The Tiled Bitmap Forensic Analysis Algorithm

• Published in: IEEE transactions on knowledge and data engineering Vol. 22; no. 4; pp. 590 - 601
• Main Authors: Pavlou, K.E., Snodgrass, R.T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.04.2010; IEEE Computer Society; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Algorithm design and analysis; Algorithms; and protection; Applied sciences; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer Society; Costs; Cryptography; Data processing. List processing. Character string processing; Data security; Database management; Digital systems; Exact sciences and technology; Failure analysis; Forensic engineering; Forensics; Information systems. Data bases; Information, signal and communications theory; integrity; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Memory and file management (including protection and security); Memory organisation. Data processing; Optimization; Protection; security; Signal and communications theory; Software; Software libraries; Telecommunications and information theory; temporal databases; Transaction databases; Forensic science; Optimal algorithm; Database management; and protection; Temporal databases; Space complexity; security; Cardinal number; Zero one matrix; Database; Hashing; Cryptography; Localization; Electronic library; Time complexity; Computer security; Algorithm analysis; Integrity
• ISSN: 1041-4347; 1558-2191
• DOI: 10.1109/TKDE.2009.121

Tampering of a database can be detected through the use of cryptographically strong hash functions. Subsequently, applied forensic analysis algorithms can help determine when, what, and perhaps ultimately who and why. This paper presents a novel forensic analysis algorithm, the tiled Bitmap algorithm, which is more efficient than prior forensic analysis algorithms. It introduces the notion of a candidate set (all possible locations of detected tampering(s)) and provides a complete characterization of the candidate set and its cardinality. An optimal algorithm for computing the candidate set is also presented. Finally, the implementation of the tiled Bitmap algorithm is discussed, along with a comparison to other forensic algorithms in terms of space/time complexity and cost. An example of candidate set generation and proofs of the theorems and lemmata and of algorithm correctness can be found in the appendix, which can be found on the Computer Society Digital Library at http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TKDE.2009.121.