metadata-extraction
Extract and analyze metadata from files, images, documents for forensics and organization
When & Why to Use This Skill
The Metadata Extraction skill is a comprehensive utility designed to retrieve, analyze, and manage hidden metadata across various file formats, including images (EXIF), documents, and multimedia. It empowers users to perform digital forensics, streamline file organization, and enhance data privacy by identifying or removing sensitive information like GPS coordinates, authorship details, and edit histories.
Use Cases
- Digital Forensics: Reconstructing activity timelines and verifying document authenticity by analyzing creation dates, modification history, and owner attributes.
- Privacy Protection: Identifying and stripping sensitive EXIF data, such as precise GPS locations and device serial numbers, from photos before public sharing.
- Automated Asset Management: Cataloging and sorting large media libraries based on technical specifications like camera settings, resolution, and timestamps.
- Copyright & Compliance: Verifying creator information and embedded licensing metadata to ensure intellectual property rights are maintained.
- Security Operations: Detecting hidden data or anomalies in files as part of threat hunting and malware analysis workflows.
| name | metadata-extraction |
|---|---|
| description | Extract and analyze metadata from files, images, documents for forensics and organization |
Metadata Extraction Skill
Comprehensive metadata extraction and analysis from various file types.
When to Use
- Metadata extraction requests
- EXIF data from images
- Document properties analysis
- Keywords: "metadata", "EXIF", "file properties", "document info"
Core Capabilities
1. Image Metadata (EXIF)
- Camera settings, GPS coordinates
- Timestamps, camera model
- Software, copyright info
2. Document Metadata
- Author, title, keywords
- Creation/modification dates
- Edit history, hidden data
3. File System Metadata
- Timestamps (created/modified/accessed)
- Size, permissions, owner
- Extended attributes
4. Media Metadata
- Audio: Artist, album, bitrate
- Video: Codec, resolution, duration
Quick Reference
ExifTool Commands
# View all metadata
exiftool file.jpg
# Extract specific tags
exiftool -Title -Author document.pdf
# Remove all metadata
exiftool -all= file.jpg
# Batch extract to CSV
exiftool -csv -r /path/to/images > metadata.csv
# Extract GPS
exiftool -gps:all image.jpg
Other Tools
# Image (ImageMagick)
identify -verbose image.jpg
# PDF
pdfinfo document.pdf
# Audio/Video
mediainfo video.mp4
ffprobe -show_format audio.mp3
# File system
stat file.txt
Privacy Concerns
Sensitive Metadata:
- GPS coordinates (location)
- Author names (identity)
- Device serial numbers
- Edit timestamps
Removal:
# Remove all
exiftool -all= image.jpg
# Remove GPS only
exiftool -gps:all= image.jpg
Use Cases
- Photo Organization: GPS/timestamp for sorting
- Digital Forensics: Authorship, timeline
- Copyright Verification: Author info
- Data Privacy: Remove sensitive metadata
- Asset Management: Cataloging
Output Format
- File Info: Path, type, size
- Basic Metadata: Date, author, title
- Technical: Format, dimensions
- Privacy Concerns: Sensitive data detected
- Recommendations: Actions to take
Integration
- digital-forensics: Timeline reconstruction
- file-organization: Auto-categorization
- threat-hunting: Malware analysis