The digital signature paradox

Abstract

Paradox is a term often associated with Hollywood's fanciful time travel; however in the real world a time paradox does in fact exists. The system clock is the immediate source of time for any computer, and is the sole source for a time stamp determining when a document was created, modified and printed; or more interestingly when a digital signature was generated. Fraud has already been perpetrated by turning back system clocks leading to the falsification of information for which individuals have been disbarred or incarcerated. The application of a digital signature would not have resolved these issues; which is why digital signatures are time-insensitive. However, an independent clock source providing a trusted time stamp would and can circumvent individuals taking such illegal liberties. This paper presents the concept that data integrity needs to be redefined within the context of a time-sensitive mechanism.