hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
200-201 Practice Question: During a forensic investigation, an analyst…
During a forensic investigation, an analyst acquires a hard drive image using dd. What must be done to ensure the evidence is admissible in court?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between integrity preservation (write blocker) and other security goals like confidentiality (encryption) or storage efficiency (compression), leading candidates to confuse admissibility requirements with general best practices.
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
✓
Use a write blocker
Using a write blocker ensures that the hard drive is not modified during acquisition, preserving the original data's integrity. This is critical for maintaining the chain of custody and demonstrating that the evidence has not been tampered with, which is a fundamental requirement for admissibility in court. The dd command itself does not prevent writes; a hardware or software write blocker must be used to guarantee read-only access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Encrypt the image
Why it's wrong here
Encryption can hinder analysis and is not required for admissibility.
- ✓
Use a write blocker
Why this is correct
Write blockers prevent modification of the original evidence.
- ✗
Compress the image
Why it's wrong here
Compression may modify data bits and break integrity.
- ✗
Store the image in a shared folder
Why it's wrong here
Shared folders lack access controls and alter chain of custody.
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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.