A Digital Forensics Approach for Validating Screen Captures in Legal Proceedings

In today's hyper-digitalized world, digital content often plays a central role in the resolution of legal proceedings. However, its reliability is frequently called into question, as screenshots, recordings, and other forms of digital evidence can be easily manipulated, compromising their integrity, authenticity and admissibility in court. To address this issue, we present a novel framework for certifying the authenticity and integrity of digital content, including screenshots, audio and video recordings, and web interactions. The proposed approach is centered around a modified web browser instance specifically designed to prevent alterations to displayed content, thereby ensuring the integrity of captured material. Users can securely access this browser via a remote interface, enabling them to capture and certify digital content in a controlled and verifiable manner. The certification process integrates several security mechanisms, including metadata collection, digital signatures for certification packages, and encrypted communication protocols to preserve both the integrity and confidentiality of the certified data. By combining server-side and client-side technologies, the proposed framework offers a scalable and robust solution for enhancing the credibility of digital evidence. Ultimately, this approach strengthens the legal admissibility and reliability of digital content in legal proceedings and other domains where data integrity is of paramount importance.