Are the file creation and modification date really encrypted? Is it possible to modify them?

[Oscar Tossutti]

Hello everyone, a customer asks me if the dating of the Illustrator file is safe and reliable to understand if the file is exactly what he created on a specific date. In practice, the customer has seen a printed product identical to his, but sold by another competitor. He believes a competitor stole his file and wants to prove it's his.
In addition to comparing the artwork, it can also show this based on the file date in Illustrator's "file info..." menu?. When I asked Adobe this question in a chat, he confirmed that the metadata is encrypted. Are the creation date and modification date part of the metadata? Is it possible to modify them? Can anyone in your experience confirm this for me?
Thanks so much for an answer!

[Met1]

Everything is changeable...

[Oscar Tossutti]

Do you think it can be done because the creation date is not encrypted as Adobe says? 

I mean the information in the "info file..." command of the Illustrator menu is not reliable?

Thanks a lot for your reply

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

If you want any sort of accountable reply you need to pay an IT forensics specialist. But overall, and my opinion for what it's worth (= nothing at all in legal actions) NO the dates and other info in a PDF aren't encrypted (not sure why you think Adobe Customer Service would have internal knowledge like this), and so they cannot be used to prove anything at all, either way. 

[Mylenium · Accepted solution]

Long and short: No. This data is not genuinely encrypted as the gazillion tools and services that crack protected PDFs prove. Unless you have a genuine hash file of your original or a byte-exact encrypted original none of this proves anything. And legally it's not admissible, anyway, unless authorized by the respective authorities and verified by certified experts. Same for your hardcopy prints. So overall your chances here are close to zero. Just write off your losses and move on.

Mylenium 

[Oscar Tossutti]

Dear Mylenium, yes my customer would have a true file hash of his original file especially on a PC that has been idle since he realized his files had been copied. He intends to go to the authorities and verify the files with a certified expert.

What is a hash file? From a hash file of an illustrator document what things can I find out?

Thank's a lot for reply

Oscar