WIPO PROOF was once a revolutionary tool that transformed the way businesses managed and protected their intellectual property (IP). Developed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), WIPO PROOF served as a digital solution that protected the existence of sensitive information through timestamped evidence. It allowed organizations to demonstrate the authenticity and ownership of their digital files with ease, protecting them in the event of any potential disputes or infringements, and by complying with relevant laws.
WIPO PROOF was discontinued on the 31st of January 2022, a decision that left many wondering about the future of their digital intellectual property protection strategies. Thankfully, the software market currently offers alternatives, such as Truth Enforcer, that provide its same great features, ensuring businesses can continue to safeguard their valuable digital intellectual property. Let’s see how.
WIPO PROOF’s Token Verification Process
Tokens act as digital fingerprints that can prove the authenticity and integrity of the intellectual property documents they are associated with. By comparing files with the token generated when they were originally sealed through WIPO PROOF, it becomes possible to verify whether these files have been tampered with from the moment they were sealed.
WIPO’s service for verifying tokens remains available to all users wanting to prove the authenticity of their digital files. The token generated from the original WIPO PROOF sealing (accessible via the dashboard), and the file you want to verify are all that is required.
Anyone can verify documents through this service as long as they have access to these two components.
Which WIPO PROOF Features Remain Active?
As noted, and as part of the official statement issued about the discontinuation of WIPO PROOF:
“Existing account holders can continue accessing their dashboard, verifying their tokens and generating premium certificates. All of these services are now provided free of charge.”
However, as the token generation service has been terminated, it is no longer possible to date- and timestamp any new files. This means that although it is possible to continue verifying tokens generated before the 31st of January 2022, WIPO PROOF is no longer an option for users looking to seal new files. And because of this, unless there is no longer a business reason to continue stamping digital documents, an alternative solution must be found to continue guaranteeing the authenticity and integrity of intellectual property.
To identify a suitable alternative, let us first consider the features that have earned the trust of users in WIPO PROOF:
- Digital Timestamping
- Authentication
- Tamper-Proofing
- Intellectual Property Protection
- Legal Validity
These elements are crucial for ensuring the integrity and authenticity of digital information. As such, a viable alternative to WIPO PROOF would incorporate all these features. Ideally, it would go beyond, offering an even higher level of security.
Leveraging Blockchain to Protect Intellectual Property
While WIPO PROOF used Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology to generate time-stamped digital fingerprints for verification and authenticity, a sound alternative is to use blockchain in creating tamper-proof records.
Let’s see why:
- Digital Timestamping: Blockchain timestamps are securely embedded in a transparent and tamper-proof ledger, precisely recording the moment a digital document is submitted for sealing.
- Authentication: When using Blockchain to seal a document, a unique code (hash) is created and stored in a high-security environment. In this context, hashes serve the same purpose as WIPO PROOF tokens. You can later compare the hash generated from the initial sealing with the current hash of a file, which allows for the detection of tampering and the verification of a file's authenticity.
- Tamper-Proofing: The inherent immutability of Blockchain records ensures that once a document hash is stored in the Blockchain, it becomes extremely difficult to alter or delete without achieving consensus across the network (more on this below). This makes it virtually impossible to tamper with.
- Intellectual Property Protection: Much like WIPO PROOF, blockchain sealing protects your intellectual property by establishing an indisputable trail of ownership and creation.
- Legal Validity: In situations where data integrity is questioned, blockchain timestamps serve as a means of providing virtually irrefutable proof. Should they be admitted, the immutable blockchain records can be used in legal proceedings, contractual agreements, and be readily verified by independent third parties.
Using Truth Enforcer to Protect Intellectual Property
Thus, to begin the transition from WIPO PROOF to the Blockchain era, the first step is finding a solution that seamlessly integrates the power of the technology into your existing intellectual property protection strategy.
From helping companies avoid the paths of corruption to ensuring compliance with strict intellectual property laws and securing information in the digital banking industry, Truth Enforcer by Connecting Software is an innovative and versatile solution that has revolutionized the way companies manage and protect all types of valuable digital documents.
Packed with all the features and capabilities we have explained so far, Truth Enforcer empowers you to safeguard intellectual property with confidence in the current ever-evolving digital landscape. This solution is ideal for:
- Supervisory audits, such as ISO
- Financial audits and general compliance checks
- Product recalls
- Validation of machine performance reports (an Industry 4.0 application)
- Maintaining data integrity in the healthcare sector
- Insurance claims
- Safeguarding the Integrity of Legal Data in Law Firms
And any other case that requires the ability to prove the existence of a document and its information at a specific point in time.
In addition, Connecting Software is also recognized as a Top 10 Blockchain Solution Provider by the Enterprise Security Magazine, due to our work with Truth Enforcer (previously known as CB Blockchain Seal):
SharePoint and Salesforce Integration of Truth Enforcer
In addition to being a well-recognized solution, Truth Enforcer has dedicated iterations for SFDC and Microsoft SharePoint users. This means Truth Enforcer is integrated directly into Salesforce or SharePoint out-of-the-box, making it an even more convenient and fast to deploy solution. These versions are designed to enhance user experience, ensuring the sealing process can be done directly inside these systems, either automatically or after a manual trigger by a user.
You can see how this looks in terms of real-world applications by checking out the Success Story we published in collaboration with Kimitec, one of our customers for Truth Enforcer for SharePoint (at the time known as CB Blockchain Seal for SharePoint).
And How Can I Verify My Files?
Verifying the contents you have sealed with Truth Enforcer is incredibly easy! The process is similar to WIPO PROOF’s service for verifying tokens, as you will use Truth Verifier to validate your digital documents.
Our online verification tool, previously known as CB Blockchain Seal Verifier, can be accessed from Google Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge, and it works on any device – extremely practical! This 1-minute explainer video gives a good general idea of the simplicity of our tool:
Feel free to reach out, share your use case, and our team will be ready to assist you at every step of the way! To ensure a seamless transition to the world of Blockchain, start by requesting your free 15-day trial for Truth Enforcer! 🔐
About the Authors
By Ana Neto and Diogo Gouveia
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