Detection of Manipulations in Digital Images: A Review of Passive and Active Methods Utilizing Deep Learning

The modern society generates vast amounts of digital content, whose credibility plays a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and decision-making processes. The rapid development of social networks and generative technologies, such as deepfakes, significantly increases the risk of disinformation th...

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Main Authors: Paweł Duszejko, Tomasz Walczyna, Zbigniew Piotrowski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/2/881
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author Paweł Duszejko
Tomasz Walczyna
Zbigniew Piotrowski
author_facet Paweł Duszejko
Tomasz Walczyna
Zbigniew Piotrowski
author_sort Paweł Duszejko
collection DOAJ
description The modern society generates vast amounts of digital content, whose credibility plays a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and decision-making processes. The rapid development of social networks and generative technologies, such as deepfakes, significantly increases the risk of disinformation through image manipulation. This article aims to review methods for verifying images’ integrity, particularly through deep learning techniques, addressing both passive and active approaches. Their effectiveness in various scenarios has been analyzed, highlighting their advantages and limitations. This study reviews the scientific literature and research findings, focusing on techniques that detect image manipulations and localize areas of tampering, utilizing both statistical properties of images and embedded hidden watermarks. Passive methods, based on analyzing the image itself, are versatile and can be applied across a broad range of cases; however, their effectiveness depends on the complexity of the modifications and the characteristics of the image. Active methods, which involve embedding additional information into the image, offer precise detection and localization of changes but require complete control over creating and distributing visual materials. Both approaches have their applications depending on the context and available resources. In the future, a key challenge remains the development of methods resistant to advanced manipulations generated by diffusion models and further leveraging innovations in deep learning to protect the integrity of visual content.
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spelling doaj-art-6fa5d04491ac4c0397c0d49eb578d4d42025-01-24T13:21:11ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-01-0115288110.3390/app15020881Detection of Manipulations in Digital Images: A Review of Passive and Active Methods Utilizing Deep LearningPaweł Duszejko0Tomasz Walczyna1Zbigniew Piotrowski2Faculty of Electronics, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warszawa, PolandFaculty of Electronics, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warszawa, PolandFaculty of Electronics, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warszawa, PolandThe modern society generates vast amounts of digital content, whose credibility plays a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and decision-making processes. The rapid development of social networks and generative technologies, such as deepfakes, significantly increases the risk of disinformation through image manipulation. This article aims to review methods for verifying images’ integrity, particularly through deep learning techniques, addressing both passive and active approaches. Their effectiveness in various scenarios has been analyzed, highlighting their advantages and limitations. This study reviews the scientific literature and research findings, focusing on techniques that detect image manipulations and localize areas of tampering, utilizing both statistical properties of images and embedded hidden watermarks. Passive methods, based on analyzing the image itself, are versatile and can be applied across a broad range of cases; however, their effectiveness depends on the complexity of the modifications and the characteristics of the image. Active methods, which involve embedding additional information into the image, offer precise detection and localization of changes but require complete control over creating and distributing visual materials. Both approaches have their applications depending on the context and available resources. In the future, a key challenge remains the development of methods resistant to advanced manipulations generated by diffusion models and further leveraging innovations in deep learning to protect the integrity of visual content.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/2/881image manipulationdeep learningactive protectionpassive protectionimage forensicsdeepfakes
spellingShingle Paweł Duszejko
Tomasz Walczyna
Zbigniew Piotrowski
Detection of Manipulations in Digital Images: A Review of Passive and Active Methods Utilizing Deep Learning
Applied Sciences
image manipulation
deep learning
active protection
passive protection
image forensics
deepfakes
title Detection of Manipulations in Digital Images: A Review of Passive and Active Methods Utilizing Deep Learning
title_full Detection of Manipulations in Digital Images: A Review of Passive and Active Methods Utilizing Deep Learning
title_fullStr Detection of Manipulations in Digital Images: A Review of Passive and Active Methods Utilizing Deep Learning
title_full_unstemmed Detection of Manipulations in Digital Images: A Review of Passive and Active Methods Utilizing Deep Learning
title_short Detection of Manipulations in Digital Images: A Review of Passive and Active Methods Utilizing Deep Learning
title_sort detection of manipulations in digital images a review of passive and active methods utilizing deep learning
topic image manipulation
deep learning
active protection
passive protection
image forensics
deepfakes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/2/881
work_keys_str_mv AT pawełduszejko detectionofmanipulationsindigitalimagesareviewofpassiveandactivemethodsutilizingdeeplearning
AT tomaszwalczyna detectionofmanipulationsindigitalimagesareviewofpassiveandactivemethodsutilizingdeeplearning
AT zbigniewpiotrowski detectionofmanipulationsindigitalimagesareviewofpassiveandactivemethodsutilizingdeeplearning