Effects of content trimming iPhone 12 Pro Max video files in iOS 14

Area of Science:

• Digital Forensics
• Mobile Device Forensics
• Video Authenticity

Background:

• Determining the authenticity of digital media is crucial.
• Mobile devices are common sources of video evidence.
• Metadata analysis is a key technique in digital forensics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the forensic potential of metadata in iPhone-recorded videos.
• To determine if trimmed videos can be distinguished from original recordings.
• To identify recoverable information such as device model, OS version, and recording times.

Main Methods:

• Acquired 176 original and trimmed MOV video files from an Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (iOS 14.2.1).
• Trimmed videos using the Apple Photos app (beginning, end, both).
• Analyzed file footers and metadata using a hex editor.

Main Results:

• Successfully differentiated trimmed videos from original files.
• Identified the iPhone model and iOS version from metadata.
• Recovered recording dates, times, and determined trimming methods in some cases.

Conclusions:

• Metadata analysis of iPhone videos provides valuable forensic information.
• Forensic techniques can detect video tampering on mobile devices.
• This research supports the use of mobile device video in authenticity investigations.