AI & synthetic image verification
OSINT / Media · SOC · Fraud · Threat intel
Metadata, reverse search, visual forensics, and detector tools — combine evidence.
Concept map
Source → EXIF → Reverse search → Visual cues → Detector (triage)
1. Provenance
Who posted first? Archive.org, social timestamps, original platform metadata.
2. ExifTool
Software field showing AI tools; missing EXIF on synthetic images.
3. Reverse image search
Google, TinEye — find older copies debunking 'new' crisis photos.
4. Visual analysis
Lighting consistency, reflections, hands/text, compression artifacts.
5. AI detectors
Use as triage only; false positives break trust — never sole legal evidence.
Case studies
Deepfake fraud (2024)
Video-call CEO deepfake authorized wire transfer — defense: callback procedures and payment controls, not pixels alone.
Tools
Commands
- See linked tools and /commands catalog.