim:
A method for securing the integrity of files prior to archiving of the files, involving an exchange between a client and a Time Source Provider, the method comprising the steps of: the client generating a Public and a Private Key pair that is associated with an organization, a corporate unit or an individual; the Time Source Provider generating a Public and Private Key pair for use in transactions with the client; the client generating attributes of the files that are to be archived, the attributes including file sizes and cryptographic signatures; encrypting the client's files with the client's Private Key and then with the Time Source Provider's Public Key; transmitting the encrypted data and file attributes and the client's Public Key signature to the Time Source Provider; the Time Source Provider decrypting the encrypted data and file attributes with the Time Source Provider's Private Key and then with the client's Public Key; the Time Source Provider creating a Time Map containing the current time, time source calibration data, file attributes and signatures of any encryption keys used by the client; the Time Source Provider returning the client's data along with the time map and session key signature; the Time Source Provider providing the encrypted client data back to the client; and the client archiving the original files, file attributes and the time map from the Time Source Provider.