In this digital era, where more and more evidence is electronic files rather than hard copies, it’s especially important to keep everything in check and make sure nothing is being tampered with.

This niche didn’t seem to be taken by anyone as of yet, so Xerox stepped in and filed for a patent, which was awarded on November 13.

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) filing, the technology is able to detect whether a file has been tampered with, tracking the history of the changes made. In order to make the system tamper-proof, Xerox is using a decentralized verification mechanism. The essence of the mechanism is in a series of blockchain nodes that may either approve or deny each amendment. If some part of the document differs from its original verified version the system alerts which particular node has failed during the verification process.

The patented technology can be potentially used in a number of areas, including medical and financial records, tax papers, as well as educational documents. Additionally, the filing specifically mentions criminal investigation records, including interview notes, crime scene photos and DNA tests, providing a multitude of prospective use cases.

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