Faraday containers found unsafe
A report that focuses on the results, following conducted practical tests, on the reliability of mobile phone shielding devices (eg 'faraday' containers) found the device shielding failed in a number of instances that the author of the report placed under test and did not prevent RF signalling reaching the test mobile phones inside the containers, the findings in this recently published paper suggests:
https://www.cerias.purdue.edu/assets/pdf/bibtex_archive/2010-27.pdf
The implications might require that an 'impact assessment' on evidence that is seized and placed in shielding devices at the scene of a crime and transported from Police Station to Police Station etc may need to be 'reconducted'. The findings in the report raise the notion whether published Guidelines advocating the use of shielding devices may now need to identify exactly the tests and research considered prior to adopting published policy on the use of shielding devices, although it is unclear at present whether that will happen at all.
Whilst the report dealt primarily with external factors (radio communications) and how the shielding devices coped with them, it also includes some other influences shielding devices can have on touch screen mobile phones, for example.
There have previously been mixed reviews about shielding devices and their impact on seized evidence that is left switched ON within shielding containers:
http://www.forensicfocus.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=3914
http://www.forensicfocus.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=4277&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
If a mobile phone is already OFF, or is switched OFF at the point of seizure, then such shielding devices shouldn't be necessary at that particular juncture.
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