SSCP Incident Response and Recovery Practice Question
Which of the following is the PRIMARY purpose of establishing a chain of custody when handling digital evidence?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse the purpose of chain of custody with the purpose of secure storage (Option B), but the exam specifically tests that the primary goal is proving evidence integrity through an unbroken record of custody, not just physical security.
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
✓
To prove that evidence has not been altered or tampered with from collection to presentation
The primary purpose of chain of custody is to create a documented, unbroken record of every person who handled the evidence, from collection through presentation in court. This documentation is critical to demonstrate that the digital evidence has not been altered, tampered with, or corrupted, thereby preserving its integrity and admissibility. Without a proper chain of custody, the opposing party can successfully challenge the evidence as unreliable or compromised.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
To determine the priority of the incident
Why it's wrong here
Incident priority is set during triage by impact and urgency, not by custody documentation. Chain of custody is tempting because it is part of incident response, but its purpose is proving evidence integrity and unbroken handling from seizure through to court presentation.
- ✗
To ensure that evidence is stored in a secure location
Why it's wrong here
Secure storage protects evidence physically but does not document who handled it, when, or what was done. Chain of custody is tempting here because custody records do support storage accountability, yet its primary purpose is demonstrating that evidence remained unaltered and unbroken from collection to presentation.
- ✓
To prove that evidence has not been altered or tampered with from collection to presentation
Why this is correct
A documented chain of custody records every transfer, handler and storage condition from seizure to courtroom, creating an auditable trail that demonstrates the evidence's integrity remained intact. This directly satisfies the stem's demand for the primary purpose: proving the data was neither altered nor tampered with between collection and presentation.
- ✗
To identify which forensic tools were used during analysis
Why it's wrong here
Chain of custody documents who handled evidence, when, and how it was transferred, ensuring admissibility by proving integrity. Tool identification belongs in the forensic report, not the custody log. It is tempting because forensic documentation does record methodology, but that is a separate artefact from the custody record itself.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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