Authentication data for authenticating a dispatch and contents of the dispatch electronically transmitted from or for a sender to a recipient, comprising a representation of the following set A of information elements:</claim-text> content data >1 representative of the contents of a dispatch; and dispatch record data elements a2, . . . ,an which include at least an indicia a2 relating to a time of the dispatch and an indicia a3 relating to the destination of the dispatch, wherein said time related indicia a2 being provided in a manner resistant to or indicative of tampering by either of the sender and the recipient, and wherein at least part of said authentication data is secured against tampering of the sender and the recipient, and wherein said authentication data are generated and secured by an authenticator functioning as a non-interested third party with respect to the sender and the recipient, and wherein said authentication data includes a set B comprising one or more information elements b1, . . . ,bm generated by respectively applying functions F1, . . . ,Fm to subsets S1, . . . ,Sm comprising selected portions of said set A, where said functions F1, . . . ,Fm can be different from one another and said subsets S1, . . . ,Sm can be different from one another, and wherein said authentication data does not comprise an encrypted representation of said content data and said dispatch record data which is encrypted with a secret key, either symmetric or asymmetric, associated with said recipient. view more

A method according to claim <HIL><BOLD>60</BOLD></HIL>, further including the step of transmitting the contents of the dispatch to the recipient.

A method according to claim <HIL><BOLD>60</BOLD></HIL>, wherein the mathematical association methods utilize at least one transform function from a Hiding Class of transform functions.

A method according to claim <HIL><BOLD>60</BOLD></HIL>, wherein the mathematical association methods include a method of generating a digital signature.

A method according to claim <HIL><BOLD>60</BOLD></HIL>, where the activities described by said steps are being performed by an authenticator, said authenticator being associated with a party other than said sender.

An authenticator for authenticating a dispatch and contents of the dispatch transmitted by or for a sender-from a transmitting system to a receiving system for a recipient via an electronic communication network, comprising:</claim-text> an input coupled to the communication network or to the transmitting system for receiving content data representative of the contents of the dispatch being electronically transmitted to said receiving system, and a destination of the dispatch; means for providing an indicia relating to a time of transmission of the dispatch, said time related indicia being provided in a manner resistant to or indicative of tampering by either of the sender and the recipient; a processor for associating the content data with dispatching record data which includes at least said time related indicia and an indicia relating to the destination of the dispatcher and the contents of the dispatch; and means for securing at least part of the authentication data against tampering of the sender and the recipient, the authenticator functioning as a non-interested third party with respect to the sender and the recipient; wherein the processor utilizes mathematical association methods for a selected portion of a combination of the content data and the dispatch record data to generate the authentication data. view more

An authenticator according to claim <HIL><BOLD>71</BOLD></HIL>, further including an output transmitter coupled to the communication network for transmitting the contents of the dispatch to the receiving system.

An authenticator according to claim <HIL><BOLD>71</BOLD></HIL>, further including an output device for providing an output of at least part of the authentication data.

An authenticator according to claim <HIL><BOLD>71</BOLD></HIL>, wherein the mathematical association methods utilize at least one transform function from a Hiding Class of transform functions.

An authenticator according to claim <HIL><BOLD>71</BOLD></HIL>, wherein the means for providing the time related indicia generates the time related indicia.

An authenticator according to claim <HIL><BOLD>71</BOLD></HIL>, wherein the authentication data further includes a delivery indicia relating to said dispatch.

An authenticator according to claim <HIL><BOLD>71</BOLD></HIL>, wherein said authenticator is associated with a party other than said sender, or is resistant to or indicative of tampering by at least said sender.