Press Releases

DocVerify Maintains the Integrity of Documents as Risk Mitigation and Cyber Security Concerns Rise

Amid rising concerns over electronic document security, DocVerify introduces the world's first electronic document time stamping and verification service to maintain the integrity of corporate, legal and personal documents.

IRVINE, Calif. – February 26, 2009 – The digital age has ushered in a vast number of solutions designed to facilitate the ease and speed of the transfer and sharing of corporate, legal and personal documents. Unfortunately for companies and individuals, the development of these solutions has outpaced innovations in electronic document security, leaving documents vulnerable to internal, external and online threats, including theft and fraud. In response to alarming statistics and increased concerns over cyber security, DocVerify now delivers an unparalleled solution for companies and individuals committed to making document management, contract management and risk mitigation top priorities. Providing seven layers of protection developed using sophisticated encryption standards, and full document audit trails, DocVerify is the first top-tier document verification system that lets users guarantee the authenticity and integrity of any document from their Internet browser.

According to recent data, more than 35 million data records were illegally accessed in 2008, and more than 83 million records were compromised. The rise in illegal altering and theft of proprietary documents can be attributed in part to still-evolving electronic security infrastructures and standards, and widely held myths about electronic document security. An overwhelming number of Internet users believe that a PDF file cannot be altered and that it is secure. This is one of many common misperceptions that the developers of DocVerify hope will cease to exist as more companies and consumers become better informed, and seek ways to protect themselves and their documents from fraud and tampering.

"There are a number of myths surrounding which areas of the web are secure electronic environments, and which types of documents and protocols are tamper-proof," said Darcy Mayer, DocVerify's Chief Technology Officer. "To mitigate risk, our software provides conclusive proof of when, where, what, and by whom any electronic document was created once it is processed through our system. Our goal is to offer a system that provides users with unparalleled protection and the assurance that regardless of the format the document was created in and who they shared it with, the authenticity and integrity of the document won't be compromised."

DocVerify is a revolutionary Software as a Service (SaaS) designed to help companies and individuals protect the authenticity and integrity of corporate, legal and personal documents and mitigate the risks associated with online file transferring, sharing and storing. With DocVerify, users can prove that a document existed at a given point and time. The software's two-factor authentication, document encryption standards, sequential document system and PKI hashing features make it one of the industry's most secure methods of protecting critical data and files. In fact, the software is so secure that not even the company's IT personnel can view protected files. DocVerify data centers are all SAS 70 type II certified facilities, and all actions are recorded in a tamper-proof audit trail. Additionally, each document is watermarked and time stamped.

DocVerify ensures the long term preservation, accessibility, and authenticity of electronic documents while maintaining legal compliance and eliminating the risk of lost documents. It also facilitates the independent verification of electronic documents that have been DocVerify-ed in the event of a dispute, saving valuable time and money associated with electronic discoveries, lawsuits or legal proceedings.

"Our software has been used by attorneys, mortgage brokers, government agencies and online retailers, among other groups and organizations," said Mayer. "The added assurance of a document's authenticity and integrity creates trust between parties, and is critical to protecting individuals and businesses from unforeseen risks and disputes."While an increasing number of companies are taking steps to utilize advanced software and implement policies to help protect valuable documents and manage risks, most individuals still fail to make personal document security a priority, despite increasing reports of identity theft and fraud. According to recent studies, over 80 percent of people use inadequate measures to protect data.

"One of the most common ways data breaches occur is through the theft and access of laptops," said Mayer. "Most individuals don't realize how valuable the information on their personal laptops is until it's been stolen, and unfortunately 97 percent of them are never recovered. We want to help individuals protect themselves in the event of an unfortunate circumstance. Individuals can use our software to securely protect their documents, e-sign documents, and track and validate their documents. It's fast and easy to use, and with reports of identity theft and other accounts of fraud at an all time high, there's no better way to ensure their peace of mind."

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Document Security Still a Priority for North Carolina Government Officials in 2009

DocVerify Approved by North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall for Electronic Notaries

RALEIGH, N.C. – December 22, 2008 – Since the National Association of Secretaries of State developed the national e-notarization standards in 2006, North Carolina has been at the forefront of the implementation of electronic notarization technology. This month, the Secretary of State approved DocVerify, a leading provider of digital security solutions for electronic notaries, further solidifying the state's commitment to the safety and security of e-commerce in North Carolina. DocVerify's revolutionary seven layers of protection is an advanced solution engineered to ensure the safety and security of electronic processes and transactions initiated by state and local governments, businesses and consumers.

"E-notarization technology is still fairly new, and we're making tremendous strides in the industry," said Darcy Mayer, DocVerify's chief technology officer. "Our software has more than 10 unique security features compared to other industry competitors, including double fingerprint protection, verification certificates, advanced document encryption, public key infrastructure technology, and full audit trails on a per document basis. North Carolina's Secretary of State has been a pioneer in adopting e-notarization technology and the office has recognized the benefits and the unparalleled level of security that our internet-based solution can offer North Carolina government agencies, businesses and consumers."

In January 2007, North Carolina transitioned to e-notarization, largely due to the time and money the process could save businesses and consumers involved in real estate transactions. Since then, the office of the Secretary of State has worked with state and local government agencies, businesses and consumers to make the transition a seamless one. Although the recent mortgage crisis has since triggered a slowdown in the real estate industry, e-notarization services and software are still widely used throughout the state.

DocVerify's E-Notary is a Software as a Service (SaaS) that enables licensed notaries to create electronic notaries from their web browser. No additional client software or hardware is required to use DocVerify and there are no hidden license fees. Its patent-pending technology combines the time stamp security of the National Institute of Standards and Technology with advanced encryption technology used by the Department of Defense to deliver unprecedented document protection. The software is used to verify, authenticate and electronically sign a variety of document types including contracts, copyrighted materials, titles, trademark and patent registrations, and promissory notes. DocVerify's E-Notary is also environmentally friendly. The software is a paperless solution that reduces the amount of power and resources typically used to create notarized documents, thus reducing the overall carbon footprint of each document. The software also eliminates the need for couriers and postage to transport the documents, saving both resources and money.

As an approved electronic notary solution provider in North Carolina, DocVerify complies with the state's laws and rules governing e-notarization. DocVerify's E-Notary facilitates the ease of business transactions and saves state and local government agencies, businesses and consumers time and money. The software introduces a more efficient way to notarize up to 180 file types with custom electronic notary stamps, and is equipped with secure e-signing capabilities. The company also hopes that DocVerify's E-notary will be essential in helping to enhance consumer protection and combat identity theft and fraud in the state. According to the office of North Carolina's Attorney General, approximately 300,000 residents are victims of identity theft and fraud each year.

"As e-commerce continues to evolve, we will remain committed to developing software solutions that meet the rules and regulations established by state and local governments that govern notaries, and exceed the expectations of the businesses and consumers that use our software to ensure their safety," said Mayer.

DocVerify E-notary is currently available in many states including North Carolina to licensed notaries, and is continually adding new states. The company also provides several additional digital security solutions, including electronic signatures, Quick Notes, API Web Services, and verification services.

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September 2008

Today, electronic documents have legal validity in a court of law.
But how do you prove they haven't been tampered with?

Proprietary new technology brings state-of-the-art protection to electronic documents.

Until recently the only way to prove the authenticity and integrity of an original document in a court of law was to have it notarized and time stamped. That was fine before businesses went electronic. Today, e-documents have legal validity in courts of law. 21st century communications require 21st technology protection.

"Unfortunately" explains Darcy Mayer, founder and CTO of DocVerify, an Orange County based provider of document security services, "with time stamping technology there's no way to guarantee that the original had not been tampered with or adjusted subsequent to time-stamping. And hackers and forgers are always less than half a step behind. Obviously, the Department of Defense uses sophisticated methods to protect their electronic documents. We thought it was time to bring that same level of protection to individuals and to the business world."

The result: DocVerify—the first top-tier Document Verification system that lets you guarantee the authenticity and integrity of any signed document right from your browser. "This is clearly a major leap in convenience", says Darcy "as well, of course, as a leap in security for people like realtors and lawyers who need to be able to prove that their documents are absolutely the originals and have never been tampered with in any way whatsoever." DocVerify's top-tier protection for electronic documentation is expected to be of considerable value for individuals and businesses needing to authenticate agreements, contracts, wills, trusts, deeds, mortgage disclosures, good faith estimates, intellectual property, etc.

Deeper levels of protection

"First your document is protected using advanced encryption, and also assigned unique digital fingerprints for authentication and integrity" says Mayer. "Then, DocVerify time stamps it to the second in coordination with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) assuring that the document was uploaded to DocVerify on the stated date, hour, minute, and second. You're then provided legal certification that you DocVerify-ed your document as of the aforementioned time. Your document is processed, bar coded and stored securely within our system. And once DocVerify'd the document cannot be altered in any way"

"From a convenience perspective, DocVerify is ideal for anyone in any business who needs to be able to quickly and easily have an electronic document "locked" in as of a certain date and time right from their browser", says Mayer. "From a security perspective DocVerify is unique insofar as it adds a second level of encrypted security to any document virtually guaranteeing that it can't be hacked into and tampered with or altered in any way. That's the level of security the government requires. Anyone whose business relies on electronic documents can now enjoy that same level of security. We like to say that if it's important enough to be put in writing it's important enough to DocVerify it."

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