Every document processed and sealed by the Verified platform is assigned a cryptographic SHA-512 hash. This hash acts as an immutable digital fingerprint of the file.

By comparing the hash displayed in your Document Summary against a hash calculated independently on your local computer, compliance officers, legal teams, and auditors can prove with mathematical certainty that a document has not been altered, corrupted, or tampered with since its creation.

👥 Who Is This Relevant For?

• Auditors & Compliance Officers: Professionals conducting Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), or regulatory record audits.

• Legal Counsel: Teams requiring verifiable, non-repudiable evidence that agreement terms have remained pristine over long-term retention.

• Document Recipients: Anyone wishing to verify the authenticity of an executed agreement independently of the Verified platform.

🔑 What Is a SHA-512 Hash?

SHA-512 (Secure Hash Algorithm 512-bit) converts the entire binary contents of a file into a unique, fixed-length 128-character hexadecimal string.

• Unique Fingerprint: The hash is generated from the raw, original file content before any visual watermarks or digital PAdES seals are added.

• The Avalanche Effect: If even a single character, hidden space, or metadata tag inside the PDF is altered, the resulting hash changes completely.

• Zero Platform Reliance: You do not need to trust Verified to prove document integrity—the math can be verified offline on any standard operating system using built-in command-line tools.

Where to Find the Official Hashes in Verified

• Main Document: Listed under the SHA-512 field in the Document Summary section of your transaction view or audit log.

• Attachments: Every supporting attachment has its own distinct SHA-512 checksum recorded in the Attachments table of the envelope.

⚠️ Important: To get a matching hash, you must verify the original source file (extracted from the PAdES container or downloaded from the attachments pane), not the finalized .pades.pdf wrapper, which contains outer digital signature envelopes and time stamps.

🖥️ How to Calculate and Verify a Hash (Step-by-Step)

You do not need to install third-party software. Both Windows and macOS include native command-line utilities to calculate SHA-512 hashes.

Option A: Windows (Command Prompt)

1. Press the Windows Key, type cmd, and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.

2. Type the following command with a trailing space (do not press Enter yet):

   DOS

   
   

   certutil -hashfile 
   

3. Drag and drop your downloaded PDF file directly from File Explorer into the Command Prompt window. The system will automatically insert the exact file path.

4. Add a space, type SHA512 at the end, and press Enter:

   DOS

   
   

   certutil -hashfile "C:\Users\Username\Downloads\Contract.pdf" SHA512
   

5. Compare the resulting 128-character string with the hash listed in your Verified Document Summary.

Option B: macOS & Linux (Terminal)

1. Open Terminal (navigate to Finder → Applications → Utilities → Terminal, or search via Spotlight).

2. Type the following command with a trailing space (do not press Enter yet):

   Bash

   
   

   shasum -a 512 
   

3. Drag and drop your PDF file from Finder directly into the Terminal window to paste its full path.

4. Press Enter:

   Bash

   
   

   shasum -a 512 /Users/username/Downloads/Contract.pdf
   

5. The Terminal will output the calculated hash string followed by the filename. Compare this string with the hash in your Verified Document Summary.

📊 Interpreting the Results