Interpol review of forensic image and video analysis, 2022-2025

The field of forensic image and video analysis is undergoing a transformation, driven by technological innovation and an increasing demand for scientific proof. This review provides an analysis of the state-of-the-art from 2022 to the present, the progress and challenges across key domains. The amount of digital media has made images and videos central to legal investigations. The same technologies that create this evidence also enable sophisticated manipulation, posing a significant threat to its integrity. Deep learning has emerged as a dominant paradigm, offering powerful new capabilities but also introducing challenges related to transparency and validation. This paper examines the maturation of core forensic practices, including the critical re-evaluation of Photo Response Non-Uniformity (PRNU) for source camera identification in an era of computational photography, and the evolution of image enhancement and authentication techniques. We explore the rapid advancements in content analysis, particularly in deep learning-based methods for detecting digital forgery and steganography, highlighting the ongoing "arms race" between manipulation and detection. In biometric and scene-based analysis, we describe the shift in facial comparison towards a probabilistic likelihood ratio framework for expressing evidential value and review the current state of forensic gait analysis and photogrammetry, including its application in vehicle speed estimation. Throughout this review, we emphasize the central tension between the pace of technological advancement and the crucial, ongoing efforts by international bodies such as ENFSI, SWGDE, FISWG, and Interpol to establish the robust standards, best practices, and validation frameworks necessary for ensuring the admissibility and reliability of digital evidence in court. The paper concludes by key trends and outlining future directions, focusing on the needs for explainability, robustness, and continued international collaboration to bridge the gap between innovation and forensically sound application.