24. The method according to claim 21 , wherein said method is used to authenticate descriptive statements retrieved from a remote data store, by: retrieving a verification hash from the remote data store; computing the aggregate hash based upon the descriptive statements retrieved from the remote data store, without first sorting the statements to reorder them; comparing the aggregate hash with the verification hash; and determining authenticity of the descriptive statements retrieved from the remote data store in dependence upon the comparison.
24. The method according to claim 21 , wherein said method is used to authenticate descriptive statements retrieved from a remote data store, by: retrieving a verification hash from the remote data store; computing the aggregate hash based upon the descriptive statements retrieved from the remote data store, without first sorting the statements to reorder them; comparing the aggregate hash with the verification hash; and determining authenticity of the descriptive statements retrieved from the remote data store in dependence upon the comparison. 25. The method according to claim 24 , further comprising: retrieving from the remote data store a digitally-signed identifier representing the number of descriptive statements representing an electronic document; locally-computing an identifier of the number of descriptive statements retrieved from the remote data store; and comparing the digitally-signed identifier with the identifier that was locally computed; and determining authenticity of the descriptive statements retrieved from the remote data store in dependence upon both of the comparison of the aggregate hash with the verification hash, and the digitally-signed identifier with the identifier that was locally computed.