Why is my exported video not validating?
In Short
Validation failures usually happen because the exported file is no longer an exact match to the original SWEAR-protected recording. In Milestone, this most commonly occurs when privacy masks are embedded during export. The exported file is still usable for playback, but from a certification perspective, embedded masks alter pixel data and break the hash match SWEAR expects.
Validation can also fail or show partial results when the selected time range includes video that was never protected, was not recorded, or was modified after recording. To get a valid result, export only the exact protected interval, confirm the camera is enrolled in the SWEAR Certification Service, avoid content-altering export options.
Explanation
SWEAR validates video by comparing cryptographic hashes generated from the original recorded content against hashes from the file being checked. In Milestone Smart Client playback, privacy masks are not embedded in the source recording itself, so the original protected video typically validates as expected.
When video is exported, Milestone may embed privacy masks and other export-time transformations into the output file. Any visual change, including a mask overlay or even a single-pixel change in one frame, changes the resulting hash and can cause SWEAR to classify that segment as modified. This is why a clip can validate in Smart Client but fail after export.
Other common causes are time-range and protection coverage mismatches. If part of the selected interval was not protected by SWEAR, if the camera was not added to the SWEAR Certification Service in Management Client, or if the camera was not recording for part of the requested window, those portions can appear as Unverified or No Recording rather than fully validated.
Use this checklist to export files that are most likely to validate cleanly:
- Confirm protected coverage first: In Smart Client, verify the exact camera and time window before exporting.
- Use a continuous recorded segment: Avoid selecting ranges that include gaps or non-recording periods.
- Disable privacy masks before export: Masks are useful for viewing privacy in client, but embedded masks alter export content.
- Revalidate the exported file: Validate the output against the same camera/time interval used during pre-export verification.
If a result is less than fully valid, status color helps identify why:
- Modified (red): Content changed after or during export.
- Unverified/No Recording (gray): Segment was not SWEAR-protected or no video exists for part of the range.
- Attention (yellow): Protection was delayed; content may still be valid, but timing thresholds were exceeded.
To export video that SWEAR can validate: 1. Remove privacy masks before export. 2. Export as an Individual File in .MKV format. 3. Re-run validation on the exported file.