Evidence Integrity & Chain of Custody
The moment a mobile device is seized it becomes a live piece of evidence — and a live radio. A single push notification, silent iMessage or remote wipe command can overwrite the very data an investigation depends on. Faraday isolation stops that clock and hands control back to the investigator.
This category is written for the officers, exhibit staff and DFU technicians who own that risk in practice. It covers what a defensible seizure looks like, how ACPO Principles 1 and 3 map onto real bagging and logging, and where continuity of evidence most often breaks down between scene, custody and lab.
Use these articles alongside our Catalogue of tested Faraday bags and cabinets, or speak to Andover Forensics about kit specification for your force, unit or lab. Every guide links out to the standards, product and procurement pages you need to close the loop.
Why Faraday Isolation Matters for Chain of Custody
An unshielded seized device can receive a remote wipe in seconds. Faraday bags are now the baseline expectation for protecting digital evidence between seizure and lab examination.
Sealing a Device at the Point of Seizure
A practical step-by-step for first responders: power state decisions, bag selection, seal logging and exhibit handover.
Court Admissibility and Expert Challenge
What the bench and defence experts actually examine: continuous isolation, documented seal integrity and methodology compliance.
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