How It Works
Welcome to the Maat Blockchain. This guide explains our core features so you can confidently authenticate, share, and sign documents securely.
1. Document Authentication
Document Authentication is a way to permanently prove that a specific file existed at a specific point in time, and that you are the owner.
When you upload a file, your web browser generates a unique mathematical "fingerprint" (called a Hash) of that exact file. This Hash is permanently recorded on the Maat blockchain. If even a single pixel or letter changes in the file later, the Hash will completely change. This makes it impossible to forge or quietly alter documents.
You have options!
• On your computer: If you uncheck "Store Document Off-Chain", your file never leaves your computer. Only the mathematical Hash is sent to the blockchain.
• Off-Chain Storage: If you keep it checked, the file is securely uploaded to our cloud servers so you can easily view it later or share it.
If you check "Make Private" and create a password, your computer automatically scrambles (encrypts) the file before sending it to our cloud. We never see your password, and our servers only store a scrambled, unreadable file. It can only be unlocked with the exact password you created.
2. Multi-Party Agreements
Agreements allow you to turn an authenticated document into a formal, binding contract with other people.
First, authenticate a document (like a PDF contract) to get its unique Hash. Then, go to the "Agreements" tab. Enter the Hash, give the agreement a title, and list the Wallet Addresses of the people who need to sign it.
The people you invited will see a notification in their wallet. They can review the document and click "Sign & Accept" or "Decline". Once everyone signs, the agreement is marked as "Fully Executed" permanently on the blockchain.
3. Smart Contracts & Escrow
Smart Contracts are automated rules that execute themselves. In our system, they allow you to safely tie payments to your Agreements.
Escrow is a secure, neutral holding area for your money. Imagine you are hiring a freelancer. You don't want to pay them before they do the work, and they don't want to do the work without knowing they will get paid.
When you create an Agreement, you can set an "Escrow Amount" (e.g., 50 Meri). That 50 Meri is immediately deducted from your wallet, but it does not go to the freelancer yet. It is held safely by the blockchain's Smart Contract.
The money is only released when the conditions are met:
• If the Freelancer signs the Agreement: The contract is fulfilled, and the 50 Meri is automatically instantly sent to their wallet.
• If the Freelancer Declines: The agreement is voided, and the 50 Meri is instantly refunded to you.
• If the Deadline passes (Expired): If the freelancer just ignores it, the time limit expires, the agreement is cancelled, and your 50 Meri is instantly refunded to you.
Yes. As the creator, you can cancel the agreement at any time before the final signature is collected. Doing so voids the agreement and refunds your Escrow.
4. Private Sharing
Sharing Private documents securely without risking your password.
Instead of emailing someone your private password (which is dangerous), you go to the "Private Sharing" tab. You enter their Wallet Address and your original password.
Your computer uses advanced mathematics to securely lock your password inside a digital vault that only their specific Wallet can open. They can then go to the "Access Shared Document" section to unlock and download the file automatically!
5. Zero-Knowledge (ZK) Selective Disclosure
Selective Disclosure allows you to mathematically prove specific data points within a document without exposing the entire contents of that document.
Traditional document verification requires sharing the complete file, exposing sensitive or irrelevant information. For example, a contract might contain commercial terms alongside personal identification. Zero-Knowledge Proofs resolve this by generating a cryptographic proof for individual lines of data. This allows an auditor or automated system to independently verify a specific claim (e.g., a clearance level or a specific clause) with 100% certainty, while the rest of the document remains entirely confidential.
To register a document, you provide your data line by line (or upload a `.txt`, `.csv`, or `.xlsx` file). Our system hashes each line individually and aggregates them into a single, master hash known as a "Merkle Root", which is securely anchored to the blockchain.
When a third party needs to verify a specific line (e.g., Clearance: Level 5), you provide them with that exact text and its corresponding "Proof Array". The verifier enters this into the system, which recalculates the path to the Merkle Root. If it matches the blockchain's record, the claim is verified.
Because the system relies on deterministic cryptography (SHA-256), it requires absolute precision. Even the smallest deviation—such as an extra space, a lowercase letter instead of uppercase, or a missing punctuation mark—will result in a fundamentally different hash.
For example, attempting to verify clearance: level 5 when the original document stated Clearance: Level 5 will fail. This strict adherence guarantees that data cannot be tampered with or misinterpreted during the verification process.