26. An incident handler needs to preserve evidence for possible litigation. Which of the following will the incident handler most likely do to preserve the evidence?
Answer: B
Clone any impacted hard drives.
To preserve evidence for possible litigation, the incident handler will most likely clone any impacted hard drives. Cloning ensures that an exact copy of the data is made, which can be analyzed without altering the original evidence.
A) Encrypt the files.
While encrypting files can protect their contents from unauthorized access, it does not directly contribute to the preservation of evidence for litigation. Encryption may complicate the analysis of the data, which is contrary to the goals of evidence preservation.
B) Clone any impacted hard drives.
Cloning any impacted hard drives is the most appropriate action for preserving evidence. This method creates an exact replica of the data, allowing forensic analysis to be conducted on the clone while keeping the original evidence intact and unaltered, which is crucial for legal proceedings.
C) Contact the cyber insurance company.
Contacting the cyber insurance company may be important for financial reasons, but it does not directly preserve evidence. This action does not ensure that the original data remains intact for investigation or legal processes.
D) Inform law enforcement.
Informing law enforcement is a necessary step in some cases, but it does not itself preserve evidence. While law enforcement can assist in the investigation, the immediate responsibility of preserving evidence falls on the incident handler, primarily through actions like cloning hard drives.
Conclusion
Cloning any impacted hard drives is the definitive correct answer as it directly addresses the need to maintain the integrity of evidence for litigation. Other options either do not contribute to evidence preservation or serve different purposes that do not align with the immediate need for forensic integrity in legal contexts.