Tag

Digital Forensics

All articles tagged with #digital forensics

Digital-forensics expert presses for new trial and death penalty in Kohberger case
crime22 days ago

Digital-forensics expert presses for new trial and death penalty in Kohberger case

A defense digital-forensics expert says investigators ignored damning location data and Kohberger should face a new trial and the death penalty if he withdraws his guilty plea; Kohberger has petitioned post-conviction relief after pleading guilty to four Idaho killings and a judge approved a new lawyer for the case. The expert claims LOCDBOR location data place Kohberger near or stalking the victims, though prosecutors say they do not know the exact target; the final outcome hinges on whether the guilty plea is withdrawn.

One Underscore, One Injustice: How a Skyrim Username Led to a Wrongful Conviction
news24 days ago

One Underscore, One Injustice: How a Skyrim Username Led to a Wrongful Conviction

A Nova Scotia man spent 18 months in jail after being convicted of possessing child pornography due to a misread Kik username referencing Skyrim; the difference of a single underscore led investigators to the wrong person. An appeal uncovered the error, resulting in acquittal and vacating the charges, with the panel calling the conviction a factual mistake that changed the man’s life.

Post intern debunks McConnell ‘proof of life’ photo with metadata and forensics
us-politics1 month ago

Post intern debunks McConnell ‘proof of life’ photo with metadata and forensics

A Washington Post intern examined Mitch McConnell’s viral “proof of life” photo showing the paper’s sports section and found metadata dated the image to a Sunday, debunking claims it was years old or AI-generated. Digital forensics expert Hany Farid said there is no evidence of AI manipulation and that the visible newspaper and lighting are consistent with the day’s sports section. McConnell, who has been out of public view since June 14 after a fall and a bout with pneumonia, says he’s recovering in rehab and plans to retire next year; he is not seeking reelection.

Post intern debunks McConnell's 'proof-of-life' photo as authentic and recent
politics1 month ago

Post intern debunks McConnell's 'proof-of-life' photo as authentic and recent

A Washington Post intern investigated Mitch McConnell’s viral 'proof of life' photo, confirming metadata shows the image was taken recently and that there is no evidence it was AI-generated, according to digital forensics expert Hany Farid. The piece notes McConnell has not been seen in public since June 14 after a fall and pneumonia, is recovering, and will retire next year, while staying in contact with staff from a rehabilitation center.

Widdecombe death ruled a targeted attack as counter-terror police take charge
uk-news1 month ago

Widdecombe death ruled a targeted attack as counter-terror police take charge

Counter-terrorism police say Ann Widdecombe was killed in a targeted attack; a suspect is in custody under terrorism powers as investigators pursue multiple lines of inquiry, including digital forensics, with the murder probe running in parallel and officials defending the police response amid ongoing disruption in Haytor.

Digital Confessions: How Phones Unravel Crimes
technology3 months ago

Digital Confessions: How Phones Unravel Crimes

Across cases from Utah to Georgia, investigators cite smartphones, deleted messages, and online searches as key evidence that defendants reveal far more on their devices than they intend; the article highlights Kouri Richins’s murder case where iPhone data helped convict her, along with other incidents showing how digital breadcrumbs are recovered and used in court, raising ongoing privacy concerns.

AI-Generated Crack in Airbnb Claim Triggers Refund and Review
technology6 months ago

AI-Generated Crack in Airbnb Claim Triggers Refund and Review

A Manhattan host nearly swindled about $9,000 by submitting AI-generated photos of a cracked table in an Airbnb dispute; a London academic noticed the crack changed shape between shots, signaling AI hallucination. Digital-forensics analysis showed in-painting rather than real damage. After journalist intervention, Airbnb refunded the guest and removed the host’s negative review, and the company launched an internal review of its investigative protocols to address AI-generated fraud and the limitations of automated verification, urging video walkthroughs as a more reliable defense.

Cornell Develops Light-Based Watermark to Detect Deepfakes
technology1 year ago

Cornell Develops Light-Based Watermark to Detect Deepfakes

Cornell researchers have developed a novel invisible watermarking technique called noise-coded illumination that embeds unique light patterns into scenes during recording, enabling verification of video authenticity and detection of deepfakes by analyzing inconsistencies in the lighting codes, which are imperceptible to the naked eye and effective across various environments and skin tones.

Mysterious iPhone Reboots Baffle Police During Investigations
technology1 year ago

Mysterious iPhone Reboots Baffle Police During Investigations

Detroit police are facing challenges as iPhones in their custody are unexpectedly rebooting, complicating evidence extraction. The reboots, suspected to be linked to iOS 18, revert devices to a more secure state, making data access difficult. Despite being in airplane mode or Faraday boxes, the phones may be communicating and triggering reboots. This phenomenon is hindering forensic investigations, prompting warnings to isolate devices from iOS 18 influences. Apple has not commented on the issue.

"Digital Forensics Experts to Testify in Trump's Classified Docs Case Defense"
legalcriminal-justice2 years ago

"Digital Forensics Experts to Testify in Trump's Classified Docs Case Defense"

Federal prosecutors in the case against former President Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents plan to call digital forensics experts as witnesses, including FBI employees, to testify about data extracted from devices and accounts belonging to the accused. The case, scheduled for trial in May, also involves allegations of a plan to delete security video at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. Trump, along with co-accused Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, have pleaded not guilty, and Trump's attorneys plan to file motions seeking discovery from the special counsel's office.

"Prioritizing Cybersecurity: Tips, Awareness, and Progress"
technology2 years ago

"Prioritizing Cybersecurity: Tips, Awareness, and Progress"

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, marking 20 years of collaboration between government and industry to combat security risks and fraud. Despite businesses offering online security training, keeping up with cybercriminals remains challenging. This year's focus includes multi-factor authentication, strong passphrases, software updates, and recognizing/reporting phishing. Digital forensics expert Sean Smith emphasizes that humans are the weakest link in security and advises caution when friending people online, verifying identities, and avoiding connecting with "friends of friends" digitally.

Unseen footage sheds light on "Hat Man" in Kassanndra Cantrell case
crime3 years ago

Unseen footage sheds light on "Hat Man" in Kassanndra Cantrell case

"48 Hours" has obtained never-before-seen footage of the mysterious killer known as the "Hat Man" in the murder case of Kassanndra Cantrell. The investigation relied heavily on digital forensics, including cellphone records, deleted texts, vehicle location data, store receipts, surveillance videos, and even an underwater dragnet to find the remains of Cantrell and build a strong homicide case against her ex-boyfriend Colin Dudley. Dudley pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 26 years in prison.

The Challenge of Identifying Realistic AI-Generated Hands
technology3 years ago

The Challenge of Identifying Realistic AI-Generated Hands

Artificial intelligence image-generators have been able to create realistic images except for human hands, until now. Midjourney, a popular image maker, released a software update that fixed the problem, but it has also sparked a debate about the danger of generated content that is indecipherable from authentic images. The improved technology could put artists out of work and make deep fake-campaigns more plausible, absent glaring clues that an image is fabricated. However, there are still clues that can be used to detect deep-fakes, such as disfigured tree branches in the background.