In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and crime, investigators must be proactive in adopting innovative tools. The use of MOS Equipment's Faraday bags has proven to be a crucial step in safeguarding digital evidence and maintaining the integrity of investigations. Equipped with these bags, we can confidently address the challenges posed by remote data wiping and phone encryption, knowing that vital evidence will be securely preserved.

- Joshua Lee
Police Sergeant
Human Exploitation and Trafficking
Mesa (Arizona) Police

The Fort Collins Police Forensic Services Unit has been using the Mission Darkness faraday solutions since 2021. We’ve had great success using the practice of getting a phone into faraday protected storage as quickly as possible and all the way through the end of the extraction of the data using various Mission Darkness products. We use faraday bags in the field to transport the devices to the police department. Once at the police department we transfer the device to a Blocker Locker where it secured in an individual locker, stays on, stays powered and remains in a protected state until the proper search authority is obtained. 

Once the analysis process begins, we use a BlockBox Lab XL to remove the phone from the faraday bag and connect it to our forensic processing tool where it is processed while it remains in a faraday protected environment. If the device needs additional processing via brute force, we put the device in the Forensic Crack Cabinet to keep the phone powered, cooled, and secured. We have found the Blocker Locker to be a huge key to the success of getting into devices successfully. By keeping the devices on, powered and in a protected environment we’ve had better success getting into the majority of the devices we process very quickly. We are in the process of purchasing our second Blocker Locker to allow us to securely store more devices.

- Jason Shutters
Corporal / Computer Forensic Analyst
Forensic Services Unit
Fort Collins (Colorado) Police Services

Products: Mission Darkness faraday bags, Mission Darkness Blocker Locker 7, and Mission Darkness BlockBox Lab XL. | Credit: Courtesy MOS Equipment

Modern-day law enforcement relies heavily on technology, and this week, local crimefighters got a new batch of toys and gadgets that will help them collect, store, and protect digital evidence, thanks to a Santa Barbara–based company that is pushing the needle with high-tech investigative equipment.

MOS equipment, also known as “Mission Darkness,” was founded in 2015 by CEO Ryan Judy, who has lived in Santa Barbara for the past 20 years and has helped grow the company to provide digital forensics equipment like faraday bags and radio-frequency-shielded lockers to law enforcement agencies across the world. The company now operates out of an office on Ortega Street and warehouse in Goleta, where MOS distributes its equipment to agencies such as the U.S Department of Justice and Secret Service.

This year, Judy wanted to start a new tradition of donating digital tools to local crime fighters, so MOS invited the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Maria Police Department, Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, and Ventura County District Attorney’s Office to Mission Darkness headquarters on January 10 to receive more than $50,000 worth of high-end gear for their respective departments. MOS presented each office with an $11,000 kit featuring faraday bags, a “blocker locker,” and battery kits that will help bring them into the new age of digital forensics.

“Our mission is to support our crime fighters,” Judy said. “You are the unsung heroes that work behind the scenes.”

“Today, as we provide digital forensics equipment to law enforcement in the tri counties, we’re acknowledging the vital contribution of forensic investigators and detectives,” he continued. “Their expertise, often operating behind the scenes, plays a key role in ensuring our community’s safety. This donation is our commitment to supporting and reinforcing their essential work in crime fighting.”

Representatives from MOS Equipment and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. | Credit: Courtesy MOS Equipment

Jeff Ellis, an investigator with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, said that digital evidence is now part of almost every criminal investigation, and new tools like the ones provided by MOS Equipment help investigators meet some of the newest challenges. Now, for instance, when an arrest is made, it’s highly likely that data on a suspect’s mobile phone can directly link them to the crime. And with phones faster and more powerful than ever, more data is being stored and recovered from each device. “Everything is so powerful,” Ellis said. There are terabyte phones now with enormous amounts of data.

But recovering that data can be tricky. Suspects have been known to remote wipe their data before law enforcement has a chance to scrub for evidence. Other times, a battery can be drained before a phone is cracked, leaving the device locked and even more difficult to access.

With MOS Equipment tools, such as faraday bags, law enforcement can rest easy knowing that evidence is safe from risks such as remote hacking, tracking, and unauthorized access. Visit the MOS website for a full slate of products, including faraday baby blankets, car tents, and laptop bags.

- Author: Ryan P. Cruz
Published: January 12, 2024
Santa Barbara Independent