EP-4736051-A1 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGE AUTHENTICITY

EP4736051A1EP 4736051 A1EP4736051 A1EP 4736051A1EP-4736051-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system (108) and method (500) for image authenticity to verify the originality of images by checking metadata information The system receives an image(s) from a user. An analyzing unit of the system extracts a set of metadata from the image and analyzes the extracted set of metadata to identify modifications to the image. A validation unit generates validation blocks of timestamps of modifications based on the identification. The analyzing unit analyses the modification and the validation blocks to assess the authenticity of the received image file. A processing unit verifies the authenticity of the received image file based on the analysis.

Inventors

BHATNAGAR, AAYUSH
BHATNAGAR, PRADEEP KUMAR
Sankaran, Sundaresh
AMBALIYA, Haresh B
VALAKUNDE, Nandakishor
BARGAL, Yogeshwar
KHATRI, Prashant
ROMAN, Yogita Gunjal

Assignees

Jio Platforms Limited

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240527

Claims (13)

1. A method (500) for verifying an authenticity of an image, the method comprising: receiving (502) at least one image file captured from at least one computing device; extracting (504) one or more metadata fields associated with the received image file, wherein the one or more metadata fields represent embedded information associated with the received image file; analyzing (506) the one or more extracted metadata fields to identify a modification to the image; generating (508) validation blocks of timestamps of modifications based on the identification; analyzing (510) the modification and the validation blocks to assess the authenticity of the received image file; and verifying (512) the authenticity of the received image file based on the analysis.
2. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more metadata fields comprise at least one of a timestamp, an image capturing device information, a geolocation data, an editing history data, a file format, a compression artifact, and an exposure setting, and wherein analyzing (506) the one or more metadata fields further comprises: checking an alignment of the extracted timestamp with a claimed time of capture of the received image file; reviewing the extracted image capturing device information by comparing the extracted image capturing device information with a claimed source information stored in a memory; verifying the extracted geolocation data by comparing the extracted geolocation data with a based on a claimed location of the received image file; and analyzing the extracted editing history of the received image file for tracking a modification with the received image file.
3. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of verifying the authenticity of the received image file by employing at least one verification technique.
1. The method (500) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one verification technique includes metadata comparison, validation using external data sources, forensic analysis, and cross-verification.
5. The method (500) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the metadata comparison includes comparing the one or more extracted metadata fields with the metadata fields corresponding to a set of images stored in the memory.
6. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an analyzing unit has been trained to differentiate between authentic images and modified images based on their associated metadata.
7. A system (108) for verifying an authenticity of an image, the system comprising: a receiving unit (208) configured to receive at least one image file captured from at least one computing device (104); a memory (204) configured to store the at least one received image file; an analyzing unit (212) configured to cooperate with the memory to receive the image file, and further configured to: extract one or more metadata fields associated with the received image file, wherein the one or more metadata fields represent embedded information associated with the received image file; and process the one or more extracted metadata fields to identify a modification in the image; a validation unit (214) configured to generate validation blocks of timestamps of modifications based on the identification; the analyzing unit (212) is further configured to analyze the modification and the validation log to assess the authenticity of the received image file; and verify the authenticity of the based on the analysis.
8. The system (108) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the one or more metadata fields comprise at least one of a timestamp, an image capturing device information, a geolocation data, an editing history data, a file format, a compression artifact, and an exposure setting, wherein, the analyzing unit (212) is further configured to: check an alignment of the extracted timestamp with a claimed time of capture of the received image file; review the extracted image capturing device information by comparing the extracted image capturing device information with a claimed source information stored in the memory (204); verify the extracted geolocation data by comparing the extracted geolocation data with a claimed location of the received image file; and analyze the extracted editing history of the received image file for tracking a modification with the received image file.
9. The system (108) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the analyzing unit (212) is configured to verify the authenticity of the received image file by employing at least one verification technique.
10. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one verification technique includes metadata comparison, validation using external data sources, forensic analysis, and cross-verification.
11. The system (108) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the metadata comparison includes comparing the one or more extracted metadata fields with the metadata fields corresponding to a set of images stored in the memory (204).
12. A user equipment configured to verify authenticity of an image, the user equipment comprising: a processor; and a computer readable storage medium storing programming instructions for execution by the processor, the programming instructions to: receive at least one image file captured from at least one computing device; store the at least one received image file; extract one or more metadata fields associated with the received image file, wherein the one or more metadata fields represent embedded information associated with the received image file; and process the one or more extracted metadata fields to identify a modification in the image; generate validation blocks of timestamps of modifications based on the identification; analyze the modification and the validation log to assess the authenticity of the received image file; and verify the authenticity of the based on the analysis.
13. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer- readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive at least one image file captured from at least one computing device; store the at least one received image file; extract one or more metadata fields associated with the received image file, wherein the one or more metadata fields represent embedded information associated with the received image file; and process the one or more extracted metadata fields to identify a modification in the image; generate validation blocks of timestamps of modifications based on the identification; analyze the modification and the validation log to assess the authenticity of the received image file; and verify the authenticity of the based on the analysis.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGE AUTHENTICITY RESERVATION OF RIGHTS [0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to intellectual property rights such as but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, integrated circuit (IC) layout design, and/or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner. FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The present disclosure generally relates to image authentication. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for image authenticity to verify the originality of images by checking metadata information. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure and not as an admission of the prior art. [0004] In the digital age, the proliferation of image editing tools and the ease of sharing visual content online has given rise to concerns about image authenticity. The ability to determine whether an image is genuine and unaltered has become increasingly important in domains such as journalism, forensics, advertising, and social media. [0005] With the advancement of technology, it has become relatively easy for individuals to manipulate images, making it challenging to discern between real and altered visual content. Images can be modified in various ways, including adjusting colors, removing, or adding objects, or even creating entirely fabricated scenes. These alterations can be subtle or sophisticated, often fooling unsuspecting viewers and potentially leading to misinformation or deception. [0006] To address these concerns, the concept of image authenticity has emerged. Image authenticity refers to the verification process that aims to establish the originality and integrity of an image, ensuring that it accurately represents the scene captured by the original photographer or creator. [0007] Traditional methods of image authentication primarily rely on visual inspection, subjective judgment, or manual analysis, which are often timeconsuming and susceptible to human error. There is, therefore, a need in the art to provide a system and a method that can overcome the shortcomings of the existing prior arts. OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE [0008] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies are as listed herein below. [0009] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for image authentication that assists in a verification of image authenticity through examination of the embedded metadata within an image file. [0010] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for image authenticity that examines various metadata fields, including timestamps, camera and device information, geolocation data, and editing history. [0011] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for image authenticity that uses various techniques to verify the authenticity of the image metadata by making comparisons with known images taken by the same or similar cameras, consulting external data sources like online databases or official records, and conducting forensic analysis using specialized software and techniques. [0012] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for image authenticity that evaluates the timestamps associated with the image for consistency and reasonableness, ensuring they align with the claimed time of capture and fall within the expected range based on the technology used. [0013] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for image authenticity that reviews the camera make, model, lens information, and other device-specific data to ensure they match the claimed source of the image. [0014] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for image authenticity that assesses the geolocation information, if present, to determine if it corresponds to the claimed location of the image. SUMMARY [0015] The present disclosure discloses a method for verifying authenticity of an image. The method includes receiving at least one image file captured from at least one computing device. The method includes extracting one or more metadata fields associated with the received image