Frequently Asked Questions
CertNode Seal — Content Authenticity
What is CertNode Seal?
CertNode Seal creates cryptographic provenance for your digital content. Each seal includes C2PA Content Credentials, an RFC 3161 certified timestamp, and a public verification page that anyone can check.
What file types are supported?
Currently: JPEG, PNG, WebP images and PDF documents. Up to 50MB per file.
What is C2PA?
C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) is an industry standard backed by Adobe, Microsoft, Intel, and others. It embeds verifiable credentials directly into content files.
What is an RFC 3161 timestamp?
An RFC 3161 timestamp is a court-admissible cryptographic proof of when content existed. It is issued by an independent Timestamp Authority (TSA), not by CertNode — making it independently verifiable.
How much does it cost?
$0.05 per seal. No monthly fee. $5/month minimum applies if you create any seals that month (waived if zero seals). Reflex users get a 20% discount ($0.04/seal).
What happens when a refund is issued?
When a Stripe refund is processed, any seals linked to that payment are automatically revoked. The public verification page updates to show the revoked status.
Can I revoke a seal manually?
Yes. You can revoke any seal from the web dashboard or via the API.
What is the verification page?
Every seal gets a unique URL (certnode.io/verify/seal/...) that shows the full credential chain: C2PA status, timestamp, authenticity score, and content hash. No login required — anyone can verify.
What is the embeddable badge?
An SVG badge that displays real-time seal status. Embed it on your website with the provided HTML snippet. It links to the verification page.
How is the authenticity score calculated?
Scoring is based on: C2PA credentials (40 points), registry presence (25 points), attestations (20 points), timeline analysis (15 points). RFC 3161 timestamps add a verified time layer.
What are the certificate levels?
GOLD: Score 80+. SILVER: Score 50-79. BRONZE: Score below 50. The level appears on the verification page and badge.
Is my content stored by CertNode?
Thumbnails are stored for the verification page. Original files are not stored by default. Only the cryptographic hash (SHA-256) of your content is required for verification.