Authenticating images from digital cameras

An apparatus for forming a digital signature for authentication of image data for a digital camera that has captured event data for the image data, said apparatus comprising:

• a first creation means for creating a message digest for the image data, the message digest being derived from the image data and from the event data;
• means for encrypting the message digest with a private key unique to and secured with the digital camera;
• and
• a second creation means for creating an image file for the image data, the image file having a header that includes the private-key-encrypted message digest together with unencrypted event data.

An apparatus for forming a digital signature for authentication of image data for a digital camera that has captured event data for the image data, comprising:

• a program memory for storing process steps of:
• (1) creating a message digest for the image data, the message digest being derived from the image data and from the event data, (2) encrypting the message digest with a private key unique to and secured with the digital camera, and (3) creating an image file for the image data, the image file having a header that includes the private-key-encrypted message digest together with unencrypted event data;
• and
• a processor for executing the process steps stored in said memory.

Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer readable medium, said computer-executable process steps for forming a digital signature for authentication of image data for a digital camera that has captured event data for the image data, said computer-executable process steps comprising:

• a first creating step to create a message digest for the image data, the message digest being derived from the image data and from the event data;
• an encrypting step to encrypt the message digest with a private key unique to and secured with the digital camera;
• and
• a second creating step to create an image file for the image data, the image file having a header that includes the private-key-encrypted message digest together with unencrypted event data.

A method for validating authenticity of an image file containing image data and a header that includes a private-key-encrypted message digest together with unencrypted data including event data that went into forming the message digest, said method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a public key complementary to a private key used to encrypt the message digest;
• decrypting the private-key-encrypted message digest using the public key so as to obtain a message digest;
• calculating a trial message digest using a hashing function the same as the hashing function used to form the private-key-encrypted message digest, and also using the unencrypted event data in the header;
• and
• comparing the trial message digest to the decrypted message digest to determine the authenticity of the image file,
• wherein the event data includes location data.

An apparatus for validating authenticity of an image file containing image data and a header that includes a private-key-encrypted message digest together with unencrypted data including event data that went into forming the message digest, said apparatus comprising:

• means for obtaining a public key complementary to a private key used to encrypt the message digest;
• means for decrypting the private-key-encrypted message digest using the public key so as to obtain a message digest;
• means for calculating a trial message digest using a hashing function the same as the hashing function used to form the private-key-encrypted message digest, and also using the unencrypted event data in the header;
• and
• means for comparing the trial message digest to the decrypted message digest to determine the authenticity of the image file,
• wherein the event data includes location data.

An apparatus for validating authenticity of an image file containing image data and a header that includes a private-key-encrypted message digest together with unencrypted data including event data that went into forming the message digest, comprising:

• a program memory for storing process steps executable to:
• (1) obtain a public key complementary to a private key used to encrypt the message digest, (2) decrypt the private-key-encrypted message digest using the public key so as to obtain a message digest, (3) calculate a trial message digest using a hashing function the same as the hashing function used to form the private-key-encrypted message digest, and also using the unencrypted event data in the header, and (4) compare the trial message digest to the decrypted message digest to determine the authenticity of the image file, wherein the event data includes location data;
• and
• a processor for executing the process steps stored in said memory.

Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer readable medium, said computer-executable process steps for validating authenticity of an image file containing image data and a header that includes a private-key-encrypted message digest together with unencrypted data including event data that went into forming the message digest, said computer-executable process steps comprising:

• an obtaining step to obtain a public key complementary to a private key used to encrypt the message digest;
• a decrypting step to decrypt the private-key-encrypted message digest using the public key so as to obtain a message digest;
• a calculating step to calculate a trial message digest using a hashing function the same as the hashing function used to form the private-key-encrypted message digest, and also using the unencrypted event data in the header;
• and
• a comparing step to compare the trial message digest to the decrypted message digest to determine the authenticity of the image file,
• wherein the event data includes location data.

A secure connection between a GPS receiver and a digital camera, whereby the digital camera can obtain secure GPS-derived data in correspondence to digital images obtained by the digital camera, comprising:

• a private key encrypter in the GPS receiver, said private key encrypter for private-key-encryption of information corresponding to GPS-derived data;
• a public key decrypter in the digital camera, said public key decrypter for public-key-decryption of the private-key-encrypted GPS-derived data;
• and
• an interface between the GPS receiver and the digital camera for transmitting the private-key-encrypted GPS-derived data from the GPS receiver to the digital camera.