Chain of custody for digital evidence: a practical guide
Chain of custody

Chain of custody software that makes evidence defensible.

Safrix records a cryptographically verifiable chain of custody for every evidence item, each view, transfer and annotation captured in an append-only log, so your evidence holds up under scrutiny and disclosure.

Tamper-evident by design

Each item is hashed on intake; any change is detectable, so evidence integrity is provable, not assumed.

Every action recorded

Views, downloads, annotations and transfers are written to an immutable, append-only ledger.

Legal holds in one action

Apply and track holds across items so nothing is disposed of while a matter is live.

Disclosure-ready

Produce a complete custody record for review, audit or court at any time.

Why chain of custody matters

Chain of custody is the documented, unbroken record of who handled a piece of evidence, when, and what they did with it. If that record is incomplete or alterable, the evidence, and the investigation built on it, can be challenged.

Safrix treats custody as a first-class part of the platform, not an afterthought. Evidence is hashed on intake, and every interaction is logged immutably, producing a verifiable trail from the moment an item enters the system to the moment a case is closed.

Combined with least-privilege access and configurable retention, this gives regulated and government teams the assurance that their evidence is both secure and defensible.

Frequently asked questions

What is chain of custody in digital evidence?

It is the documented, unbroken record of everyone who handled an item of evidence, when, and what they did, essential to proving the evidence is authentic and unaltered.

How does Safrix make evidence tamper-evident?

Each item is cryptographically hashed on intake and recorded in an append-only ledger, so any alteration is detectable and the integrity of the evidence is provable.

Can I apply legal holds?

Yes. Legal holds can be applied and tracked across evidence items in a single action, preventing disposal while a matter is active.

See Safrix on your investigations.

Book a private walkthrough tailored to how your team works.

Related: Insider threat investigations · Case management