Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL
Documonk is a first of its kind API driven framework for issuing and verifying tamper-proof digital documents. It uses a patent-filed, blockchain-based system that makes it free from any kind of central failure, security lapses, and budget-constraints. Documents issued by Documonk can be verified from anywhere around the world, in just a matter of 2 seconds.
Documonk can be used to issue and verify any type of document. It is made for everyone from institutions to individuals to employers, including:
- Schools and Universities
- Financial Institutions such as Banks, Insurance Companies, etc.
- Government Institutions
- Hospitals,
- Laboratories and Medical Authorities
- Material Testing Labs
- Invoicing Industry
No. In terms of architecture, security, and privacy, Documonk is structurally different and far superior as compared to digital solutions such as DigiLocker.
Solutions like DigiLocker are built on a ‘centralized’ architecture for data storage and verification that stores user data on a server that is controlled by a third party. So, during the verification process, the user data is inherently exposed to the internet through various APIs. This leaves scope for malicious actors who can find a vulnerability in the security of the API and can access user databases, thereby, compromising the privacy and security of the user data.
Across the globe, numerous hacking incidents are vindicating the shortcomings of the centralized solutions and their vulnerability to malicious attacks. In fact, not only external hackers, even insiders with access to such centralized databases pose a threat to the integrity and privacy of the user databases.
On the contrary, Documonk applies a ‘decentralized’ approach. By leveraging the open-source blockchain system of the popular cryptocurrency Ethereum as the underlying stack, Documonk has created a proprietary method to compute and process unique fingerprints or hashes of documents generated by the issuers.
These hashes are irreversible in nature and are put on the blockchain against the Public Key assigned to the issuers. Any verifier can compare the hash generated for the Documonk document with the data available on this blockchain, to verify the respective Documonk document.
Since, these irreversible document hashes which are nothing but a string of random characters, are the only things exposed to the internet, the problem of data privacy is simply non-existent. Furthermore, these hashes are stored on the blockchain rather than a centralized database, making the entire verification system tamper-proof, instantaneously auditable, and free from any central point of failure.
Yes, many public and private institutions and organisations are currently using Documonk.
Nobody has access to the user’s personal data, not even Documonk.
While only issuers and document holders or beneficiaries gain access to the Documonk document, Documonk receives only irreversible hashes or unique fingerprints for documents from the issuers. These hashes are published on the blockchain for verification purposes.
The only data that a malicious actor, externally or even internally within Documonk, can see are the document hashes, which are nothing but strings of gibberish.
Documonk files are pdf files that contains embedded blockchain proofs. They can be opened with any pdf viewer.
Documonk file is just a simple pdf file. Just like any other document, folder or photo, you can attach it and share it via email, WhatsApp, NFC, Bluetooth, USB drive or any other means that you find convenient.
If you have a Documonk document, you can simply view it using your smartphone or computer.
As a verifier, you will need to upload (or drag and drop) the pdf document on the verification portal mentioned on the document itself. This portal is maintained by the issuer of the same document. Alternatively, you can also verify the documents by using the portal on our website, www.documonk.app
Under 2 seconds! Yes, verification of documents is extremely fast with Documonk and you can do it from any corner of the world.
All you need is an internet connection and a smartphone or a computer. You can simply visit the verification portal mentioned on your document or visit the Documonk website to validate your document.
Yes, of course. We provide robust API for integration with existing systems and a full fledged documentation. Our blockchain smart contract code has been made open-source. You can vie audit and interact with our deployed smart-contracts.
Absolutely not. You neither need a cryptocurrency or blockchain wallet nor need any app to store your Documonk documents.
You can store the Documonk PDF file on your usual storage means such as your computer, smartphone, USB drive, Google Drive, or any other cloud storage methods.
Any changes made to an issued Documonk document will drastically change the document hash, making it invalid during the verification.
FOR ISSUERS
Due to the advancements in computer graphics, paper-based documents have become more and more vulnerable to potential forgeries and thereby, becoming obsolete by the day. With a tedious manual verification process, stakeholders have shifted to digital solutions for document verification. However, even traditional digital solutions pose new challenges such as data privacy and security.
Documonk provides an elegant issuance-verification system for tamper-proof digital documents. These documents are auditable instantaneously and don’t pose any threat to data security and data privacy.
The issue of the safety of a user’s personal data doesn’t arise at all with Documonk. This is due to the fact that even Documonk’s backend doesn’t have any access to user’s documents or personal data. Only the issuers and the document holders or beneficiaries can access the respective documents.
Documonk, in fact, receives only irreversible hashes or unique fingerprints of the documents from the issuers. These hashes are published on the blockchain for verification purposes. Be it externally or internally, any malicious actor considering breaking into the data, will only be able to see a string of gibberish from the document hashes.
Not at all. There won’t be any disruptions to the current system you follow. It will continue to run with an added advantage of Documonk with our simple API.
Our API’s integrate with any legacy or modern ERP / CRM or custom systems.
You don’t need any dedicated blockchain or IT infrastructure to start using Documonk. All you need is an internet connection and a computer to start issuing your documents from the Documonk platform. Once issued, you can just forget about the issued Documonk documents and the blockchain stack will take care of the rest.
We repeat, no other third party including the Documonk team has any access to the user’s document data. Only the issuer of documents and the beneficiary who has received the documents from the issuer will be the owners of document data.
While you can always count on us, we also encourage issuers to maintain an independent copy of the Documonk’s verification portal on their own website. This can be integrated with just 1 line of code. This makes it convenient for users who are more familiar with the issuer’s website.
However, if the issuers insist, documents issued by them can also be directly verified on the Documonk’s portal by simply visiting www.documonk.app.
The process of Issuer on-boarding with Documonk involves generating a random private-public key pair at the issuer’s end. In order to get registered on the blockchain smart contract, the issuer will need to share the public key with the Documonk backend. The private key, however, will always remain in total control of the issuer. This private key will help them digitally sign every document during the issuance process on the blockchain.
Since this private key is with the issuer alone, no other third party, including the Documonk team, can act as a proxy to issue documents under the issuer’s name.
We are not restrictive to any particular blockchain. Ethereum or Polygon are the most elegant blockchains among its peers with a proven track record, and hence we advise our customers to use the same. However, Documonk is compatible with other blockchain platforms as well, including private blockchains.
You can contact any of our affiliated partners, or send an email to [email protected]
