Timestamps and provenance
RFC 3161 and eIDAS qualified timestamps, explained
International
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Background
The short answer
RFC 3161 is the technical protocol: a client sends a hash to a timestamp authority, which returns a signed token binding the hash to a time. eIDAS is the legal layer: when the authority is qualified under eIDAS, Article 41 gives the token a presumption of accuracy across the EU.
Applies to: International. Assumes: a general, non-technical reader.
The protocol
The authority never sees the file, only its hash. The returned token is a small signed structure anyone can validate against the authority’s public certificate.
The legal layer
Qualification under eIDAS requires audited time sources and processes. In exchange, the law presumes the date and time accurate and the data intact, shifting the burden to whoever challenges it.
Sources
- 1.
- 2.