Tools and Testing
We empower Citizen Researchers with industry-standard, open-source forensic tools to ensure data integrity and scientific rigor.
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Featured Tools - Required
In order to participate in Missions, you will need at least one of these apps for all missions. Other specialized tools may be required by the Mission:
Phyphox
An open-source physics application developed by RWTH Aachen University that utilizes your smartphone's sensors for data collection.
phyphox.orgProofMode
A lightweight app that turns your phone into a secure evidence-gathering device by automatically adding cryptographic signatures and metadata to photos and videos.
proofmode.orgWhen you download the apps, this is what you need to do before you use them:
- Phyphox: Vibration Frequency set to 100Hz.
- ProofMode: Video set to 1080 30fps. DO NOT use 4K video.
Tamper-Evident NFC Stickers
For physical samples, we use Tamper-Evident NFC Stickers with a QR code printed on the face. These are essential for maintaining a verifiable chain of custody. You can request tags from RENSIC for physical samples.
How to use a QR-linked Tag on Video
To prove the container you're filling is the one that arrives at the lab, your video procedure would look like this:
- The Visual Anchor: Hold the jar up to the camera. The camera sees the QR code on the lid.
- The Digital Handshake: While still on video, scan the QR code with your phone.
- Cross-Verification: A secure app (like NFC Tools or a custom project app) scans the NFC chip simultaneously. It confirms that QR Code A belongs to Internal Chip ID B.
- The "Time-Hash": The app then generates a unique hash based on that ID + the current GPS location + a timestamp.
- The Fill: You fill the soil and seal the container without the jar ever leaving the camera's frame.
Digital Forensic Tools
Standardized alternatives to proprietary systems like OpenText EnCase, providing deep-dive file system and network analysis capability.
Autopsy
The premier open-source digital forensics platform and graphical interface used for hard drive investigation and disk image analysis.
The Sleuth Kit (TSK)
A library and collection of command-line tools that allow for technical volume and file system forensic investigation of disk images.
Volatility Foundation
The world's most widely used framework for extracting digital artifacts from volatile memory (RAM) samples.
Wireshark
The foremost network protocol analyzer for deep inspection of live or captured network traffic.
Investigative & Data Analysis Tools
Advanced software for document extraction, network mapping, and large-scale data analysis.
PACER
Public Access to Court Electronic Records. Crucial for accessing federal court dockets, arrest logs, and financial disclosures.
OCCRP Aleph
An investigative data platform that helps trace assets, companies, and individuals across global public records and leaks.
LittleSis
A free database detailing the connections between powerful people and organizations, useful for mapping systemic enablers.
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
The absolute best tool for searching IRS Form 990s and tracing grants between non-profits. Essential for mapping political influence networks.
FEC.gov Data
Track direct political donations to candidates and PACs to map influence networks and trace funding flows.
OpenSecrets
Great for seeing the big picture of dark money, lobbying, and political spending across different entities.
Tesseract OCR
The industry standard for converting images of text into machine-readable data. Ideal for processing thousands of flattened PDFs or scanned images.
FOCA
Fingerprinting Organizations with Collected Archives. Crucial for analyzing PDFs to extract hidden metadata like creator usernames, software versions, and file paths.
Aleph
Built by the OCCRP, Aleph allows investigators to securely search and browse large volumes of documents and data, specifically designed for leaks and journalism.
Project Blacklight
A real-time website privacy inspector that reveals user-tracking technologies, hidden scripts, and data-sharing behaviors on any given webpage.
NotebookLM
Google's AI-powered research assistant. Upload your source documents to synthesize information, generate summaries, and ask questions grounded entirely in your data.
Maltego
A comprehensive tool for graphical link analyses that offers real-time data mining and information gathering to map out complex networks and relationships.
OpenCorporates
The largest open database of companies in the world. Essential for verifying shell companies, mapping corporate structures, and tracing ownership.
Gephi
An open-source network analysis and visualization software package. Excellent for exploring and understanding large graph datasets.
ExifTool
A platform-independent Perl library plus a command-line application for reading, writing and editing meta information in a wide variety of files.
Audacity
An open-source, cross-platform audio software for multi-track recording and editing. Essential for analyzing acoustic signatures and audio evidence.
Python (Pandas, Scrapy & Jupyter)
Essential programming tools for data manipulation, analysis, and web scraping. Perfect for automating data collection, structuring raw information, and analyzing large datasets.
OpenRefine
A powerful tool for working with messy data. Use it to clean up inconsistent formatting in FOIA releases or adverse event reports.
DocumentCloud
Upload, analyze, annotate, and publish large sets of FOIA documents or clinical trial PDFs. Great for collaborative review.
Wayback Machine
Capture and archive deleted or altered web pages from pharmaceutical companies or health agencies. Crucial for proving changes in narrative.
USAspending.gov
The official source for federal spending data. Track who got the grants and contracts to uncover potential government fraud and waste.
SEC EDGAR
Look up financial reports for publicly traded companies involved in government contracts to cross-reference public budgets with corporate filings.
Environmental & Field Tools
Specialized open-source toolsets for data collection, geospatial mapping, and monitoring of the natural environment.
Network Analyzer
A professional-grade application capable of scanning and mapping local 2.4GHz/5GHz WiFi networks and Bluetooth devices to measure signal density and digital noise.
Decibel X
A highly reliable, calibrated sound level meter app that provides court-admissible ambient audible sound (in dB) measurements for environmental noise correlation.
ADS-B Exchange
The world's largest unfiltered flight data cooperative. Essential for tracking live and historical flights, including private and military aircraft often blocked on commercial platforms.
Flightradar24
A global flight tracking service providing real-time and historical playback of aircraft positions. Useful for immediate cross-referencing and capturing radar screenshots.
Open Foris
A set of free and open-source software tools that facilitates flexible and efficient environmental data collection, analysis and reporting.
QGIS
A professional, user-friendly geographic information system (GIS) that supports viewing, editing, and analysis of geospatial data.
Global Forest Watch Data
An open-source web application to monitor global forests in near real-time, providing data on tree cover loss and alerts.
Public Lab Kits
Open-source hardware and software tools for grassroots environmental monitoring and community-led research.
Criminal Forensic Basics Tutorial
6-Step Investigative Workflow
Preparation
Gather your toolkit (Autopsy, Wireshark, etc.) and ensure your workstation is isolated and secure. Verify your mission credentials.
Identification
Clearly define the scope of the task. Identify potential sources of evidence (disk images, network logs, memory dumps) as specified in the Mission Details.
Preservation
Create bit-for-bit copies of evidence. Never work on original data. Establish a clear Chain of Custody with initial cryptographic hashes.
Analysis
Execute the forensic protocol. Search for artifacts, recover deleted files, and analyze traffic patterns using standardized open-source tools.
Documentation
Record every step taken. Use the standardized Forensic_Report template (.docx) to draft your findings and investigative summary.
Authentication
Export your final report to PDF. Run a SHA-256 hash on the PDF and include it in the Evidence_Metadata.json for on-chain verification.
Educational Resources
Our Verification Protocol
All Citizen Researchers are required to document their methodology using the aforementioned open-source tools to ensure that findings can be reproduced and peer-reviewed by the community. For a deeper understanding of our standards, please refer to the Verification Guide.
- Chain of Custody: All digital and physical samples must be logged with timestamped metadata.
- Raw Data Submission: Researchers must provide raw output files along with their analysis report.
- Tool Verification: Use of approved open-source tool versions is required for cryptographic hashing and verification.
Ethical Testing & Field Operations
As a Citizen Researcher, your integrity is the foundation of the decentralized forensic market. When utilizing the tools listed above in the field, you must strictly adhere to all legal and ethical boundaries.
- Follow All Laws: Strict legal compliance is non-negotiable.
- Property Rights: Always obtain explicit permission from landowners before retrieving physical samples.
- Personal Safety: Prioritize your safety and do not confront hostile actors.
Payment Eligibility & Compliance
In order to be paid properly, Citizen Researchers must strictly observe the specific information provided in the Mission Details / Protocols for each individual task.
Adherence to the best practices posted on this page and the comprehensive information in the Verification Guide is mandatory. Failure to comply with these standards may result in verification failure and non-payment.