Three Technology Layers

Encypher's cryptographic watermarking implementation spans three distinct layers. Understanding each layer clarifies what capabilities you are purchasing and what you can verify independently.

This distinction determines what you can rely on independently versus what requires Encypher's infrastructure. C2PA manifest verification works with open-source tools. Sentence-level and fingerprint verification require Encypher's extended verification.

Text: Default Encoding

Encypher's default text encoding embeds a complete C2PA manifest invisibly within the document. The embedded data is placed using invisible Unicode characters that have no effect on the visible text. From the reader's perspective, the document is character-for-character identical to unsigned text. No visual difference is present.

The encoding is designed for the way text actually moves: copied from a browser, pasted into an email, forwarded as a message, or republished on another site. Unicode-compliant text processors preserve the embedded markers through these operations. The provenance travels with the content.

Verification requires no special tooling beyond Encypher's API or the open-source SDK. A single API call returns the signer identity, timestamp, and any custom assertions embedded in the manifest.

Text: Word-Optimized Encoding

Encypher offers an alternative encoding optimized for Microsoft Word and Office document workflows, ensuring provenance survives Word's text processing pipeline. The default encoding is designed for web and email distribution; this encoding is designed for enterprise document workflows where Word is the primary format.

The character set is selected specifically for stability through Word's document processing operations. Where the default encoding maximizes information density, this encoding prioritizes compatibility with the full range of Word behaviors across versions and platforms.

Both encodings produce invisible output and verify through the same API. The choice of encoding is determined by the distribution channel, not by the type of content or the assertions embedded.

Sentence-Level Authentication

Standard C2PA provenance authenticates a document as a whole: a single signature covers the entire content. If any part of the document changes, the whole document fails verification. Encypher's proprietary sentence-level technology extends this to individual sentences.

Encypher's proprietary sentence-level technology enables cryptographic proof that a specific sentence came from a specific source and has not been altered. This goes beyond document-level C2PA authentication to individual sentence granularity. A reader can verify a single quoted sentence without access to the full document. A publisher can detect which sentences were altered in a modified copy.

This is Encypher's proprietary technology. It is implemented as a custom assertion type in the C2PA manifest, compatible with standard C2PA verification while providing additional granularity for Encypher-aware verifiers. The sentence-level structure is included in the embedded manifest and verified through the same API as document-level provenance.

Media: JUMBF Manifest Embedding

For images, audio, and video, Encypher follows the C2PA specification for format-native manifest embedding. The C2PA manifest is packaged in a standard container format and placed in the format-standard location for extension data.

Encypher supports the full range of formats covered by the C2PA specification: JPEG, PNG, ISO BMFF formats (including MP4, MOV, AVIF, and HEIC), RIFF formats (including WAV and AVI), and MP3. The manifest travels with the file and can be verified without round-tripping to Encypher's servers.

This layer is entirely defined by the C2PA specification. Any C2PA-compliant tool can verify the manifests Encypher embeds in media files. Encypher's contribution here is implementation correctness and API accessibility, not proprietary technology.

Enterprise Distribution Fingerprinting

Enterprise-tier distribution fingerprinting embeds unique, recipient-specific markers into each copy of a distributed document. When the same document is distributed to multiple recipients, each copy carries markers that identify which recipient received which copy. The markers are invisible and do not alter the readable content.

When content is redistributed without authorization, forensic analysis identifies the source of the leak. The analysis examines the markers in the leaked copy and matches them to the recipient record. This works even when the leaked copy has been reformatted, partially edited, or transcribed.

Distribution fingerprinting is used for pre-publication content, confidential documents, board materials, and restricted distribution workflows where accountability for leaks is a compliance or legal requirement.