Discovery │ Enhancement │ Authentication
Satyavakta Solutions
Specialized Digital Image & Video Forensic Services
Metadata Analysis
Often described as data about data, metadata is the data and information that is part of or is attached to a digital image and video file that allows forensic analysts to understand its history, including when the file was created, modified and accessed, among other information that can be used to describe important file properties.
These unique identifying markers, when examined methodically, can provide a wealth of information – even critical evidence – to help prove or disprove the matter at hand.
Where to find metadata
While some metadata is visible (for instance, when we right-click on a file and see some general information such as the file type, size, and when it was created), other more significant metadata is hidden and requires specialized tools for retrieval and analysis.
Information such as date/time when the image or video file was written, created, modified, last used, and even the longitude and latitude of the geographical location from where the file originated as well as the information about the camera used is often valuable to a case but mostly remains inaccessible.
Specialized examinations can often bring these small but important details to light.
What it all means
Even the most basic metadata is prone to misinterpretations and misunderstandings.
What does it mean when a file has a ‘last written’ date of yesterday but a ‘creation date’ of today?
Metadata can even be altered, and is therefore most meaningful when subjected to methodical and all-inclusive inferences.
And as with all evidence, it’s not only what’s there that matters but also what isn’t. Metadata inconsistencies are symptomatic of bigger issues and must be scrutinized.
At Satyavakta Solutions, we help do all that and more.