Digital chain of custody
Document where material came from, how it was collected and how it was handled.
Preserve the history of the material
A useful digital record includes more than a screenshot. Preserve the source, the relevant sequence, the collection method and the information needed to compare the files later.
Questions the record should help answer
- Where did the material come from? Note the URL, visible account information and session context.
- How was it collected? Retain the relevant navigation and event sequence.
- Has the file changed? Compare its hash with the preserved reference.
- How was it stored and transferred? Keep the report, manifest and handling records.
Practical preservation steps
- Define the fact and the necessary collection scope.
- Capture the content together with its visible context.
- Organize screenshots, relevant media, metadata and the report.
- Preserve file hashes and the original delivery.
- Keep protected copies and record who receives, examines or transfers them.
Technical components
Depending on the mode and delivered package, VERATIU can provide session records, timestamps, URLs, screenshots, media, hashes and manifest information. Verify the signatures and preservation-format claims shown in the actual delivery.
An isolated screenshot may remain useful, but can omit the address, preceding steps or handling history. The additional records help explain those gaps.
Brazilian chain-of-custody reference
The source guide discusses articles 158-A and 158-B of the Brazilian Code of Criminal Procedure as the Brazilian framework for documenting the chronological history of evidence. This discussion is specific to Brazil; it is not a claim that a software package alone fulfills every requirement in every proceeding.
Brazilian legal context
References to Brazilian legislation on this page concern Brazil. They do not describe the law of every country, create universal admissibility, or replace advice on the jurisdiction where the material will be used. The receiving court or authority evaluates the evidence in its specific context.