Quick Answer
The correct actions to support forensic evidence acquisition integrity are calculating and recording cryptographic hashes of acquired disk images and maintaining chain-of-custody documentation. Hashing, typically using SHA-256, creates a unique digital fingerprint of the evidence at the moment of acquisition; any subsequent alteration to the image will produce a different hash, immediately revealing tampering or corruption. Chain-of-custody documentation, meanwhile, provides a verifiable, chronological paper trail of who handled the evidence and when, ensuring no unauthorized access occurred. On the CompTIA CySA+ CS0-003 exam, this topic tests your understanding of foundational forensic procedures, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must distinguish between actions that preserve integrity versus those that merely collect data. A common trap is confusing logical acquisition with physical acquisition—remember that hashing and chain-of-custody apply to both, but only hashing directly verifies data integrity. Memory tip: "Hash it, track it, lock it" — hash the image, track the chain, and lock the evidence in a secure container.
This CS0-003 practice question tests your understanding of incident response and management. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A responder is acquiring evidence from a potentially compromised server. Which actions support forensic integrity? (Choose two.)
Calculate and record hashes of acquired images
Hashes support integrity verification.
Disable all logging before acquisition
Why wrong: Disabling logs reduces evidence and visibility.
Maintain chain-of-custody documentation
Custody records show who handled evidence and when.
Edit suspicious files to see whether malware reacts
Why wrong: Changing files can contaminate evidence.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Calculate and record hashes of acquired images
Calculating and recording hashes (e.g., SHA-256) of acquired disk images ensures data integrity by providing a cryptographic fingerprint that can be used later to verify that the evidence has not been altered. This is a foundational step in forensic acquisition, as any modification to the image will produce a different hash, proving tampering or corruption.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Calculate and record hashes of acquired images
Why this is correct
Hashes support integrity verification.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Disable all logging before acquisition
Why it's wrong here
Disabling logs reduces evidence and visibility.
Maintain chain-of-custody documentation
Why this is correct
Custody records show who handled evidence and when.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Edit suspicious files to see whether malware reacts
Why it's wrong here
Changing files can contaminate evidence.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the misconception that disabling logging helps preserve the integrity of the acquisition process, when in fact it destroys potential evidence and violates forensic best practices.
Detailed technical explanation
Hashing algorithms like SHA-256 produce a fixed-size output (256 bits) from arbitrary input data; even a single bit change in the source data yields a completely different hash (avalanche effect). In practice, forensic tools such as FTK Imager or dd with sha256sum are used to compute the hash before and after acquisition, and the hash value is recorded in the chain-of-custody documentation to provide a verifiable audit trail.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
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FAQ
Incident Response and Management — This question tests Incident Response and Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Calculate and record hashes of acquired images — Calculating and recording hashes (e.g., SHA-256) of acquired disk images ensures data integrity by providing a cryptographic fingerprint that can be used later to verify that the evidence has not been altered. This is a foundational step in forensic acquisition, as any modification to the image will produce a different hash, proving tampering or corruption.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CS0-003 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CS0-003 exam.
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