The courts determined that a cybercrimes case could no longer be prosecuted due to the agency's handling of evidence. Which of the following was MOST likely violated during the investigation?

Open-source software refers to software with publicly accessible source code and is unrelated to legal procedures for handling evidence.

A EULA (End User License Agreement) is a contract between the licensor and purchaser of software, which is not pertinent to the proper handling of evidence in a criminal investigation.

The chain of custody is a critical forensic principle that documents the chronological history of evidence, showing its seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition. Violations of this chain can compromise the integrity and admissibility of evidence in court, leading to cases being dismissed.

An AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) defines rules for using an organization's resources and does not govern the legal collection and preservation of evidence.