rfc3161ng
Python implementation of the RFC3161 specification, using pyasn1
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No. The package is abandoned (last release 2020-10-30) with no active maintenance or security updates. While it has low install friction and a permissive license, using an unmaintained cryptographic library is a security risk. If you need RFC3161 timestamping, seek an actively maintained alternative or evaluate whether the risk of using an outdated library is acceptable for your use case.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires a valid certificate file from the timestamping service provider and network access to the remote timestamping authority.
- Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution.
- However, the package is abandoned—last release was 2020-10-30, over 2114 days ago.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license (permissive) allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, requiring only attribution.
last release 2020-10-30 (2114 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 99,789 downloads/mo, #13,011 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
import rfc3161ng
certificate = open('path/to/cert.crt', 'rb').read()
timestamper = rfc3161ng.RemoteTimestamper('http://freetsa.org/tsr', certificate=certificate)
tst = timestamper.timestamp(data=b'your data')
result = timestamper.check(tst, data=b'your data')- Whether the package's dependencies (pyasn1, cryptography, requests, python-dateutil, pyasn1-modules) receive active security updates.
- Compatibility with current versions of cryptography and pyasn1 libraries.
- Whether public timestamping providers listed in the documentation remain operational.
What it is and what it does
rfc3161ng is a Python client library for RFC3161 cryptographic timestamping services. It lets you request timestamps from remote timestamping authorities to cryptographically prove that data existed at a specific moment in time, and verify those timestamps later. The library handles the protocol details of communicating with timestamping services and parsing the responses.
The package depends on pyasn1, cryptography, requests, python-dateutil, and pyasn1-modules to handle ASN.1 encoding, cryptographic operations, HTTP communication, and date handling. It supports both Python 2.7 and Python 3.6, though the project is no longer maintained. You provide a certificate from your chosen timestamping provider and point the client at their service endpoint.
Use it for
- Prove the existence and integrity of a document at a specific time for legal or compliance purposes.
- Add cryptographic timestamps to digital signatures to establish when they were created.
- Verify that archived data has not been altered since it was timestamped by a trusted authority.
- Implement audit trails that rely on third-party time attestation for non-repudiation.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No.
The package is abandoned (last release 2020-10-30) with no active maintenance or security updates. While it has low install friction and a permissive license, using an unmaintained cryptographic library is a security risk. If you need RFC3161 timestamping, seek an actively maintained alternative or evaluate whether the risk of using an outdated library is acceptable for your use case.
Install
rfc3161ng on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution. However, the package is abandoned—last release was 2020-10-30, over 2114 days ago. No active maintenance or security updates should be expected.
Requires a valid certificate file from the timestamping service provider and network access to the remote timestamping authority.
License in practice
MIT license (permissive) allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, requiring only attribution.
Quickstart
import rfc3161ng
certificate = open('path/to/cert.crt', 'rb').read()
timestamper = rfc3161ng.RemoteTimestamper('http://freetsa.org/tsr', certificate=certificate)
tst = timestamper.timestamp(data=b'your data')
result = timestamper.check(tst, data=b'your data')Verify before relying
- Whether the package's dependencies (pyasn1, cryptography, requests, python-dateutil, pyasn1-modules) receive active security updates.
- Compatibility with current versions of cryptography and pyasn1 libraries.
- Whether public timestamping providers listed in the documentation remain operational.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 5 packagespyasn1python-dateutilpyasn1-modulesrequestscryptography |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,114 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 99,789 / month, #13,011 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Environment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: Information TechnologyIntended Audience :: System AdministratorsLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Topic :: CommunicationsTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: rfc3161ng-2.1.3-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also rfc3161-client · opentimestamps-client · opentimestamps · pyRFC3339 · asn1crypto · endesive · oscrypto · M2Crypto · service-identity · ndg-httpsclient