Legal Value of Certifications

The certified copy we provide is created using a globally recognized forensic acquisition platform developed in compliance with international standards for digital evidence preservation. Our qualified electronic signatures and RFC 3161 timestamps are issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) in accordance with the European eIDAS Regulation (EU No. 910/2014, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2024/1183) and the Italian Digital Administration Code (D.Lgs. 82/2005). This ensures authenticity, integrity, and legal admissibility not only throughout the European Union, but also in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other jurisdictions that recognize EU-qualified electronic signatures and timestamps under equivalent legal frameworks. Our forensic IT laboratory was among the first in Europe to offer this service. All acquisitions are securely archived on dedicated servers, enabling independent verification of data integrity by courts, lawyers, or law enforcement authorities. Few providers can guarantee such a qualified, transparent, and internationally recognized service. Our Certified Copy (forensic acquisition of websites, web pages, or online content) has probative value because:

• The full Internet address (URL) of the acquired content is recorded;
• The browser type and version used during the acquisition is documented;
• The IP address of the source server, along with date, time, and acquisition software details, is logged;
• The entire source code of the page is preserved, including all linked objects (images, documents, audio, video, scripts, executables, compressed files, etc.);
• The delivered report includes qualified digital signatures and security certificates issued by our forensic infrastructure;
• A qualified RFC 3161 timestamp is applied to each digitally signed file, providing irrefutable proof of the exact acquisition date and time;
• The network packets of the entire browsing session are recorded, demonstrating authenticity and conformity with the original source;
• We are among the few providers that store certification metadata directly on the forensic software producer’s servers, allowing any court or authority to independently verify the acquisition through the producer’s database (including acquisition code, URL, timestamps, and client IP);
• A continuous forensically sound video recording of the entire acquisition process is provided.

(#) The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) uniquely identifies the address of an internet resource. (*) A timestamp is a service issued by an Accredited Qualified Trust Service Provider under the eIDAS Regulation (EU No. 910/2014, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2024/1183). It guarantees a certain and legally valid date and time, enforceable against third parties, proving the existence of a document at the moment of certification. By default, our certified copies are legally valid and admissible across the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other jurisdictions with equivalent digital evidence laws. If required, we can also provide country-specific certification (e.g., notarization, apostille, or compliance with local procedural standards). (**) Digital evidence is considered forensically sound if it is collected, analyzed, handled, and stored in a manner that is legally acceptable and demonstrably preserves its integrity and authenticity.

International Validity & Extra-EU Documentation (included)

Our Certified Copy is delivered in a sealed container (.zip.p7m / .tsd) with a Qualified Electronic Signature and a RFC 3161 qualified timestamp. Under the eIDAS Regulation (EU No. 910/2014, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2024/1183), this ensures authenticity, integrity, and legal admissibility across the European Union and is recognised or assessable in many Extra-EU jurisdictions (e.g., United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Norway).

Extra-EU add-on (included at no extra cost): “Digital Evidence Certification Statement”

For cross-border cases we include, inside the evidence package, a digitally signed PDF titled Forensic_Evidence_Statement_acquisitions_signed.pdf, which:

• Summarises the forensic acquisition methodology and technical environment (tools, parameters, controls);
• Details the collected evidence (source URL, metadata, cryptographic hashes, chain of custody);
• References applicable legal frameworks in the EU, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other comparable jurisdictions;
• Includes a sworn declaration on authenticity, integrity, and continuity of evidence;
• Sets out custody transfer details and retention policy.

Note: For enhanced legal recognition in USA, UK, Canada, and Australia, we recommend our FEDIS™ certification, which provides comprehensive compliance with common law evidentiary standards. See below for details. Note: this additional document is provided only for Extra-EU certifications. Within the EU it is not required, because qualified signature + qualified timestamp + our forensic report already provide full evidentiary strength. Note: this additional document is provided only for Extra-EU certifications. Within the EU it is not required, because qualified signature + qualified timestamp + our forensic report already provide full evidentiary strength.  

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FEDIS™: International Legal Recognition Framework

To ensure maximum legal admissibility in Extra-EU jurisdictions (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other common law countries), we have developed the FEDIS™ (Forensic Evidence Declaration & Integrity Statement). FEDIS™ is a comprehensive forensic certification framework that bridges the gap between EU-qualified electronic evidence and Extra-EU legal standards. Unlike the basic “Digital Evidence Certification Statement” (included at no extra cost), FEDIS™ provides:

• Detailed chain of custody documentation compliant with common law evidentiary requirements;
• Expert witness declarations meeting Daubert/Frye standards (USA) and comparable criteria in UK, Canada, and Australia;
• Cross-referenced compliance matrices mapping our methodology to jurisdiction-specific rules of evidence;
• Structured metadata attestations with cryptographic proof of authenticity and integrity;
• Multi-jurisdictional legal opinions on admissibility under Federal Rules of Evidence (USA), Criminal Procedure Rules (UK), Canada Evidence Act, and Australian Evidence Acts;
• Cryptographic hash verification for electronic delivery: FEDIS™ is the only method that proves a download link points to the exact same file with cryptographic certainty (SHA-256 hash matching), essential for telematic evidence delivery and cloud-based evidence custody.

Why FEDIS™ is essential for non-EU cases and for electronically sending the link to the certification file:

• EU qualified signatures and qualified timestamps are not automatically recognized outside the EU;
• Common law jurisdictions require specific evidentiary foundations (authentication, best evidence rule, hearsay exceptions);
• FEDIS™ provides the necessary legal bridge to ensure your digital evidence is admissible in court without additional expert testimony or procedural challenges;
• Courts in USA, UK, Canada, and Australia explicitly recognize FEDIS-certified evidence as meeting their evidentiary standards;
• For telematic delivery: FEDIS™ includes pre-computed cryptographic hashes that allow independent verification that the downloaded file is identical to the certified evidence, preventing any dispute about file integrity during electronic transmission.

For cases involving cross-border litigation, enforcement, or electronic evidence delivery, FEDIS™ certification is strongly recommended. Learn more about FEDIS™ →

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Standards & Good Practice Followed

• ISO/IEC 27037:2012 — Guidelines for identification, collection, acquisition and preservation of digital evidence;
• NIST IR 8006 (2014) — Cloud forensics challenges and considerations;
• Council of Europe Electronic Evidence Guide (2013);
• ACPO Good Practice Guide (UK, v5) — Principles for digital evidence handling;
• RFC 3227 — Guidelines for evidence collection and archiving;
• Budapest Convention on Cybercrime — International cooperation framework.

 

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Qualified Signatures, Timestamps & Containers

Every certified file is digitally signed with a certificate bound to a QSCD (Qualified Signature Creation Device), and sealed with a qualified RFC 3161 timestamp. Delivery formats include CAdES (.zip.p7m) or TSD (.tsd), ensuring independent, tool-agnostic verification by courts and experts.  

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Data Protection & Retention

• Evidence is stored on dedicated secure servers with access controls; a read-only evidence mirror can be provided for independent checks by courts or law enforcement.
• Processing is GDPR-compliant; where applicable we align with relevant international privacy frameworks (e.g., CCPA).
• Retention follows the principle of storage limitation: only for the time strictly necessary for certification purposes.

 

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What You Receive

• A sealed evidence package (.zip.p7m / .tsd) containing the Certified Copy (forensic acquisition) and the lawyer-ready report (English; other languages on request);
• Recorded URL, timestamps, browser & source server IP, page source code and linked files (images, documents, audio, video, scripts, archives);
• Qualified signatures and a qualified timestamp applied to each certified file;
• Network traffic capture of the session and a continuous forensically sound capture video (where applicable);
• Optional but just included on Extra EU certifications: SHA-256 hash attestation for long-term preservation, structured annexes/timelines, and map/log visualisations for specific cases.

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Remote Operations & Legal Mandate

Private areas (accounts, portals) are accessed only under a digitally signed legal mandate provided by the client, to protect both your rights and our access. Credentials can be revoked immediately after acquisition.