1. A method, comprising the steps of: accessing a media signal that is generated with one or more first processing operations that occurred prior to the media signal access to change at least one characteristic of the media signal and generate one or more sets of artifacts comprising unintended traces of the one or more first processing operations on the media signal and characterize, at least in part, a processing history of the media signal prior to the accessing; extracting one or more features from the accessed media signal, wherein the extracted features each respectively correspond to the one or more sets of artifacts; computing from the extracted features a conditional probability value relating a probability of observing the extracted features given the one or more first processing operations; and if the conditional probability value is above a defined threshold, adapting one or more second processing operations respectively corresponding to each of the one or more first processing operations such that each of the one or more second processing operations economizes computational resources and prevents formation of further artifacts.