03 · SEARCH WARRANT SUPPORT
Technical Support During the Execution of a Search Warrant
Independent technical observation and documentation of digital evidence handling, in coordination with your lawyer.
When the police execute a search warrant involving electronic devices or digital data, ISS can provide on-site support from an independent digital forensic expert, in coordination with your lawyer and where our attendance and access are lawfully permitted.
To the extent that the relevant activities are observable or lawfully disclosed to us, we document initial device inspection, live-data collection, search terms and filters where used, copying or extraction methods, device identification and the recording of transfers. We assess the documented procedures against appropriate digital-forensic practices, taking account of the device’s condition and the circumstances. Our review addresses data preservation, examination coverage and the reliability of later findings.
We document our observations and inform your lawyer of matters that may require legal assessment, including proportionality, the scope authorised by the warrant and procedural safeguards. Where required, we prepare a technical note or report for subsequent review.
Our attendance and the scope of our support depend on the applicable legal framework and the lawful arrangements for the particular case.
Questions our observations can help address
- How were devices identified and inspected on site, and how was their data copied or extracted?
- Were live-data collection, search terms or filters used, and how were they recorded?
- Could the handling affect data preservation, examination coverage or the reliability of later findings?
What the evidence can and cannot establish
Our examinations are independent and objective. We report material findings whether they support or challenge the position under examination. We explain what the digital evidence supports, the limitations that apply and what cannot be established.
Before you instruct us
What should I do with a device that may contain evidence?
Contact us promptly for advice specific to the device and its current state. Avoid unnecessary use, resets, updates, deletions and attempts to recover data yourself. Seek guidance before changing its power or network state, and record who has handled it. The appropriate preservation steps depend on the source and circumstances.
THE APPROACH
A traceable process.
From source to finding.
A defensible finding needs a traceable basis. We document the acquisition, tools, procedures and limitations so that the examination and its conclusions can be independently assessed.
- 01
Define
Agree the authority, questions, relevant sources and scope with you and your legal adviser before examination begins.
- 02
Preserve
Document receipt, handling and transfers. Preserve source material and use verified forensic copies or appropriate exports wherever practicable. Record acquisition methods and appropriate integrity checks, including cryptographic hashes where applicable.
- 03
Examine
Check material findings against their sources. Correlate records and timelines, test alternative explanations and document examination coverage.
- 04
Explain
Report findings objectively. Distinguish observations, interpretation and limitations, with references that allow the reasoning to be followed.
A keyword result or a device event needs context. Our conclusions reflect the available evidence and the limits of the examination.
LET’S START WITH YOUR QUESTION
Make sense of
your digital evidence.
Tell us briefly about the matter and the digital sources involved. We can discuss the appropriate next step and the proposed scope.
Based in Cyprus · English & Greek