Why Metadata Isn't Enough for Digital Evidence
For decades, we’ve relied on EXIF data—the hidden text inside image files that tells us the date, time, and camera settings. But there’s a dirty little secret about EXIF data: it is incredibly easy to fake.
The Vulnerability of EXIF
Anyone with a simple text editor or a free command-line tool can change the date, location, and even the camera model listed in an image’s metadata. It takes seconds. This makes standard metadata useless for proving anything in a high-stakes situation.
The Palis Difference: Cryptography vs. Text
Palis doesn’t just write text into the file header. We use cryptographic signatures.
When a photo is taken with Palis:
- The image data is hashed (turned into a unique digital fingerprint).
- This hash is signed by a private key stored securely in the device’s hardware.
- The signature is anchored to a public ledger.
Why This Matters
Because the signature is mathematically derived from the image data itself, you cannot change the image without breaking the signature.
- Change a pixel? The hash changes, and the signature fails.
- Change the timestamp? The ledger record won’t match.
- Change the location? The device signature won’t validate.
This is the difference between a sticky note on a file folder (EXIF) and a wax seal on a vault (Palis).