If you don't a faraday type office/cage or somewhere that the signal wont leak out from, what is your normal policy on how to take the phone off the network.
I've heard it mentioned that just having the phone in a faraday bag might not be any better than not having it in anything (IF you have a cable coming from the phone inside the bag to an outside the bag computer.
Any thoughts on this?
Can the cable to the computer be that much of an antenna to produce a signal?
I think this may be a bit of overkill
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but I would love to hear your ideas.
I normally use the faraday bag and I have found it to be quite reliable as long as you remember to place the phone in the hidden pocket inside the bag instead of just inside the bag.
I have run a number of tests with different models of phones to see if I could call/SMS it whilst in the faraday bag and none of them recieved the calls or SMSs even when the phone was connected to the computer via a USB cable.
While my tests aren't by any means conclusive, and I have wondered myself if the small gap around the USB cable might be enough to let in a signal, my experience has shown the faraday bag as a good (and cost-effective) option.
I should caveat my post by stating I work in the private sector and this method may not be sufficient for law enforcement or government agencies.
There are threads here at FF if you're looking for a sounding board or want to consider policy or procedures if you intend to use rf shielding of any sort
Also with original and third party apps on many many of the smartphones (iphones, android, etc) it is possible to delete or corrupt evidence when the handset is on and placed within rf shielding.
Tre. Can you elaborate on your last paragraph please? I see you as the keeper of the gate with regards to cell forensics and I'd be interested in what you mean and more info about the thread topic.
There are threads here at FF if you're looking for a sounding board or want to consider policy or procedures if you intend to use rf shielding of any sort
Also with original and third party apps on many many of the smartphones (iphones, android, etc) it is possible to delete or corrupt evidence when the handset is on and placed within rf shielding.
armresl,
A search of google will show that there are a large number of reports saying that faraday bags are safe because they prevent sms text messages and incoming calls being received or stop the PIN being invoked. I really didn't want to get into the points omitted by majority of those reports as to why switching off the handset was and still is preferrable in many circumstances and therefore I am suggesting the OP search previous threads given in the link to glean those points which the OP can take into account as to (and I say advisedly) when to use faraday bags where the situation is or could be inappropriate and where it might be appropriate).
The second point is that it is becoming more prevalent that many of the smart phones have 'active' apps, some placed there by handset manufacturers and other downloaded from the online stores developed by third parties. These apps are not dealt with by the majority of the reports which appear in the main to regurgitate commentary of always use a faraday bag because of contact with the cellular network…… Indeed I do not really find ACPO Guidelines as providing the best guidance.
Without going into huge detail, rf shielding has 'not' maintained pace with new developments. I do not want to stifle the OP investigations into what he should or shouldn't do, use or not use, but point out some avenues to investigate to distinguish 'illusion' from 'reality' and 'fact'. I note from the OP's comment he seems highly live to the latter.