A high-tech company dealing with sensitive data seized the mobile device of an employee suspected of leaking company secrets to a competitive organization. Which of the following is the BEST order…

This order proceeds from device isolation directly to data processing without including a tool preparation or identification step, skipping critical pre-acquisition planning that ensures the correct acquisition method is applied.

Per NIST SP 800-101r1 and standard digital forensics practice, evidence intake must occur first after seizure to formally document the device, record its condition, and establish an unbroken chain of custody required for legal admissibility. Device identification follows because knowing the make, model, OS version, and state of the device directly determines which forensic tools and acquisition methods are appropriate, and preparation of those tools must precede any data extraction or processing steps.

Placing the evidence log before device isolation risks allowing remote wipe commands or network-triggered changes to alter the device state before it is protected, weakening the integrity of the evidence.

Beginning with device identification before completing evidence intake skips the chain of custody documentation that must be the first formal step once a device has been taken into custody, potentially invalidating the evidence in court.