Pieces0310 is a digital forensics practitioner with many years of experience in computer and mobile investigations, strengthened by a solid background in cybersecurity.

As technology continues to evolve rapidly, digital forensics faces many new challenges. Professionals involved in this field—not only forensic examiners, but also prosecutors and judges—must keep pace with technological advances in order to properly handle cases involving digital evidence.

In the following section, I will explain, from the perspective of a forensic examiner, how to properly handle original evidence.

First, once law enforcement seizes the original digital evidence, it should be delivered to a forensic laboratory, where professional examiners take over. At this stage, a detailed chain of custody record must be established—documenting every transfer and receipt of the original evidence, with precise timestamps, purposes, and the identities of all personnel involved.

Documenting the Evidence Acquisition Process

The key process that follows is the creation of a forensic image of the original evidence using forensic tools. When acquiring a forensic image of the evidence, a digital video recorder should be prepared to record the entire process with both video and audio. The recording must be continuous—from start to finish—until the original evidence is sealed.

In addition, the forensic examiner will photograph the evidence and document relevant information on paper, verbally describing the evidence details and related procedures throughout the process. This ensures that every step of the procedure is thoroughly documented.

Preserving Integrity Through Forensic Imaging

Once completed, the hash values of the original and the image should match exactly, proving that the forensic image is an identical copy of the original evidence. The imaging tool used will also log crucial details such as start and end timestamps, evidence information, and the hash values, etc.

At this point, the forensic examiner must seal the original evidence inside a tamper-evident evidence bag, label it with identifying information, and store it securely in the evidence room. All subsequent forensic analysis should be conducted only on the forensic image. This constitutes the standard operating procedure of digital forensics.

Risks of Improper Evidence Handling in Court

Let us take a criminal case as an example. During the trial, the prosecution requested to inspect the contents of the original digital evidence in court. The judge approved this request; however, the evidence was not handled by trained professionals, nor was a write-blocker used to prevent contamination of the original media. Such improper handling can seriously compromise the evidentiary integrity.

Because a forensic image is considered equivalent to the original evidence, it’s standard practice to perform examinations on the image file rather than on the original evidence itself.

Even if, for some reason, it becomes necessary to inspect the original evidence in court, it must be handled by a professional forensic examiner using a write-blocker to prevent any data modification. Only then can the integrity of the original evidence be preserved.

Understanding the Role of ISO/IEC 17025 in Digital Forensics

Next, I will share the key characteristics and importance of ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.

ISO/IEC 17025 is a globally recognized international standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Its purpose is to ensure that laboratories maintain consistent and trustworthy levels of technical capability, operational procedures, and quality management.

In the field of digital forensics, the importance of obtaining ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation has grown significantly for the following reasons:

1. Ensuring forensic results are admissible in court

For digital evidence to hold probative value in legal proceedings, its acquisition and analysis processes must be credible, reproducible, and verifiable.

ISO/IEC 17025 provides exactly this level of reliability through:

• Standardized evidence collection procedures
• Controlled analysis processes
• Rigorous quality management
• Comprehensive documentation (chain of custody, operation logs, calibration records)

When courts review digital evidence, they assess whether the evidence may have been contaminated, mishandled, or affected by procedural bias. ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation effectively reduces these concerns.

2. Ensuring accuracy and reliability of forensic tools and equipment

Digital forensics heavily depends on specialized tools, such as:

• Disk imaging tools
• Mobile device forensic systems
• Communication record analysis devices
• Network packet capture tools

ISO/IEC 17025 requires that:

• Equipment is regularly calibrated
• Forensic tools undergo accuracy verification (tool validation)
• Any procedural or equipment changes are assessed for their impact

Without this standard, forensic results may be compromised due to tool errors or improper operation, undermining their evidentiary value.

3. Demonstrating the technical competence of forensic personnel

ISO/IEC 17025 mandates that laboratories must ensure:

• Personnel are properly trained and qualified
• Technical competencies are continually maintained and reassessed
• Critical procedures are reviewed by qualified individuals

This is why many judicial bodies, law enforcement agencies, and corporate forensic units require ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation as an objective demonstration of capability.

4. Improving consistency and traceability in evidence handling

Digital forensic cases often involve cross-team or cross-border collaboration. ISO/IEC 17025’s standardized processes help ensure:

• Consistent results across different analysts or organizations
• Full traceability and verifiability of all evidence-handling steps
• Reduced disputes caused by procedural differences

Consistency is especially crucial in international cases, such as financial cybercrime, fraud rings, or large-scale data breaches.

Why ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation Matters for Forensic Laboratories

5. Enhancing credibility and professional reputation

For law enforcement agencies, government departments, corporate security teams, and independent forensic firms, ISO/IEC 17025 serves as a powerful endorsement:

• It signifies that the forensic laboratory operates in accordance with international standards
• It increases trust among clients and judicial authorities
• It reduces the risk of forensic reports being challenged

In fact, many countries now consider ISO/IEC 17025 a prerequisite for digital forensic laboratories.

ISO/IEC 17025 provides digital forensics with far more than just a quality framework—it establishes a comprehensive foundation that supports the credibility of evidence.

It ensures that:

• Tools are reliable
• Personnel are competent
• Processes are standardized
• Results are reproducible
• Evidence is admissible in court

For these reasons, ISO/IEC 17025 is regarded as one of the most essential and influential international standards in the field of digital forensics. A digital forensics laboratory that has obtained ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation indicates that its procedures for handling digital evidence, the tools it uses, and the analytical methods it employs all conform to forensically sound principles. As a result, the final forensic findings and reports it produces can be regarded as credible and trustworthy.