What is the primary objective of establishing chain of custody for digital evidence?

• A. To allow the evidence to be changed without notice.
• B. To determine relevance of evidence.
• C. To document the source and integrity of the evidence ensuring non-tampering.
• D. To avoid any witness testimony.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that chain of custody for digital evidence documents where the evidence came from and keeps its exact state intact as it moves through different hands and procedures. By recording every transfer, who handled it, when, where, and how, and by verifying its data with checksums or hashes, you prove that the evidence is authentic and has not been altered, substituted, or degraded. This ensures the evidence can be trusted in court and minimizes challenges to its integrity. It’s not about changing evidence without notice, determining relevance, or avoiding testimony—those are different concepts or processes.