Methodology for Evidence Reconstruction in Digital Image Forensics

Abstract

This paper reveals basics of Digital (Image) Forensics. The paper describes the ways to manipulate image, namely, copy-move forgery (copy region in image & paste into another region in same image), image splicing (copy region in image & paste into another image) and image retouching. The paper mainly focuses on copy move forgery detection methods that are classified mainly into two broad approaches- block-based and key-point. Methodology (generalized as well as approach specific) of copy move forgery detection is presented in detail. Copied region is not directly pasted but manipulated (scale, rotation, adding Gaussian noise or combining these transformations) before pasting. The method for detection should robust to these transformations. The paper also presents methodology for reconstruction (if possible) of forged image based on detection result.

Keywords: digital forensics, copy-move forgery, keypoint, feature extraction, reconstruction