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Forensic check

HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE

HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE appears on 0.1% of modified results in our corpus. A marker is evidence about the file, not a judgement about the person who sent it.

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Marker profile

Metadata & Timestamps

Date information that is malformed.

Share of modified results
0.1%
Frequency rank
#48
Among the 56 markers seen in modified results
Certain confidence
33.3%
Of results with this marker rated certain rather than high
Fires alone
33.3%
Results where it is the only marker found

Marker profile

What HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE tells you

HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE is one of the named findings returned in modification_markers when a PDF is reported as modified. It belongs to the Metadata & Timestamps group of checks. These checks compare the dates and descriptive properties recorded in a file with each other and with a plausible production history.

On 33.3% of the modified results that carry HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE it is the only marker. A result with this marker carries 2.7 markers on average. It is most often found together with HTPBE_SELECTIVE_IDENTITY_EDIT, on 50.0% of these results.

Example API response

How it appears in a result

When a PDF is reported as modified, HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE is listed in modification_markers next to the verdict and its confidence. Each marker is a named, actionable finding – not a score.

GET /api/v1/result/{id}
{
  "id": "9f3a2c1d-8b47-4e6f-a012-3d5e7f890123",
  "status": "modified",
  "modification_confidence": "high",
  "modification_markers": [
    "HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE"
  ],
  "creator": "Adobe Acrobat Pro DC",
  "has_incremental_updates": true,
  "page_count": 3
}

Full schema in the API reference →

Distributions

What ships alongside HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE

The tools, formats and document traits that appear on the modified results carrying this marker. Shares are of those results.

Common Creators

WPS Office is the Creator on 83.3% of these results.

WPS Office29.4% of its modified83.3%

Often found together with

HTPBE_SELECTIVE_IDENTITY_EDIT sits next to HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE more often than any other marker.

Document origin

Consumer software83.3%

Detected origin software

WPS Office83.3%

Confidence of the verdict

Certain33.3%
High66.7%

When these results were checked

April 202616.7%
May 202616.7%
June 202616.7%
October 202650.0%

Document length

1 page66.7%
6–20 pages33.3%

File size

Under 100 KB16.7%
100 KB – 1 MB83.3%

PDF versions

PDF 1.783.3%

Year the document says it was created

202450.0%

Long tail

Notable observations

Smaller cuts of the results carrying HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE – useful context, but treat each row as a single data point rather than a strong signal.

Digitally signed
0%

Of files carry at least one digital signature

Saved revisions
0%

Of files contain earlier saved revisions

Embedded JavaScript
0%

Of files contain JavaScript code

Embedded files
0%

Of files have attachments inside

Avg pages per document
4.0
Markers per result
2.7

Average number of markers on these results

Related checks

Other Metadata & Timestamps checks

Checks from the same group. Each card links to its own reference page.

HTPBE_DATES_DISAGREERecorded dates showing the document was changed after creation
Share of modified42.0%
HTPBE_TIMESTAMP_LAYERS_DISAGREEInternal timestamp anomalies indicating a later change
Share of modified8.8%
HTPBE_IDENTITY_LAYERS_DISAGREEDocument properties indicating later alteration
Share of modified2.9%
HTPBE_IMPOSSIBLE_TIMESTAMPTimestamp values that are physically impossible
Share of modified1.5%
HTPBE_ANNOTATION_PREDATES_CREATIONAnnotation dates that do not fit the document’s timeline
Share of modified0.8%
HTPBE_UNLOCK_TOOL_RESIDUESigns that a document-unlocking or editing tool processed this file
Share of modified<0.1%
HTPBE_XMP_DATES_DESYNCEDMetadata timing indicating a later change
Share of modified0.5%
HTPBE_TIMEZONE_LAYERS_DISAGREETime-zone evidence of a later change
Share of modified<0.1%

FAQ

HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE: common questions

What does HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE mean?

HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE is a named finding in an HTPBE? result: date information that is malformed. It is returned in the modification_markers list of a modified result and belongs to the Metadata & Timestamps group of checks.

Does HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE mean the document is fake?

No. A marker is evidence about the file, not a judgement about the person who sent it. It records that the file shows this pattern; it does not say why, and it does not assess what the document states. Read it together with the verdict and any other markers on the same result.

What should I do when a result contains HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE?

Ask the sender for the original file straight from the issuing system, or request a fresh copy from the issuer. Check whether the document went through a later step such as re-saving, merging or converting, and verify it with the issuer before relying on it for a decision.

How common is HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE?

HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE appears on 0.1% of the modified results in the HTPBE? corpus. The corpus consists of PDFs people chose to submit for checking, so it skews towards documents someone had a reason to doubt and is not a sample of all PDFs.

Where do I see HTPBE_INVALID_TIMEZONE?

In the modification_markers list of the result returned by the HTPBE? API, and on the result page of a modified document. Other checks in the Metadata & Timestamps group are listed below on this page; all 63 checks are listed on the how-it-works page.

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