PDF Creation and Modification Dates Are Readable but Easy to Falsify

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Every PDF file contains two embedded metadata fields — CreationDate and ModDate — stored in the Info dictionary and sometimes duplicated in an XMP packet. These dates can be viewed without special software via Adobe Acrobat Reader's Properties panel, Windows file properties, or macOS's Get Info option. However, both fields are stored as plain-text strings with no cryptographic protection, meaning any PDF editor can overwrite them without leaving a visible warning. A mismatch or suspicious date pattern may raise questions but does not constitute proof of tampering, just as matching dates do not confirm a file is unaltered. Understanding PDF date metadata therefore requires treating these values as unverified claims rather than reliable facts.

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