Apparatus and method for image group integrity protection

A method determining the integrity of a group of images, the method comprising the steps of:

• retrieving a plurality of watermarked images, the plurality of watermarked images residing in a watermarked image group and having a predefined order in the watermarked image group, each watermarked image being stored in a complete and separate data file;
• retrieving a first decryption key, the first decryption key corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of watermarked images;
• decrypting a unique watermark from the selected watermarked image using the retrieved first decryption key such that a first image digest is determined and a next image decryption key is determined;
• retrieving an original first image digest associated with the selected watermarked image;
• comparing the original first image digest with the determined first image digest to determine the integrity of the selected watermarked image;
• decrypting a next unique watermark from a next watermarked image with the next image decryption key, the next watermarked image being the following image in the plurality of ordered watermarked images;
• retrieving an original next image digest associated with the next watermarked image;
• comparing the original next image digest with the determined next image digest to determine the integrity of the next watermarked image;
• and
• repeating the steps of decrypting the next unique watermark from the next watermarked image, retrieving the original next image digest and comparing the original next image digest for the remaining plurality of watermarked images, wherein each decryption key is stored separately from the image digest and is not dependent upon the image digest.

A system which protects the integrity of a group of images using an image capture device, comprising:

• a photosensor configured to capture an image;
• a memory configured to store a plurality of captured images, each captured image stored as a separate and complete data file;
• an actuator configured to define selected ones of the captured images as a member of an image group;
• and
• a processor configured to watermark each one of the selected captured images with a unique watermark having at least an image digest that identifies the selected captured image, and the unique watermark further having a unique decryption key that is configured to decrypt the unique watermark of next one of the selected captured images, wherein each decryption key is stored separately from the image digest and is not dependent upon the image digest.