Identify Breaks in a Custody Log

A chain of custody is only as strong as its weakest link. A "break" in the chain is any gap or inconsistency in the documentation that creates uncertainty about the integrity of the evidence. This could be a missing signature on a transfer log, an ambiguous or unrecorded timestamp, or an evidence bag that shows signs of tampering. In the digital world, one of the most significant breaks is an incomplete or mismatched hash value. If an investigator fails to record a hash, or if the hash of a copy doesn't match the original, they can no longer prove the evidence is authentic.