Media evidence

Audio, Video & Image Authentication

Examine the file, the signal and the provenance together. No single detector can determine whether media is authentic.

Audio waveform and video frames under forensic review.

The engagement

Start with the original file and its history

Media can be transcoded, edited, screen-recorded, forwarded, enhanced or generated. Each transformation changes the available evidence, and ordinary processing can resemble manipulation when context is ignored.

GDF examines containers, codecs, metadata, frame or waveform behavior, device and platform context, and available source records. Conclusions use explicit confidence language and distinguish evidence of editing from evidence of deceptive fabrication.

Scope

  • File and metadata examination

    Container, codec, timestamp, stream and embedded metadata assessed for consistency and provenance clues.

  • Video examination

    Frame structure, timing, motion, encoding and visual discontinuities reviewed in context.

  • Audio examination

    Waveform, spectral, timing, background and encoding characteristics assessed for edits or synthesis indicators.

  • Image examination

    Pixel, compression, metadata and scene-level observations assessed against the claimed source.

  • Synthetic-media analysis

    Multiple technical and contextual methods used without treating a model score as a verdict.

  • Source and platform correlation

    Comparison with original devices, cloud records, message exports or publication history where available.

Methodology

How the examination works

  1. Preserve

    Obtain the highest-fidelity available source and record every transformation already known.

  2. Characterize

    Identify file structure, streams, codecs, metadata and expected device or platform behavior.

  3. Test

    Apply complementary media, signal and provenance analyses; compare alternative explanations.

  4. Conclude

    State what is supported, what is inconsistent and what remains indeterminate using calibrated language.

Evidence commonly examined

Evidence reviewed

  • Original and derivative media files
  • Source devices and application exports
  • Container, codec and metadata records
  • Frames, waveforms and spectral features
  • Platform and message provenance
  • Reference recordings or imagery

What you can expect

What you receive

  • Media evidence inventory and provenance map
  • Documented examination workflow
  • Annotated technical findings
  • Expert opinion, exhibits and testimony support

Frequently asked

Common questions

Can an AI detector prove a video is fake?

No single detector score should be treated as proof. Reliable examination uses multiple technical methods, provenance and case context.

Can you work from a social-media copy?

Yes, but recompression and metadata stripping may limit the conclusion. Obtaining the original file or source device can materially improve the analysis.

Does evidence of editing mean fraud?

No. Cropping, transcoding, enhancement and platform processing can all change a file. Intent is a separate question and may require other evidence.

Talk with an examiner

Discuss the matter and the next step.

Call to discuss timing, scope and the safest way to share information. Do not send evidence or credentials by email.

24/7 hotline: 1-800-868-8189

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