A cell phone is disclosed for acquiring information to be transmitted to a receiving facility and for transmitting such thereto. A capture device captures information from an external source. A processor is provided for associating with the captured information a representation of the date and time of the capture of the information, such that the representation of the date and time information in association with the captured information forms augmented captured information. The processor also places the augmented captured information in association with subscriber information in a transmission of the augmented captured information to a receiving facility requiring such subscriber information. A transmitter transmits the transmission including the augmented captured information and the subscriber information to the receiving facility. An encryptor encrypts the augmented captured information with a symmetrical encryption algorithm to provide encrypted augmented captured information in the transmission with the subscriber information.

A method of verifying an authenticity of a printed item includes: photographing the printed item to obtain a photographic image of the printed item, retrieving reference data of the printed item, the reference data including a reference image of the printed item, determining a test noise parameter from the photographic image of the printed item, determining a reference noise parameter from the reference image, comparing the test noise parameter of the photographic image of the printed item to the reference noise parameter of the reference image, and determining an authenticity of the printed item from a result of the comparing. The determining the authenticity of the printed item from the result of the comparing may include establishing from the reference noise parameter of the reference image and the test noise parameter of the printed item.

An image forming apparatus that executes a password-protected job includes a function for omitting an input of a job password, manages a user password for keyboard authentication in association with a user, manages a personal identification number for icon authentication in association with the user, accepts login to an account of the user based on the keyboard authentication, permits execution of a password-protected print job associated with the user based on a print instruction without inputting a job password, accepts login to the account of the user based on the icon authentication, and permits execution of a password-protected print job associated with the user based on a print instruction with an input of a job password.

The present application provides a method for publishing work in a network, including: obtaining, by an end-user device associated with a current user, a prior work file that is not published by the current user in a network, where the prior work file includes a digital signature of a prior author and a prior work; generating, by the end-user device and based on an operation of the current user, a new work file that includes the prior work, the digital signature of the prior author, and content added based on the operation of the current user; and publishing, by the end-user device, the new work file in the network. This solution ensures the prior work cannot be used out of context, and modifications to the prior work are easy to identify, thereby improving integrity and authenticity of a work propagated on the internet.

Methods for designing and producing a security feature are provided. In general, the present disclosure provides methods of designing a printed image in a security feature, the security feature comprising an array of optical elements overlaying the printed image, wherein the printed image comprises a two dimensional matrix of rows and columns of pixels, the method comprising; correcting for a mismatch between the pixels of the printed image and the array of optical elements by doing one or more of: adding one or more pixels; removing one or more pixels; and moving one or more pixels.

There is disclosed in an example a computing apparatus, comprising: a network interface; a messaging application to communicate via the network interface; and one or more logic elements comprising a security layer, discrete from the messaging application, to: generate a message; secure the message; and send the message via the messaging application.

There is provided with an information processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The apparatus sets a naming rule for an image file and determines whether or not the set naming rule satisfies a predetermined condition. If it is determined that the naming rule does not satisfy the predetermined condition, the information processing apparatus warns a user. On the other hand, if it is determined that the naming rule satisfies the predetermined condition, the information processing apparatus generates a file name of the image file in accordance with the set naming rule, and stores the image file with the file name.

A watermark image may be generated that includes a first set of encoded pixels each of which is assigned a first transparency value and a second set of encoded pixels each of which is assigned a second transparency value, the second transparency level being different from the first transparency level. The encoded pixels may be distributed among a set of blank pixels such that each encoded pixel neighbors one or more blank pixels in the watermark image, and in particular at least two blank pixels in the watermark image. Herein, each blank pixel may be assigned the second transparency value. The watermark image may be overlaid and blended over a background source image to create an encoded source image. A decoder system may recover encoded information from the encoded source image.

Techniques for signer-initiated electronic document signing via an electronic signature service using a mobile or other client device are described. Example embodiments provide an electronic signature service (ESS) configured to facilitate the creation, storage, and management of documents and corresponding electronic signatures. In some embodiments, when a signer user receives a hard copy (e.g., paper) signature document, the signer may capture an image of the signature document with a camera of a mobile device. The signer can then import the captured image into the ESS for signature, storage, and/or transmission to other parties.

A method for providing watermark to subscribers is provided. The method comprises observing a request for a first content from a subscriber, determining if the subscriber can receive a watermark, generating a second content comprising the watermark if the subscriber can receive a watermark, causing the subscriber to fetch the first content, and causing the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark overlaying the first content.