Forensic Document Examination Using Image Processing Tools

Abstract

Paper documents have always been our primary means of transmitting and storing information. However, for better storage and processing, the majority of records are currently only available in electronic format. As a result of digitization, the field of forensic document analysis has improved and evolved to keep up with the times, as it has become relatively easy for anyone to change any type of document using various image modification tools. The current study focuses to examine documents that have been manipulated by computers using open-source image processing tools. Forensically beta, FotoForensics, and Adobe Photoshop tools were used to analyze the sample documents that had been altered. The results suggest that these image processing tools can be used to analyze digitally modified documents to detect manipulations and thus can help Forensic document examiners. The present work reveals that some minute characteristics are present in the transplanted documents which can be identified by careful analysis of soft copies of documents with tools present in Forensically beta, FotoForensics, and Adobe Photoshop.