How does a digital forensics investigator ensure evidence is not tampered with?

A digital forensics investigator ensures that evidence is not tampered with by using write-blockers during data acquisition. Write-blockers are specialized devices that allow read access to storage media while preventing any write operations from occurring. This is crucial in preserving the integrity of the original evidence because any write operation, whether intentional or accidental, could alter the data on the device, rendering it unreliable for analysis in legal contexts.

When a write-blocker is used, it creates a secure environment that guarantees the evidence remains unchanged during the examination, which is essential for maintaining a chain of custody and ensuring the evidence can be used in court. This step is foundational in digital forensics, as the integrity of the data must be preserved to substantiate any findings or conclusions drawn during an investigation.

While other methods, such as creating multiple copies of evidence, employing encryption tools, or ensuring the device is powered off, contribute to evidence handling and security, they do not specifically prevent alterations to the original data during its immediate acquisition and examination, which is where write-blockers play an indispensable role.