System and method for generating a digital certificate
A system and method for generating a digital certificate is provided wherein a new digital record is received and is assigned a sequence value. A first composite digital value is generated by applying a first deterministic function to the digital records stored in a repository. The sequence value and first composite digital value are included in a first certificate. After the digital record is added to the repository, a second composite digital value is generated by applying a second deterministic function to the digital records in the repository. This second composite digital value, and a composite sequence value, are published. An interval digital value which is based upon the first and second composite digital values, and the sequence value, are included in a second certificate which thus verifies the authenticity and sequence value of the digital record.
1. A method for evaluating a digital certificate comprising at least a sequence value and a first composite digital value, comprising the steps of: providing for generating a second composite digital value by applying a deterministic function to at least a subset of the digital records stored in a repository; providing for generating an interval digital value, wherein the interval digital value is based upon the first and second composite digital values; and, providing for determining from the interval digital value whether the first composite digital value accurately reflects at least a subset of the digital records in the repository, wherein the repository comprises a data structure based on a forest of binary hash trees.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sequence value is representative of the order in which a digital record was received.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate further comprises a digital signature.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the digital signature is generated using an asymmetric cryptographic algorithm.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of: providing for determining whether the digital signature is authentic.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first composite digital value is generated by applying a second deterministic function to at least a subset of the digital records stored in the repository.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first composite digital value is generated by applying the second deterministic function to all of the digital records stored in the repository.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second composite digital value is generated by applying the deterministic function to all of the digital records stored in the repository.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate further comprises a digital record.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate further comprises a digital timestamp.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: providing for generating a composite sequence value by applying a second deterministic function to at least a subset of the digital records in the repository.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the composite sequence value is representative of the number of digital records in the repository when the second composite digital value is generated.