Content Object Uniqueness for Forensics
Kevin E. Foltz, William R. Simpson · 2020
Transfer of electronic objects through insider activities or penetration and exfiltration is a growing problem. Attribution is much easier when each instance of an electronic object is unique and a clone can be traced to the individual who accessed the object. A product identifier is a unique label that allows trading partners to easily trace an individual product as it moves through the supply chain. Electronic objects can also have such identifiers. Unlike these known identifiers, watermarks or steganographic messages are placed in files to provide a hidden ownership tag. These are not meant to be found by the casual user, but are extractable if the proper algorithm is known. A primary deterrent to distribution of access-controlled electronic objects is the encryption and access-control process. A content management solution is presented that encrypts each item individually and only provides decryption keys to proper entities. A special application enables viewing of authorized content.