This project was proposed by Eddy Bogh Brixen, vice chair of working group SC-03-12. It was approved under our rules by Subcommittee SC-03 and assigned to the SC-03-12 Working Group on Forensic Audio.
TITLE
AES-X172, Criteria for the authentication of digital audio recordings
using an ENF methodology
SCOPE
This report discusses the minimum procedure for the authentication of digital audio recordings intended to be offered as evidence or otherwise utilized in civil, criminal, or other fact-finding proceedings. This authentication is based on the analysis of low-level induced signals at electric-network frequency (ENF).
OUTPUT INTENT
Standards Report
RATIONALE
The methodology is based on three assumptions:
The variation of the frequency value in interconnected electrical networks, at the same moment in time, is equal at all points of these networks.
The frequency variations are not repeatable over a long period of time, and are hence unique.
The timing accuracy of a digital recording is sufficiently high for these ENF variations to be detected without significant distortion.
This provides a very powerful tool for the authentication of digital recordings carried on any digital media.
