Content edit apparatus and content verification apparatus

1. A content edit apparatus for editing a digital content file that includes a content to be verified, said apparatus comprising:

first verification means for verifying first verification data appended to the digital content file to determine whether or not the content included in the digital content file has been altered;

holding means for holding verification result information indicating a verification result of said first verification means;

edit means for editing the content in the digital content file;

edit record generation means for generating edit record information of the content edited by said edit means;

second verification data generation means for generating second verification data using the verification result information held by said holding means, the edit record information generated by said edit record generation means, and the edited content edited by said edit means; and

output means for combining the content edited by said edit means, the verification result information held by said holding means, the edit record information, and the second verification data to obtain an edited digital content file, and outputting the edited digital content file.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the content is image data generated by an image input apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first verification data is second verification data of an edit record appended by another information processing apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first verification data and the second verification data is a digital signature.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first verification data and the second verification data is an MAC (Message Authentication Code).

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the digital content file to be verified includes second verification data of an edit record, said first verification means verifies the second verification data as the first verification data, and

said output means outputs the edited digital content file by appending the second verification data generated by said second verification means to the second verification data included in the digital content file before editing.

7. A method of controlling a content edit apparatus for editing a digital content file that includes a content to be verified, said method comprising:

a first verification step of verifying first verification data appended to the digital content file to determine whether or not the content included in the digital content file has been altered;

a holding step of holding verification result information indicating a verification result of said first verification means;

an edit step of editing the content in the digital content file;

an edit record generation step of generating edit record information of the content edited in the edit step;

a second verification data generation step of generating second verification data using the verification result information held in said holding step, the edit record information generated in said edit record generation step, and the edited content edited in said edit step; and

an output step of combining the content edited in the edit step, the verification result information held in said holding step, the edit record information, and the second verification data to obtain an edited digital content file, and outputting the edited digital content file.

8. A computer program embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which when loaded and executed by a computer causes the computer to function as means according to claim 1 .

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing an apparatus to perform a method according to claim 7 .

10. A content verification apparatus for verifying a digital content file edited by a content edit apparatus according to claim 1 , said apparatus comprising:

second verification means for verifying second verification data included in the digital content file to be verified; and

determination means for determining whether or not verification result information of said first verification means appended to the content indicates a success.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising control means for controlling a display of an edit record appended to the content in accordance with a verification result of said second verification means and a determination result of said determination means.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , when all verification processes of the second verification data have succeeded, and the first verification result indicates success, said control means displays the edit record.

13. A method of controlling a content verification apparatus for verifying a digital content file edited by a content edit apparatus according to claim 1 , said method comprising:

a second verification step of verifying second verification data included in the digital content file to be verified; and

a determination step of determining whether or not verification result information of the first verification step appended to the content indicates a success.

14. A computer program embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which when loaded and executed by a computer causes the computer function as a content verification apparatus for verifying a digital content file edited by a content edit apparatus according to claim 1 , said program causing the computer to function as:

second verification means for verifying second verification data included in the digital content file to be verified; and

determination means for determining whether or not verification result information of said first verification means appended to the content indicates a success.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing an apparatus to perform a method according to claim 13 .