200-201 Security Policies and Procedures Practice Question
A security analyst is collecting evidence from a compromised system for legal proceedings. Which TWO actions are critical to preserve the integrity of the evidence?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Compute a cryptographic hash of the original drive before imaging
Option B is correct because computing a cryptographic hash (e.g., SHA-256 or MD5) of the original drive before imaging establishes a verifiable baseline value that can later be compared against the hash of the forensic image to prove the copy is bit-for-bit identical and unaltered, which is essential for evidence admissibility. Option E is correct because a hardware or software write-blocker prevents any write operations from reaching the source drive during imaging, ensuring the original evidence is not modified and preserving its integrity for legal proceedings. Option A is wrong because storing evidence in a public folder exposes it to tampering, unauthorized access, and contamination, destroying the chain of custody. Option C is wrong because deleting files alters the original evidence and constitutes spoliation. Option D is wrong because running the system normally modifies the drive and volatile state, contaminating the evidence rather than preserving it.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Store the evidence in a public folder for easy access
Why it's wrong here
Storing evidence in a public folder destroys its integrity: shared permissions allow anyone to alter or delete files, breaking the chain of custody required for legal proceedings. It is tempting as a convenient way to share artefacts with investigators, which would suit informal collaboration, not evidence destined for court.
- ✓
Compute a cryptographic hash of the original drive before imaging
Why this is correct
Hashing the original drive before imaging creates a verifiable baseline; any later hash mismatch on the copy proves the data was altered. This satisfies the admissibility constraint by demonstrating the evidence remained unmodified from seizure through analysis.
- ✗
Delete any sensitive files to protect privacy
Why it's wrong here
Deleting files destroys evidence and breaks the chain of custody, potentially making the artefacts inadmissible. It is tempting when the files contain personal data, and deletion would be correct under a data-retention policy outside a legal hold or active investigation.
- ✗
Run the system normally to capture volatile data
Why it's wrong here
Running the system normally alters timestamps, logs and memory state, contaminating evidence; volatile data must be captured with approved forensic tooling first. It is tempting because live data is valuable, and running the system would be correct during routine incident triage where legal admissibility is not required.
- ✓
Use a write-blocker when creating a forensic image
Why this is correct
A hardware write-blocker intercepts write commands at the interface level, preventing the operating system from altering the source drive during imaging. This preserves the original media's integrity, satisfying the legal requirement that evidence remain unmodified.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 200-201 question from scratch — 968 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.