> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dataspike.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Metadata & Forensics

> A forensic risk layer that inspects file metadata for traces of editing and AI generation.

Alongside neural detection, the API inspects file metadata for signs of editing or AI generation: traces of professional editors, generative tools, codec and timestamp anomalies, and the presence of a C2PA manifest or watermark.

***

## What it looks for

Detected tools include Adobe Photoshop / Premiere, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut, Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, DALL·E, Synthesia, Runway, Faceswap, and others.

Signals surface as flags such as:

| Flag                    | Meaning                                        |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| `professional_software` | Traces of a professional editor in the file    |
| `ai_generator_detected` | Signature of a known generative tool           |
| `suspicious`            | Anomalies in codecs, timestamps, or provenance |

***

## How to treat it

<Note>
  Forensic signals are an **additional risk layer, not a standalone verdict**. Traces of editing raise the overall risk score, but on their own they do not imply malicious intent — legitimate media is often edited too.
</Note>