How to notarize files
To notarize new files by putting their fingerprints into GenuineFile.com database, you need to download GenuineFile plugin and register at GenuineFile.com first. Then right-click the file you want to notarize and click "File Info...".
Note that the "Notarize..." button is active — if it were disabled, the file is already notarized and cannot be notarized again. Click the "Notarize..." button and the below screen will appear:
On this screen you need to add a title and description to the file you want to notarize and enter your GenuineFile account details.
The title and description that you enter will be displayed to each user who queries this file later, the title and description cannot be edited after being submitted, so be careful whan you enter this information.
After you click "OK", a fingerprint of the selected file will be calculated and sent to GenuineFile.com database. Note that only a fingerprint of the file is sent over to GenuineFile, not the whole file or any part thereof. The fingerprint that is sent does not allow to say anything about the file contents because the fingerprint is calcullated using a one-way function, i.e. fingerprint can be derived from file but the file can't be derived from the fingerprint. So it is quite safe to notarize confidential files — nobody, even, GenuineFile, will be able to tell anyting about the contents of the file.
You also have an option to digitally sign the file fingerprint. This is not required for storing the fingerprint but you may wish to add your digital signature if you want to irrevocably link your identity to the file you notarize:
- when you do not sign the fingerprint, we'll put on the file your name you supplied to us when registering at GenuineFile, this name is not verified;
- when you sign the fingerprint, we'll put on the file the name on your certificate, this name was verified by the certification authority that issued you the cert.
Signing the fingerprint may be advantageous when you wish to protect your intellectual property, for other applications it is less important.
If you decided to sign the fingerprint, make sure you have a valid certificate issued by one of the recognized certification authorities (e.g. Thawte or VeriSign), and check the checkbox "Digitally sign the hash". When you submit click "OK", you will be prompted to choose one of your cetificates you wish to use for signing this hash.
Then the fingerprint will be signed with your cert and sent to GenuineFile along with the signature.
When you later query this file, you'll see the information you have just entered about this file, and your name attached to it:
