// THREAT DETECTION AND DATA PRIVACY TERM
Chain of Custody
Chain of Custody refers to the documented chronological history of physical or electronic evidence, detailing who had possession of it, when, and for what purpose. It ensures the integrity and authenticity of evidence, making it admissible in legal or administrative proceedings.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Chain of Custody is a critical forensic process in cybersecurity, military, and intelligence operations, establishing a meticulously documented, unbroken audit trail for digital and physical evidence from collection to analysis and presentation. This continuous record of possession, transfer, and handling ensures evidence integrity and authenticity, supporting legal admissibility and investigative validity in cybercrime, espionage, or incident response scenarios.
BACKGROUND
A cyberattack occurs when there is an unauthorized action against computer infrastructure that compromises the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of its content.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Evidence Trail
- Custodial Record
- Audit Trail
- Documentation of Evidence
- Handling Record
USAGE NOTE
Maintaining a strict chain of custody is paramount in cybersecurity forensics and intelligence gathering to prove that evidence has not been tampered with and is reliable for legal prosecution or decision-making.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Chain of Custody.
Develops digital forensics software like AXIOM, which is essential for collecting, preserving, and analyzing digital evidence while maintaining a verifiable chain of custody for investigations.
Offers digital forensics, e-discovery, and incident response platforms (including the Forensic Toolkit - FTK) that ensure the integrity and chain of custody of digital evidence from collection through analysis.
Through its EnCase platform, OpenText provides solutions for digital forensics and e-discovery, enabling investigators to acquire, process, and analyze digital evidence while strictly adhering to chain of custody principles.
Provides a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platform that collects, indexes, and correlates log data from various sources, creating an immutable audit trail crucial for establishing a digital chain of custody in security incidents and compliance.
Offers endpoint detection and response (EDR) and incident response services that involve the secure collection, preservation, and analysis of forensic data from endpoints, with a strong focus on maintaining data integrity and chain of custody.
Develops various security and compliance technologies within Azure and Microsoft 365, including extensive logging, auditing, data governance, and immutable storage features that support digital chain of custody for cloud-based assets and operations.
Provides a range of cybersecurity services and products, including incident response, threat intelligence, and data security solutions that incorporate robust mechanisms for digital evidence collection, preservation, and chain of custody management.
Develops data integration and analysis platforms used by government and defense agencies. Their solutions often incorporate rigorous data provenance, audit trails, and access controls to ensure the chain of custody for highly sensitive information and intelligence.