body: I want to distribute a list of MD5 file [checksums](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checksum) of closed source software, in the form: 
  
  
  
  ```
  <checksum> <filename>
  
  ```
  
  The purpose of this list is to help forensic researchers to identify whether installations have been tampered with. 
  
  
  Am I allowed to do distribute such a list? Or does it depend on the given license? 
  
  
  Generalized, this question is about whether metadata is copyrighted *by the owner of the original IP*. It [was partially asked here](https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/1916/at-what-point-can-a-computer-generated-file-infringe-copyright/4366#4366) but went unanswered.
  
  
  
title: Are hash checksums of licensed software copyrighted?