When you timestamp evidence of trademark use, you receive a cryptographic token generated under RFC 3161, an international standard that defines exactly how a Time Stamping Authority certifies that certain content existed at a precise moment.
That standard is what makes your timestamp verifiable by any third party, without you having to ask the issuer for anything.
What RFC 3161 is and where it comes from
RFC 3161 is a specification published by the IETF, the body that defines the internet’s core protocols. RFC stands for Request for Comments, the format the IETF uses to document and formalize the technical standards that systems around the world rely on.
This particular standard defines the Time-Stamp Protocol (TSP): how to request a timestamp, how the issuing authority must respond and what structure the resulting token must have.
Because the standard is open, any software can implement it and read the tokens it produces, unlike a proprietary format that only one specific tool understands.
How timestamping works
The protocol works in three main steps. First, your software computes your file’s digital fingerprint with an algorithm such as SHA-256. That fingerprint is a string of characters that uniquely represents the content: if a single byte of the file changes, the fingerprint changes completely.
- Your system computes the fingerprint (
SHA-256) of the document or evidence. - It sends that fingerprint to a Time Stamping Authority (
TSA), a trusted third party. - The
TSAsigns the token with its certificate and sends it back. The token binds the fingerprint to a precise point in time.
The TSA never sees your document. It only receives the fingerprint. Your content stays private the whole time; the only thing that travels is that mathematical representation of the file.
The resulting token contains the fingerprint, the time of the stamp and the TSA’s signature. Anyone with the original file and the token can independently verify that the file wasn’t modified and that it existed before the stated date.
Why interoperability matters
Beyond the cryptography, much of the value of RFC 3161 comes from the format being an open, documented standard. A forensic expert, opposing counsel or a court can verify your token with independent tools, without depending on the platform that issued it.
- Verification doesn’t require access to any proprietary system.
- Any software that implements the standard can read the token.
- The
TSA’s signature lets you trace the chain of trust up to its root certificate. - If the file was modified after it was timestamped, verification fails, objectively.
In Mexico, timestamping under open standards is the technical basis for preserving data messages with a verifiable date and a certificate of preservation, under the applicable regulations. It’s a relevant reference point if your evidence ends up in a legal or administrative proceeding.
How Prueba de Uso issues your timestamps
When Prueba de Uso produces the weekly edition of its catalog, the system computes the SHA-256 fingerprint of the full PDF and sends it to a TSA that operates under RFC 3161. The resulting token is tied to the edition and to the appearances of the marks it includes.
What you get is a standard cryptographic token that you, your attorney or any expert can verify with the tools of your choice, at any time, without Prueba de Uso having to step in.
Independent verification is what really counts. A timestamp that only its issuer can validate is just a claim. Anyone with compatible tools can check a timestamp under RFC 3161.
That principle guides how we build the evidence infrastructure at Prueba de Uso: the strength of your file rests on a standard anyone can audit, so you never have to take our word for it.