Backtrace

Built for research that might end up in front of a court

A notes app can hold what you found. It can't fingerprint it, timestamp it, or prove it hasn't been changed since. Backtrace is a case management system built specifically for open source investigators — background checkers, due diligence analysts, fraud and threat investigators, and litigation support professionals — who need their working, not just their conclusions, to stand up to scrutiny.

Chain of custody, not just a notes field

• Sequential exhibit numbering — every piece of evidence is logged as EX-001, EX-002… the moment you capture it
• SHA-256 hashing on capture — the standard algorithm for proving captured content hasn't been altered, computed locally in your browser
• Custodian & acquisition method recorded per item, so it's always clear who captured what and how
• One-click re-verification — re-hash any item on demand to confirm it still matches, logged automatically
• File hashing without file storage — hash a local file to prove its integrity without ever uploading or storing the file itself

An automatic audit trail — the feature notes apps don't have

Every meaningful action — an entity logged, evidence captured, a report generated, a backup exported — is timestamped automatically in an append-only Audit Trail. From the Dashboard, compute a SHA-256 fingerprint of the entire case file on demand, and every exported backup comes with its own integrity manifest, so you can prove later that a file matches what was produced at the time.

A genuine research hub, not a bookmarks list

Type a username, email, phone number, domain, IP address or crypto address into Universal Lookup and Backtrace detects the identifier type and surfaces the right public, no-login-required tools — spanning social platforms, business and court records, sanctions and watchlists, geolocation, and web archives. A visual search-dork builder writes correct Google/Bing/DuckDuckGo operator syntax for you, with ready-made presets for common investigative searches.

Case building that mirrors how investigators actually work

An Entity Log with honest confidence ratings (Verified / Unconfirmed / Flagged), aliases, DOB and known addresses. A Timeline that keeps itself in chronological order. A Relationship Mapper that draws a live connection diagram from your entries. A Methodology checklist with a standard defensible-OSINT-process template you can load in one click, plus your own case-specific steps. A Sources & Citations register auto-compiled from every evidence item and search you've logged.

A court-ready report, generated in one click

The Case Report compiles everything into a print-ready document: a cover page with full case and investigator metadata, a table of contents, the case brief, entities, timeline, relationships, a formatted evidence register, methodology, sources, the audit trail, and a certification block for sign-off — complete with its own content fingerprint for integrity.

Everything else you'd expect

Unlimited case files, each keeping its own entities, timeline, evidence, checklist, sources and audit trail completely separate. A clean, professional light/dark interface built to look right next to a case bundle, not a themed prop. A built-in Help & Field Guide covering legal and ethical use, court-readiness principles, a glossary, and an FAQ. Full JSON backup and restore with an integrity manifest.

Like every Nexior Gray product, Backtrace is a single HTML file — open it in any browser and start immediately. No installation, no account, no subscription, no server. Every case file stays local to your device. Buy once and it's yours.

Perfect for: private investigators, corporate due diligence and background-check analysts, fraud and threat investigators, litigation support professionals, journalists doing verification work, and anyone whose OSINT findings need to be defensible, not just accurate.