In one embodiment, a system including a processor is operative to receive a content item including a watermark encoding a series of data values of an output stream of a linear feedback shift register initialized with a seed including an information element and an assurance value, the shift register having a plurality of states each including a first and second value, identify at least part of the watermark in the content item, extract at least some of the data values from the at least part of the identified watermark, process at least some of the extracted data values yielding the initial state of shift register, and authenticate the first value of the initial state using the second value of the initial state in order to confirm that the first value is indeed the information element included in the seed processed by the shift register.