Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for a physical device authorizing digital copies. When a request for the generation of a digital copy is received, the computer system first performs a physical verification of a physical key. If the key matches the authorized key(s) on record, a verification of a private or private key (used for asymmetrical cryptography), which is stored in memory in the physical key, is performed. If verification of the physical key and digital verification of the private/public key are confirmed, the duplication process is allowed to proceed, and a hash function output is added to the digital copy.