Build Your Own Digital Evidence Collection Kit

David,

Thanks very much - a very interesting little article & I so wish that my briefcase was that well organised !

I'm particularly interested in your comments regarding issues with customs, are these just internal US customs when you are flying/crossing state borders ( please, please forgive my ignorance - in the UK we only have the occasional film to go by, and the last thing I watched was "Public Enemies" so I'm not exactly current 😉 ) or international ? If so, how do you manage the exportation again of evidence ?

As an aside, TSA as an acronym doesn't mean anything to me … Google suggests "The Snowboard Asylum" first and then "Transportation Security Administration" - I'm going to guess the latter … Could you expand in the article for other, non-US, readers ?

I don't know how applicable this would be outside the US, but I honestly don't think that for any cross European ventures that this would be a bad idea ( obviously replacing euros for dollars in pricing ) and could well be a worthwhile excersise. Any EuroZone people had problems with customs ?

Thank you for the effort to share valuable experience.

All the Best,

Azrael

As an aside, TSA as an acronym doesn't mean anything to me … Google suggests "The Snowboard Asylum" first and then "Transportation Security Administration" - I'm going to guess the latter … Could you expand in the article for other, non-US, readers ?

It means Thousands Standing Around.

Actually, your second option is correct.

By customs, he means crossing an international boundary, as is the normal usage of the word. Here in the US, to fly on a plane at all, even domestically, we have to open our bags to take out laptops, take off our shoes and remove all clothing except the first layer (remove coats, collared shirts over t-shirts, etc). TSA is the agency who makes everyone do that. The TSA locks are so they can randomly search your bags if they feel like it, without asking.

Greetings,

"Customs" is my shorthand for the government agencies that check passports and determine who can enter the country, and what materials can enter the country. Normally you need a passport for yourself to enter, but often a visa as well. The restrictions on getting equipment in are more complex. Often, if you're pretty low profile, your luggage isn't checked but if you're traveling with a lot of equipment cases, someone will likely notice and ask you to open them for inspection. Computer equipment is often an issue as some countries worry that you're bringing it in to sell, without paying import duties. This is where good documentation about the equipment and your reason for bringing it in comes in handy.

I think this is a bigger problem flying into Asia and developing nations than it is flying into, or within, the EU.

"TSA" is the US Transportation Security Agency. They place a lot of restrictions on what you can, and cannot, carry in carry on bags.

-David

My kit varies slightly because I use some different devices, but that particular Pelican case and getting that particular insert for it were of particular use for me. Going to place that into my shopping list.

Great article with detailed descriptions, David. I know that I will be referring to it in our lab.

I suggest adding a GPS to the inventory–if you haven't the capability on your cellphone–and an inventory printout of the case contents. If you are in unfamilar territory, GPS's help you get to your objectives in a timely fashion. And, you are less likely to leave parts of your kit on-site, if you refer to an inventory checklist that is kept inside your kit.

Oh, and don't forget to roll up some latex gloves in a rubberband to avoid contamination of the scene and yourself!

Also, for critical items, I use the rule "Two is one. One is none." So, I will pack two of each essential part of my kit, provided it's economically sound. wink

As for kit cases, associates in my workplace tell me that a good source for quality carry-on Pelican cases (model #1510) with wheels and custom, user-specified laser-cut foam inserts is Dulles Case Center (www.dullescasecenter.com). You can use lower density foam to absorb more shock for sensitive items (e.g. hard disks, electronic devices) and higher density foam for tools. Cutouts facilitate quick visual inventory of your kit. Turnaround from order placement to delivery is fast. Expect to pay a relatively inexpensive $400 for a case.

Thanks, again, for the article.

Greetings,

I thought I'd specified multiple copies of the inventory. I'll go back and check. One goes in the case, under the inserts. One goes in the case, on top of the inserts to give to Customs. One goes in my laptop bag.

Nope, it wasn't there. Thanks very much for catching that.

The custom inserts look great. I'm going to give them a call and see if I can get a bit more space out of this case. The only downside to the custom solution is if I change anything in the case, perhaps removing the 1TB WD drives in favor of an imaging solution. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Thanks for the pointer!

-David

David

just a question. How do you handle imaging USB flash drives and/or memory cards etc ? You don't appear to have any specific write blockers/adapters for these or are you using software write blocking?

Ta
Ian.

When would the kit be out for sale. I'm new and needed hands-on experience.
Thanks.

olufadj - Davids list is a compilation of his own collection kit that he has shared with the community. Different people have different requirements based on how they work and what type of hardware/software they prefer. eg Mac v's Windows ….

If you're just starting out (as I am) you may be better served building up your own kit based on each particular function/task you see yourself doing and really getting to grips with why you have each piece of equipment, what you will use it for, how you will use it and so on.