Apple's Synthetic Defocus Noise Pattern: Characterization and Forensic Applications

iPhone portrait-mode images contain a distinctive pattern in out-of-focus regions simulating the bokeh effect, which we term Apple's Synthetic Defocus Noise Pattern (SDNP). If overlooked, this pattern can interfere with blind forensic analyses, especially PRNU-based camera source verification, as noted in earlier works. Since Apple's SDNP remains underexplored, we provide a detailed characterization, proposing a method for its precise estimation, modeling its dependence on scene brightness, ISO settings, and other factors. Leveraging this characterization, we explore forensic applications of the SDNP, including traceability of portrait-mode images across iPhone models and iOS versions in open-set scenarios, assessing its robustness under post-processing. Furthermore, we show that masking SDNP-affected regions in PRNU-based camera source verification significantly reduces false positives, overcoming a critical limitation in camera attribution, and improving state-of-the-art techniques.

Derivation of the Asymptotic Eigenvalue Distribution for Causal 2D-AR Models under Upscaling

This technical report describes the derivation of the asymptotic eigenvalue distribution for causal 2D-AR models under an upscaling scenario. Specifically, it tackles the analytical derivation of the asymptotic eigenvalue distribution of the sample autocorrelation matrix corresponding to genuine and upscaled images. It also includes the pseudocode of the derived approaches for resampling detection and resampling factor estimation that are based on this analysis.