During an incident response, a security analyst has identified a server that may have been compromised. The analyst decides to take an image of the server's hard drive for further analysis. Which of the following is the MOST critical step to ensure the integrity of the investigation?
Physically secure the server to prevent further access.
Document the process and the individuals involved in handling the server.
Generate a digital hash of the server's hard drive image.
Limit access to the server by updating access control lists.
Creating a digital hash of the hard drive image is critical to maintain the integrity of the investigation. Hashing the image ensures that an investigator can verify that the evidence has not been altered from the time of acquisition. This process establishes a unique digital fingerprint for the data at the moment of capture, which can be compared against the data at any point afterward to confirm that it remains unaltered. Physically securing the server and limiting access to the server are important, but they do not address the integrity of the digital evidence after its acquisition. Documenting the process is also essential but secondary to securing the image's integrity through hashing.
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What steps should be taken to properly document the incident response process?