Network Working Group                                        L.J. Reilly
Internet-Draft                                               Independent
Intended status: Informational                            September 2025
Expires: 24 March 2026


 Reilly EternaMark (REM) Protocol - Dual-Layer Digital Permanence Using
               DOI Archiving and Blockchain Timestamping
                      draft-reilly-rem-protocol-00

Abstract

   The Reilly EternaMark (REM) Protocol defines a dual-layer method for
   digital permanence through the integration of Digital Object
   Identifiers (DOIs) and blockchain timestamping.  The protocol ensures
   digital artifacts are permanently identifiable, immutable, and
   verifiable for both present and future use.

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   This Internet-Draft will expire on 5 March 2026.

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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   3.  Protocol Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   4.  Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   5.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   6.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   7.  Applications  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   8.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4

1.  Introduction

   Existing digital preservation methods are centralized and vulnerable
   to alteration, corruption, or loss.  The REM Protocol addresses these
   issues by combining DOI persistence with blockchain immutability.

   DOI ensures discoverability, persistence, and interoperability.
   Blockchain timestamping ensures immutability and tamper-proof
   verification.  This creates a dual-layer permanence system suitable
   for academia, compliance, intellectual property, and AI data
   governance.

2.  Terminology

   DOI: Digital Object Identifier, a globally unique and resolvable
   identifier.

   Timestamp: A blockchain-anchored proof of existence and creation
   time.

   Artifact: Any digital object (paper, dataset, contract, etc.)
   preserved via REM Protocol.

3.  Protocol Overview

   The REM Protocol consists of four steps:

   1.  Hashing — Compute SHA-256 hash of the digital artifact.  Example:
   02439f01ba0b805ba3011aaeb2783ffb096c1c6ad847876e75...

   2.  Blockchain Timestamping — Submit the hash to a blockchain
   timestamping service.  Example: Bitcoin block 914168 attests
   existence as of 2025-09-10 EST.





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   3.  DOI Assignment — Register the artifact with a DOI system (e.g.,
   Zenodo).  Example: https://zenodo.org/records/17096230

   4.  Archival Integration — Publish DOI, blockchain TXID, and hash
   together as the permanent record.

4.  Specification

   Inputs: Digital artifact.

   Process: SHA-256 hash -> Blockchain timestamp -> DOI registration ->
   Publication.

   Outputs: A permanent, verifiable record consisting of: DOI
   (discoverability), Blockchain TXID (immutability), Hash (integrity
   proof).

5.  Security Considerations

   Integrity: Provided by SHA-256 hashing.

   Immutability: Guaranteed by blockchain consensus.

   Persistence: Ensured by DOI federation and global resolution.

6.  IANA Considerations

   This document has no IANA actions.

7.  Applications

   Academic publishing and research archiving.

   Compliance (finance, healthcare, logistics).

   Intellectual property (true prior art, permanent alternative to
   patents).

   AI and ML datasets (trustworthy sources).

8.  Informative References

   [ISO-26324]
              International DOI Foundation, "DOI Handbook (ISO 26324)",
              2012, <https://www.doi.org/doi_handbook/>.

   [RFC9162]  Todd, P., "OpenTimestamps Proofs", RFC 9162, 2021,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9162.html>.



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   [ZenodoStandards]
              CERN/Zenodo, "Zenodo Archiving Standards", 2025,
              <https://about.zenodo.org/>.

Author's Address

   Lawrence John Reilly Jr.

   Email: lawrencejohnreilly@gmail.com

Author's Address

   Lawrence John Reilly Jr.
   Independent
   Email: lawrencejohnreilly@gmail.com




































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