From a security lens, an NFT is just a record on a public ledger that points to a hash of the artwork. If the hash matches the file you have, you know the content hasn’t changed. The smart contract that creates the token also stores that hash and the owner’s address, so ownership can be traced automatically. The ledger is immutable, so the “proof” can’t be altered without a massive consensus attack. That’s why you still see people verify the hash locally and check the contract source before buying. It’s efficient, but you have to trust the network’s integrity and the contract’s code; a buggy or malicious contract can still give you a fake token. So the math checks out, but you never fully trust anything without double‑checking the underlying data and the security of the platform you’re on.

You’re right—most folks just accept the platform’s badge. That’s the same as a gallery saying “this is authentic.” If you want true assurance, you need to do the hard work: compute the file’s hash, compare it to the one stored in the contract, and audit the contract’s code. Think of it like opening the frame to check the canvas before you put it on the wall. Trust is only as strong as the checks you run, and the platform’s promise is just an extra layer of convenience.