Idbélyeg

Idbélyeg is a Hungarian term for a mark that indicates the date and, in some cases, the time at which a document, item, or data record was created, received, or processed. The word combines idő (time) and bélyeg (stamp). In everyday use, idbélyeg refers to physical date stamps used by postal services and offices to imprint the current date (and sometimes time) on letters, forms, receipts, or files. These stamps help document handling and provide an auditable trail of when items were processed.

In digital contexts, időbélyegzés or timestamping refers to a method of proving that a copy of data existed at a certain moment. This typically involves computing a cryptographic hash of the data and obtaining a timestamp token from a trusted Timestamping Authority, which binds the hash to a certified time. Digital timestamps are used in archival systems, legal documents, software development, and financial transactions to establish evidence of existence and integrity.

Physical idbélyegek vary from simple hand stamps to mechanical or automated date-imprinting devices. Digital timestamping complements signatures and other integrity controls and is subject to standards and legal frameworks in various jurisdictions.

Overall, idbélyeg serves as a time reference in both physical and digital records, supporting accountability, traceability, and evidentiary value. See also time stamp, postmark, date stamp, timestamping.