Resumen

Definition and Purpose

Authentic Video Evidence is a critical capability within a professional Video Management System (VMS) that ensures recorded surveillance footage is legally admissible in court proceedings and insurance claims. Its primary purpose is to establish an unbroken "chain of custody" for digital evidence. This proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the video clip being presented is an exact, unaltered duplicate of what the camera originally captured. Without this proof, opposing counsel or insurance adjusters can easily challenge the credibility of video evidence, claiming it could have been edited, trimmed, or manipulated (e.g., using deepfake technology or simple video editing software) to change the narrative of an event.

The Process

Generating the Digital Signature: The foundation of video authenticity lies in the VMS's ability to generate a "digital signature" at the precise moment of recording. As live video streams from the camera into the VMS server, the system uses a cryptographic algorithm to create a unique, complex hash value based on every frame of the video data and its corresponding timestamp. This digital signature is not a separate file but is embedded into the very fabric of the recorded video file itself. Think of it as a unique, invisible fingerprint that is inseparably linked to the video content. If even a single pixel is altered, or if a frame is removed after the initial recording, the entire mathematical formula breaks, and the signature becomes invalid.

Verification and Export

When an incident occurs and evidence needs to be shared with external parties like police or insurance agencies, an operator exports the relevant clip from the VMS. Crucially, this export is not just a standard video file (like an MP4); it is a secure data package that contains both the original video footage and its embedded digital signature. To view and verify this evidence, the recipient uses a dedicated proprietary player provided by the VMS manufacturer. Upon loading the clip, this player automatically recalculates the hash of the video data and compares it to the embedded signature. If the two match perfectly, the player displays a prominent "Verified" or "Authentic" status, providing indisputable proof of the file's integrity. If they do not match, the player flags the file as "Tampered," immediately alerting the viewer that the evidence is compromised and unreliable.

Soluciones

The Authentic Video Evidence can be ensured using ACTi's own cameras and VMS products, such as NVR 3 Corporate.