Use of semantically segmented filenames
A method of validating the contents of an electronic file. The method comprises requesting an electronic file by an application executing on a computer system by providing a multi-segment filename, wherein the multi-segment filename comprises a unique delimiter between each of the segments of the multi-segment filename and one of the segments of the multi-segment filename is a hash of a content of the electronic file referenced by the multi-segment filename, receiving by the application the electronic file referenced by the multi-segment filename, determining a hash over the content of the electronic file by the application, comparing by the application the hash determined by the application to the hash of the content stored in the one of the segments of the multi-segment filename, and, based on the two hashes agreeing, opening by the application the contents of the electronic file for use.
1. A method of validating the contents of an electronic file, comprising:
requesting an electronic file by an application executing on a computer system by providing a multi-segment filename, wherein the multi-segment filename comprises a unique delimiter between each of the segments of the multi-segment filename and one of the segments of the multi-segment filename is a hash of a content of the electronic file referenced by the multi-segment filename;
receiving by the application the electronic file referenced by the multi-segment filename;
determining a hash over the content of the electronic file by the application;
comparing by the application the determined hash by the application to the hash of the content stored in the one of the segments of the multi-segment filename; and
based on the two hashes agreeing, opening by the application the contents of the electronic file for use.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application is an operating system of the computer system.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application is a user application of the computer system.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
requesting a second electronic file by the application by providing a second multi-segment filename, wherein the second multi-segment filename comprises the unique delimiter between each of the segments of the second multi-segment filename and one of the segments of the second multi-segment filename is a hash of a content of the second electronic file referenced by the second multi-segment filename;
receiving by the application the second electronic file referenced by the second multi-segment filename;
determining a hash over the content of the second electronic file by the application;
comparing by the application the hash determined over the content of the second electronic file by the application to the hash of the content stored in the one of the segments of the second multi-segment filename; and
based on the two hashes disagreeing, propagating a file open error message.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising based on the two hashes disagreeing, not opening by the application the contents of the second electronic file.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising sending a notification reporting the two hashes disagreeing to an entity identified in the second multi-segment filename.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the notification is sent to the entity based on a name and contact information embedded in one of the segments of the second multi-segment filename.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-segment filename comprises at least three segments.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-segment filename embeds within it a filename having a different format that provides only file identity information and file type information.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hash of the content stored in the one of the segments is encrypted, and further comprising decrypting the encrypted hash by the application before comparing to the determined hash.
11. A computer system for validating the contents of an electronic file, comprising:
a non-transitory memory;
a processor; and
an application stored in the non-transitory memory, that when executed by the processor:
requests electronic file by providing a multi-segment filename, wherein the multi-segment filename comprises a unique delimiter between each of the segments of the multi-segment filename and one of the segments of the multi-segment filename is a hash of a content of the electronic file referenced by the multi-segment filename,
receives the electronic file referenced by the multi-segment filename,
determines a hash over the content of the electronic file by the application,
compares the determined hash to the hash of the content stored in the one of the segments of the multi-segment filename, and
based on the two hashes agreeing, opens the contents of the electronic file for use.
12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the application is an operating system of the computer system.
13. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the application is a user application of the computer system.
14. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further:
requests a second electronic file by providing a second multi-segment filename, wherein the second multi-segment filename comprises the unique delimiter between each of the segments of the second multi-segment filename and one of the segments of the second multi-segment filename is a hash of a content of the second electronic file referenced by the second multi-segment filename,
receives the second electronic file referenced by the second multi-segment filename;
determines a hash over the content of the second electronic file,
compares the hash determined over the content of the second electronic file to the hash of the content stored in the one of the segments of the second multi-segment filename, and
based on the two hashes disagreeing, propagates a file open error message.
15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the application does not open the contents of the second electronic file based on the two hashes disagreeing.
16. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the application, when executed by the processor, sends a notification reporting the two hashes disagreeing to an entity identified in the second multi-segment filename.
17. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the notification is sent to the entity based on a name and contact information embedded in one of the segments of the second multi-segment filename.
18. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the multi-segment filename comprises at least three segments.
19. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the multi-segment filename embeds within it a filename having a different format that provides only file identity information and file type information.
20. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the hash of the content stored in the one of the segments is encrypted, and wherein the application, when executed by the processor, decrypts the encrypted hash before comparing to the determined hash.