File and Document Metadata Analysis

Whether a document was created on the date claimed, altered later or produced on a particular device can be technically assessed through metadata analysis.

In commercial disputes over a contract or record with a contested date, this finding is often decisive.

• Analysis of created, modified and accessed timestamps
• Document metadata (author, editing time, version history)
• Photo and video metadata (device information, capture time)
• Technical examination of file format and internal structure
• Search for traces of later editing or conversion
• Comparison of different versions of the same document
• Assessment of digital traces relating to the file's origin
• Objective reporting of findings

We obtain files in their original state with metadata intact. Forwarding a file as an email attachment or sending it via a messaging app can change its metadata, so collecting it from its source matters.

1. Intake and custody: we confirm the requester's legal authority, sign a non-disclosure agreement and receive the material with a signed evidence handover record. The chain of custody is documented from this point on.
2. Acquisition and verification: the file is copied from its location without alteration and its hash value is recorded.
3. Analysis: alongside the content, the file's binary structure and metadata layers are examined, and timestamps from different sources are compared for consistency.
4. Reporting and return: findings are reported together with the scope and limitations of the work. The material is returned against a signed record and working copies are either not retained at all or kept for 3 or 6 months, as the client prefers, and then securely destroyed.

Duration varies from case to case depending on the type of device or material, the data volume and the scope of the examination. We share an estimated timeframe after the initial assessment.

Parties to commercial disputes, law firms and organisations involved in proceedings where a document's authenticity is in question.