To fight cybercrime, VCU student unravels the layers of 3D printing

By Ethan York

To most people, a 3D printer is a cool piece of technology that can make toys, tools or parts in minutes. But for Hala Ali, it can be a partner in crime, and the doctoral student at Virginia Commonwealth University earned national honors recently for her work exploring one of the fastest-growing frontiers in cybercrime.

Ali, a computer science student in the College of Engineering, won best paper at this summer's 25th annual Digital Forensics Research Conference in Chicago. The paper, "Leveraging Memory Forensics to Investigate and Detect Illegal 3D Printing Activities," reflects her research into how digital forensics can help investigators uncover whether a 3D printer was used to create weapons or other illegal objects.

"3D printing is a process of creating a physical object from a digital design by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created," Ali said.

The paper introduces SliceSnap, a novel memory forensics framework that analyzes the memory of slicing software - the programs that convert 3D digital models and printing layers. Ali and co-authors Irfan Ahmed, Ph.D., a VCU engineering professor, and Andrew Case of cybersecurity company Volexity offer methods that could help law enforcement trace whether a 3D printer has been used to produce weapons or other illegal materials. Criminals increasingly favor the method because it is cheaper, harder to trace and less regulated than other tools.

Ali's research builds on an interest in cybersecurity that dates to high school and has continued into university studies.

"I had done my master's in cyberinformation security in India, and I really wanted to continue in the same domain," Ali said. "I feel like everyone really needs cybersecurity, right?"

This research into 3D printers started in 2024 - initially as a poster presentation for the conference before evolving into something more.

"The rise in incidents of illicit 3D-printed items and the ineffectiveness of current regulations highlight the urgent need for advanced forensic techniques," she said.

Criminals abuse 3D technology by erasing their files and designs, making it nearly impossible for authorities to trace the work. Ali's research explores how to tilt the odds.

As an example, Ultimaker Cura is one of the most popular slicing applications in the world - it has more than 1 million users worldwide as well as a complicated software design.

The SliceSnap tool allows users to extract the design and the G-code text files, which have instructions for 3D printers on how to make the physical object. When printed objects cause injuries, it is crucial to determine the intent of the maker. G-code manipulations can affect elements such as fan speed, which can create weapons that appear normal but actually incorporate greater dangers.

With her research now recognized on a national level, Ali said she looks forward to pushing further into forensic science - growing with the field in the same vein as 3D printing technology is evolving.