- A
Power on the laptop to confirm the user profile and recent activity before transport.
Why wrong: Turning it on can alter evidence and create new timestamps, which weakens forensic integrity and chain of custody.
- B
Place it in a labeled evidence bag, record the collector, time, location, and condition, and require signatures for each transfer.
Chain of custody depends on proving who handled the evidence, when, where, and in what condition. Documenting the device at collection, sealing it appropriately, and recording every transfer creates a defensible record that supports legal review. This approach reduces the risk of tampering claims and helps establish that the laptop was preserved from the moment it was seized until it reaches legal or forensic personnel.
- C
Remove the drive and clone it without documenting the collection process.
Why wrong: Cloning may be useful later, but undocumented handling breaks the custody record and makes the evidence harder to defend legally.
- D
Email a photo of the laptop to legal and leave the original on a desk.
Why wrong: A photo does not preserve evidence integrity, and leaving the original unsecured creates an obvious tampering risk.
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. 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.
Security receives a company laptop used in an insider theft investigation. A manager wants the device moved to another office for review by legal staff. Which action best supports chain of custody?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Place it in a labeled evidence bag, record the collector, time, location, and condition, and require signatures for each transfer.
Option B is correct because it follows the formal chain of custody process required for evidence handling. Placing the laptop in a labeled evidence bag with documented collector, time, location, and condition, along with requiring signatures for each transfer, ensures the integrity and admissibility of evidence by creating an unbroken audit trail. This aligns with NIST SP 800-86 and forensic best practices for maintaining custody of digital evidence.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Power on the laptop to confirm the user profile and recent activity before transport.
Why it's wrong here
Turning it on can alter evidence and create new timestamps, which weakens forensic integrity and chain of custody.
- ✓
Place it in a labeled evidence bag, record the collector, time, location, and condition, and require signatures for each transfer.
Why this is correct
Chain of custody depends on proving who handled the evidence, when, where, and in what condition. Documenting the device at collection, sealing it appropriately, and recording every transfer creates a defensible record that supports legal review. This approach reduces the risk of tampering claims and helps establish that the laptop was preserved from the moment it was seized until it reaches legal or forensic personnel.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Remove the drive and clone it without documenting the collection process.
Why it's wrong here
Cloning may be useful later, but undocumented handling breaks the custody record and makes the evidence harder to defend legally.
- ✗
Email a photo of the laptop to legal and leave the original on a desk.
Why it's wrong here
A photo does not preserve evidence integrity, and leaving the original unsecured creates an obvious tampering risk.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the misconception that simply securing the device or performing preliminary analysis is sufficient, but the trap here is that any action altering the device state or lacking formal documentation breaks the chain of custody, even if the intent is to preserve evidence.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Chain of custody relies on a documented chronological paper trail showing seizure, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of evidence, often using forms that include unique evidence tags, timestamps, and signatures. In digital forensics, even a single unaccounted transfer can render evidence inadmissible under Daubert or Frye standards, as the possibility of tampering cannot be excluded. Real-world scenarios, such as corporate insider theft investigations, require strict adherence to these protocols to withstand legal scrutiny in court or HR proceedings.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Place it in a labeled evidence bag, record the collector, time, location, and condition, and require signatures for each transfer. — Option B is correct because it follows the formal chain of custody process required for evidence handling. Placing the laptop in a labeled evidence bag with documented collector, time, location, and condition, along with requiring signatures for each transfer, ensures the integrity and admissibility of evidence by creating an unbroken audit trail. This aligns with NIST SP 800-86 and forensic best practices for maintaining custody of digital evidence.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This SY0-701 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 SY0-701 exam.
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