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 determined during detection and analysis.
- ✗
To ensure that evidence is stored in a secure location
Why it's wrong here
Secure storage is important but not the primary purpose of chain of custody.
- ✓
To prove that evidence has not been altered or tampered with from collection to presentation
Why this is correct
Chain of custody maintains integrity and admissibility.
- ✗
To identify which forensic tools were used during analysis
Why it's wrong here
Tool identification is separate from chain of custody.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 SSCP exam.