file_hook_server_timestamping (version 0.1.1)

Abstract

This script, file_hook_server_timestamping.py, enables the automatic creation of timestamped commits for a GitLab repository. Each time a push is made to the default branch, the script creates an empty commit with a timestamp that marks the time of the push event. This can be useful for a number of purposes, including auditing, tracking changes to the repository, and ensuring the integrity and authenticity of the data. Cryptographic timestamping on the server prevents silent changes to the history, whether by a user or otherwise. The cryptographic signature represents the time at which the data reaches the server, and subsequent changes to the history are not possible without the private GPG key stored on the server. This provides an additional layer of security to ensure the integrity and authenticity of the data. The script uses GPG keys to sign commits, which helps to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the timestamps. It can be easily customized through a configuration file and can be used on a single GitLab instance. In addition to being used in a standalone GitLab environment, this script could also be used inside the riaf environment based on GitLab, as mentioned in doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13987885.