Digital Chain of Custody

Digital Chain of Custody refers to the documented, secure process of handling digital evidence from collection to presentation. It ensures that digital data—such as files, emails, or logs—remains unaltered and authentic throughout its lifecycle. This process involves tracking every action taken on the data, including who accessed it, when, and what was done, creating an unbroken record. Maintaining a digital chain of custody is essential in legal and investigative contexts to prove that digital evidence is genuine and has not been tampered with, upholding its integrity and credibility in proceedings.