arXiv:2407.04959v1 Announce Type: cross
Abstract: Open data is an important basis for open science and evidence-based policymaking. Governments of many countries disclose government-related statistics as open data. Some of these data are provided as CSV files. However, since CSV files are plain texts, we cannot ensure the integrity of a downloaded CSV file. A popular way to prove the data’s integrity is a digital signature; however, it is difficult to embed a signature into a CSV file. This paper proposes a method for embedding a digital signature into a CSV file using a data hiding technique. The proposed method exploits a redundancy of the CSV format related to the use of double quotes. The experiment revealed we could embed a 512-bit signature into actual open data CSV files.
Embedding Digital Signatures into CSV Files: Enhancing Open Data Integrity
Open data has emerged as a crucial component of open science and evidence-based policymaking, allowing governments to disclose government-related statistics to the public. However, one challenge in utilizing open data is ensuring its integrity, particularly for data provided in CSV format. As CSV files are plain texts, there is a need to guarantee the integrity of downloaded files. This paper proposes a novel method for embedding digital signatures into CSV files, effectively addressing this issue.
The proposed method leverages a data hiding technique that takes advantage of a redundancy present in the CSV format, specifically the use of double quotes. By strategically manipulating the placement and formatting of double quotes within the CSV file, a digital signature can be embedded without modifying the data itself. This approach ensures the integrity of the CSV file while maintaining its compatibility with existing systems and tools that operate on the CSV format.
The experiment conducted to assess the feasibility of the proposed method demonstrated its effectiveness in embedding a 512-bit digital signature into actual open data CSV files. This successful embedding process indicates the potential of the technique to be implemented on a larger scale, providing a means to verify the integrity of open data without compromising its usability and accessibility.
From a multidisciplinary perspective, this research combines concepts from various fields such as data security, information retrieval, and multimedia information systems. The use of data hiding techniques draws upon the principles of steganography, a branch of information security concerned with concealing information within seemingly innocuous data. By applying steganographic principles to the CSV format, this research bridges the gap between data integrity and open data, contributing to the wider field of multimedia information systems.
Furthermore, this study holds relevance to related fields such as animations, artificial reality (AR), augmented reality (AR), and virtual realities (VR). As these technologies heavily rely on the manipulation and integration of digital data, the ability to embed digital signatures into CSV files enhances the integrity and reliability of the underlying data used in these systems. The proposed method can serve as an additional layer of trust and security, ensuring that the data utilized in multimedia applications, animations, and virtual environments is authentic and unaltered.
In conclusion, the embedding of digital signatures into CSV files using the proposed method presents a valuable contribution to the field of open data integrity. By addressing the challenge of guaranteeing the integrity of open data while preserving its usability, this research provides a practical solution that can be implemented by governments and organizations worldwide. The multi-disciplinary nature of the concepts involved, coupled with its relevance to multimedia information systems and related technologies, further solidifies the significance of this research in the broader context of data security and authenticity.