New Forensic System Tracks Ghost Guns Made With 3D Printing Using SIDE

The rapid rise of 3D printing has transformed manufacturing, offering efficient ways to produce tools, spare parts, and even art. But the same technology has also enabled the creation of “ghost guns” — firearms built outside regulated systems and nearly impossible to trace. These weapons have already been linked to crimes, including the 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, sparking concern among policymakers and law enforcement. 

Now, new research suggests that even if such weapons are broken into pieces, investigators may still be able to extract critical identifying details.

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis, led by Netanel Raviv, have developed a system called Secure Information Embedding and Extraction (SIDE). Unlike earlier fingerprinting methods that stored printer IDs, timestamps, or location data directly into printed objects, SIDE is designed to withstand tampering. 

Even if an object is deliberately smashed, the embedded information remains recoverable, giving investigators a powerful forensic tool.

The SIDE framework is built on earlier research presented at the 2024 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory, which introduced techniques for encoding data that could survive partial destruction. This new version adds enhanced security mechanisms, creating a more resilient system that could be integrated into 3D printers. 

The approach does not rely on obvious markings but instead us

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