Interesting new development in the field of forensics. It seems that they have found a method of analyzing noise patterns in digital images, so that they can be correlated to the specific camera which took the photos.

Just like matching a bullet to the gun that fired it, a new technique matches a digital image to the camera that snapped it.

The method could help bolster investigations in need of reliable evidence tying a suspect’s illegal digital photos to their camera, such as in child pornography cases. […]

To isolate the pattern noise created by an individual camera, Fridrich and her team used nine different cameras to take 320 images with each camera. They uploaded the images to a computer and, using software they developed, analyzed the images pixel by pixel.

By assigning values to the variations found between pixels — the pattern noise — they were able to come up with a numerical fingerprint unique to each camera.

Once they had the numerical fingerprint, they used a mathematical process called correlation to compare the numerical fingerprints to the pattern noise from thousands of other images taken with the cameras.

The higher the correlation number, the more likely an image came from a particular camera.

You have to wonder when they will start intentionally building this into digital camera technology as an actual intended feature. Would there come a day when some kind of government type could download images from your anonymous website or email account, and have it be easily correlated to your actual camera, the credit card you bought it with and your current address? Doesn’t seem like such a long-shot to me. Cameras can be dangerous weapons, after all.