Which characteristic is essential for a forensic-ready system?

A forensic-ready system is designed to ensure that digital evidence can be collected, preserved, and analyzed without compromising its integrity. Maintaining logs and backups for potential future investigations is essential because it establishes a clear trail of activities and changes made to the system. This logging is crucial in forensic analysis, as it provides context for actions taken on the system, helps identify potential incidents, and preserves evidence for future legal or investigative processes. The logs serve to document system states and user interactions, which can be critical in any investigation.

While high storage capacity, fast processing speed, and support for multiple operating systems can enhance the performance and usability of a system, they do not inherently contribute to the forensic readiness. These features might improve operational efficiency but do not necessarily ensure that the system is prepared for forensic investigations. In contrast, maintaining thorough logs and backups directly aligns with the principles of preserving digital evidence.