Home/Glossary

Compliance Evidence Glossary

Key terms in compliance evidence, blockchain timestamping, and IP protection. Each definition explains how the concept relates to proving when records existed.

Blockchain Timestamp

A tamper-evident record of when a digital file existed, anchored to a public blockchain. The timestamp is set by network consensus, not by any single party, making it independently verifiable by auditors, regulators, and courts.

Confidential Information

Information shared in a context that gives rise to a duty of confidence, whether by contract (NDA) or by the nature of the relationship. Proof of when confidential information was disclosed or received is often critical in disputes.

Digital Signature

A cryptographic mechanism that ties a document to a specific key at a specific time. Used to verify authenticity and detect tampering in electronic records, supporting compliance with regulations such as EU eIDAS and ESIGN.

Hash Function

A one-way mathematical function that converts any file into a fixed-length fingerprint (e.g. SHA-256). If the file is altered, even by a single character, the hash changes entirely. Hash comparison is the standard method for proving a file is unaltered.

Immutable Ledger

A record-keeping system where entries cannot be altered or deleted after creation. Blockchain ledgers achieve immutability through cryptographic chaining and distributed consensus, making them suitable for evidence that must withstand legal scrutiny.

Intellectual Property

Legal rights protecting creations of the mind, including inventions, designs, brand names, and works of authorship. IP rights require proof of creation date and authorship, both of which immut's blockchain timestamp provides.

IP Assignment

A legal transfer of IP ownership from one party to another. Effective assignment requires clear records of what was transferred and when. Blockchain-timestamped records can establish the state of IP at the point of transfer.

IP Audit

A systematic review of an organisation's intellectual property assets. Audits typically require evidence of creation dates, ownership history, and any third-party rights, all areas where contemporaneous timestamped records reduce risk.

Non-Compete Agreement

A contract restricting a party from working in a competing role or business for a defined period. Enforceability often depends on the circumstances at the time of signing, which timestamped records can help establish.

Non-Disclosure Agreement

A contract establishing confidentiality between parties. When a breach occurs, courts ask when confidential information was disclosed and whether the receiving party knew it was confidential, questions that timestamped records can resolve.

Proof of Existence

Evidence that a specific document or file existed at a specific point in time. Blockchain-anchored proof of existence is used in IP disputes, compliance audits, and litigation to establish the priority and state of records.

Reasonable Steps

The legal standard for trade secret protection: an organisation must take reasonable steps to maintain secrecy. Courts examine whether the organisation had policies, access controls, and contemporaneous records, all supported by timestamped evidence.

Technology Transfer

The process of conveying knowledge, methods, or IP from one organisation to another, often from universities to industry. Accurate records of what was transferred, when, and under what terms are essential for licensing and dispute resolution.

Trade Secret

Commercially valuable confidential information protected through secrecy rather than registration. To maintain protection, organisations must prove both secrecy and reasonable steps, requiring contemporaneous records with independent timestamps.

Trade Secret Audit

A review of an organisation's confidential information assets to identify, classify, and verify protection measures. Audits produce records that establish what existed and when, the same records that serve as evidence in trade secret litigation.

Trade Secret Misappropriation

Unauthorised acquisition, disclosure, or use of a trade secret. Proving misappropriation requires evidence that the information was secret at a specific time and that the defendant's access was improper, a case where prior blockchain timestamps are critical.

Trade Secret Protection Program

A documented set of policies and controls for identifying, classifying, and protecting trade secrets. A programme's credibility in litigation depends on contemporaneous records showing controls were in place before any alleged misappropriation.

Prove your first file in minutes.

Takes seconds. Works on any file type. No installation required.

Sign up for free