Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about VerixID.
Clear answers organized by topic to help you find what you need quickly.
General
5 questions- VerixID is a Digital Witness platform—it logs the cryptographic fingerprint of your file into an immutable ledger[cite: 15]. This proves a file existed in a precise state at a specific point in time without ever storing the underlying file[cite: 15].
- Submitting and Verifying files are free forever[cite: 15]. Every entry remains active and publicly verifiable for 1 year*[cite: 15]. Official Certificates of Authenticity (COA) and Expert Forensics are available as paid add-on services[cite: 15].
- No[cite: 15]. Anyone can register files and verify records immediately without signing up or creating an account[cite: 15].
- Records are retained for 1 year* from the initial submission timestamp[cite: 15]. This Time-To-Live (TTL) is enforced at the system architecture level[cite: 15]. Once expired, records are permanently purged from the active ledger[cite: 15].
- Any digital file—PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets, images, videos, audio tracks, source code, server logs, or ZIP archives[cite: 15]. VerixID never reads content; it calculates a SHA-256 hash locally[cite: 15]. There are no file format or cryptographic size constraints[cite: 15].
Products & Services
5 questions-
They serve distinct operational and legal functions[cite: 15]:
COA (Certificate of Authenticity) is an artifact layer—a one-off purchase generating an immutable official certificate snapshot of your active record[cite: 15].
Forensics is an expert analysis layer—a bespoke service for deep technical investigations, timeline reconstructions, and courtroom-ready technical audit reports[cite: 15]. - No[cite: 15]. Certificates of Authenticity can only be generated from active ledger entries[cite: 15]. A COA’s underlying validity is tied to the ledger’s retention window (1 year* from initial submission)[cite: 15].
- Forensics are tailored for formal legal disputes requiring in-depth technical analysis—such as complete timeline reconstruction, independent ledger signature verification, or formal affidavits for court proceedings and corporate audits[cite: 15]. Available anytime before record TTL expiration[cite: 15].
- No[cite: 15]. SHA-256 hashes are strictly unique to identical file contents[cite: 15]. Re-submitting an identical file detects the existing entry and returns the original Record ID[cite: 15]. This integrity safeguard prevents duplicate entries for identical hashes[cite: 15].
- Yes[cite: 15]. Once the 1-year* TTL ends and the entry is purged, submitting the same file issues a new Record ID with a fresh timestamp and reset TTL[cite: 15]. This is the standard method to maintain cryptographic continuity post-expiration[cite: 15].
Security & Privacy
5 questions- No—it is technically impossible[cite: 15]. The SHA-256 hash is computed locally in your browser via the Web Crypto API[cite: 15]. Your original file is never uploaded[cite: 15]. VerixID only receives a 64-character hash string that cannot be reverse-engineered into the original document[cite: 15]. This is a fundamental Zero-Custody architecture by design[cite: 15].
- Yes[cite: 15]. Because original files never touch our infrastructure, a server compromise yields only public cryptographic hashes and timestamps—no confidential document data exists to leak[cite: 15]. Furthermore, every entry is signed using Ed25519 cryptography; any tampering invalidates the signature instantly[cite: 15].
- Yes[cite: 15]. The Ownership Key is transmitted via encrypted HTTPS solely to match against stored state[cite: 15]. It is never stored, logged, or recoverable server-side[cite: 15]. VerixID maintains zero retention of your Ownership Key[cite: 15].
- No[cite: 15]. The VerixID ledger operates as an append-only structure—data can only be appended and cannot be altered or removed prior to TTL expiration[cite: 15]. Even the VerixID engineering team cannot modify established cryptographic records[cite: 15].
- VerixID is built around strict privacy-by-design principles[cite: 15]. No Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is stored in the ledger—only mathematical hashes and timestamps[cite: 15]. Because no personal data is processed or retained, zero PII exists to delete or breach[cite: 15].
Legal & Compliance
4 questions- Yes, verification records provide cryptographic proof of electronic integrity and timestamping[cite: 15]. For formal legal submissions, court cases, or formal audits, we recommend generating an official Certificate of Authenticity (COA)[cite: 15].
- No[cite: 15]. A COA provides verifiable, objective technical proof of data integrity[cite: 15]. While strong on its own, it is best utilized alongside expert testimony in complex litigation[cite: 15]. Courts maintain ultimate authority in evaluating evidentiary weight; VerixID delivers the unassailable cryptographic facts for your legal team to construct their case[cite: 15].
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What it proves: This exact file existed in this precise state at this exact timestamp; its fingerprint is unique and registered first on our ledger; the file has suffered zero tampering since registration; and the record was genuinely issued by VerixID (Ed25519 signature)[cite: 15].
What it does NOT prove: Who created the file; legal ownership or copyright title; the truthfulness of the file's contents; or legal liability/intent[cite: 15]. - SHA-256 and Ed25519 are boundary-less global cryptographic standards[cite: 15]. Anyone globally can register and independently verify mathematical proofs[cite: 15]. Evidentiary weight in judicial proceedings depends on local jurisdiction regulations[cite: 15].
Technical
4 questions- Every record is signed via Ed25519[cite: 15]. The VerixID public key is published openly at verixid.com/.well-known/verixid-public-key.pem[cite: 15]. Developers can download this key and verify cryptographic signatures offline using standard libraries in any programming environment—completely independent of VerixID infrastructure[cite: 15]. See our verification guide[cite: 15].
- Yes[cite: 15]. VerixID provides REST APIs for automated Submissions and Verifications[cite: 15]. Submit SHA-256 hashes programmatically and receive signed Record IDs[cite: 15]. Full technical docs are at our API Reference[cite: 15].
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Linux/Mac Terminal:
sha256sum filename.pdf
Windows PowerShell:Get-FileHash filename.pdf -Algorithm SHA256
Python:hashlib.sha256(open('file','rb').read()).hexdigest()
The output string matches the VerixID ledger hash exactly if the file is untampered[cite: 15]. - Ed25519 is a high-speed, modern public-key signature system used by VerixID to sign every record entry[cite: 15]. It guarantees the record was authentically issued by VerixID and hasn't been altered[cite: 15]. Anyone can verify this signature using our public key without trusting our servers[cite: 15]. Learn more in our Learn section[cite: 15].
For Creators
3 questions- Not identical, but highly complementary[cite: 15]. VerixID proves when a creative work first existed in a specific state—not who holds the underlying legal title[cite: 15]. In copyright litigation, timestamped priority proof is often key[cite: 15]. Register your work on VerixID before public distribution[cite: 15].
- By logging your file's hash with VerixID prior to public release, an immutable timestamp is established[cite: 15]. If an external party claims ownership later, your VerixID record serves as mathematical proof that your work pre-dated their claim[cite: 15].
- No[cite: 15]. Original files are never transmitted or stored on VerixID servers[cite: 15]. Only the cryptographic hash—a one-way mathematical fingerprint—is processed[cite: 15]. Your files remain completely private on your local storage[cite: 15].
Casual Enquiries
3 questions- SHA-256 is an open universal standard computable on any machine without VerixID[cite: 15]. As long as you maintain your Record ID and Ownership Key, your mathematical proof remains independently verifiable forever[cite: 15]. Issued COA documents also remain permanently valid[cite: 15].
- Ownership Keys cannot be recovered—this is a strict zero-knowledge security guarantee[cite: 15]. If you purchased a COA, that receipt serves as supporting documentation[cite: 15]. However, key-less cryptographic proof of ownership cannot be forced[cite: 15]. The record itself remains publicly visible on the ledger[cite: 15].
- Institutions can change rules, face conflicts, or make mistakes[cite: 15]. Mathematics is immutable[cite: 15]. SHA-256 produces identical results on any computer, anywhere, at any time—without requiring third-party trust[cite: 15]. That is VerixID’s core conviction: "We don't take sides. Math does."[cite: 15]
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