Chain of custody describes the documentation of a piece of evidence through its life cycle. This life cycle begins when an individual first takes custody of the piece of evidence, to when the incident is finally disposed of and the evidence can either be returned or destroyed. Maintaining a proper chain of custody is critical. In the event that a piece of evidence has to be brought into a courtroom, any break in the chain of custody can lead to the piece of evidence being excluded from ever being admitted into the proceedings. It is critical, therefore, to ensure that the entire life cycle of the piece of evidence is recorded.
There are two primary ways that a CSIRT can record and maintain the chain of custody of a piece ...
