Hashing of RDF Graphs and a Solution to the Blank Node Problem

The ability to calculate hash values is fundamental for using cryptographic tools, such as digital signatures, with RDF data. Without hashing it is difficult to implement tamper-resistant attribution or provenance tracking, both important for establishing trust with open data. We propose a novel hash function for RDF graphs, which does not require altering the contents of the graph, does not need to record additional information, and does not depend on a concrete RDF syntax. We are also presenting a solution to the deterministic blank node labeling problem.