SCEC-approved tamper-evident bags

The purpose of tamper-evident bags is to make it obvious to the recipient that the bag has not been opened in any way during transit. The bags are closed using tamper-evident tape – special tape that leaves behind residue when lifted.

Security Construction and Equipment Committee (SCEC)

SCEC is an Australian government committee that certifies security equipment (among them, tamper-evident bags) for governmental use. For a product to become SCEC certified, a vendor submits it to SCEC for testing. If the product cannot be defeated or bypassed, it makes its way onto a brochure called the Security Equipment Evaluation Products List (SEEPL). The SEEPL is unfortunately not available to the public and is only shared on a "need-to-know" basis. However, I found an old copy of the brochure on a vendor's website. It was promptly removed after I notified SCEC. Awkward.

The SEEPL is protectively marked FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, when accessing this information you must take all reasonable action to protect and maintain the security of this document. Information contained in the SEEPL should only be shared with individuals with a demonstrated ‘need-to-know’.

Peeling tapes, slooowly

SCEC-approved bags are certified to contain top secret information in the government – the highest security classification. However at least two SCEC-approved bags I tested could be opened with a hair dryer softening up the adhesive and then slowly peeling them back. This is somewhat surprising.