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200-201 Practice Question: An investigator seizes a laptop as evidence from…
An investigator seizes a laptop as evidence from a crime scene. At the scene, the laptop is turned on and a log file is open. What should the investigator do to preserve evidence according to chain of custody procedures?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that shutting down a live system is safe, but the trap here is that volatile data (like the open log file's contents in memory) is lost and the shutdown process itself can alter the disk, making forensic imaging the only correct preservation method.
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
✓
Photograph the screen and create a forensic image
The investigator must first document the volatile state of the evidence by photographing the screen (capturing the open log file) and then create a forensic image (bit-for-bit copy) of the entire hard drive. This preserves the original data integrity and adheres to chain of custody procedures, ensuring that the evidence is not altered and can be verified later via hash verification (e.g., MD5 or SHA-256).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Close the log file and copy it to a USB drive
Why it's wrong here
Copying may alter timestamps and not preserve the exact state.
- ✗
Shut down the laptop and remove the hard drive
Why it's wrong here
Shutting down loses volatile data.
- ✗
Execute the log file to ensure it is legitimate
Why it's wrong here
Execution modifies evidence.
- ✓
Photograph the screen and create a forensic image
Why this is correct
This captures the current state and preserves the evidence.
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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.