A new digital forensics tool has been unveiled to track smart device owners and retrieve crucial data.
Experts in criminology and computing from the University of Winchester and the University of Portsmouth have developed the prototype framework, named 'Spidernet'.
The tool, which was published in Future Internet 2025, applies cloud computing principles to map digital infrastructures, uncovering hidden data trails left by smart technology.
Dr Mo Adda from the University of Portsmouth's School of Computing, said: "The Spidernet model draws its inspiration from the interconnected nature of country servers, or data centres, which form a star-like structure that mirrors a spider's web."
The system can pinpoint the identity of a device owner, detect unauthorised tampering or cloning, and flag illegal content or security threats in real time.
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Co-researcher, Dr Nancy Scheidt from the University of Winchester's Department of Policing, Criminology and Forensics, said: "With Spidernet, there is the potential to streamline the interrogation of smart technology to access information and images which have been stored or transmitted digitally."
The researchers believe that future research and financial investment will be needed to create the technology combining machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance Spidernet's ability to detect and prevent criminal activities.
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