Chain of Custody Audit

A Checklist for When Evidence is Challenged in Court

An unbroken chain of custody is not a formality — it is a forensic requirement.

Verify original file integrity — SHA-256 recalculation and comparison
Audit the collection log — completeness, consistency, operator identity
Verify timestamp certificate validity — TSA accreditation, certificate validity
Reconstruct the access history — every person, every access, every reason
Address any chain of custody gaps proactively — before the challenge hearing
Prepare a chain of custody summary for the court — one page per exhibit

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SHA-256

Integrity verification tool

Recalculating the SHA-256 hash of every produced file and comparing it against the recorded collection hash establishes — mathematically — whether any file has been modified since collection.

Acceptable hash mismatches

A single hash mismatch is a critical integrity failure that must be investigated and explained. There is no acceptable level of hash inconsistency in a well-maintained evidence set.

TSA

Timestamp authority verification

RFC 3161 timestamp certificates can be independently verified against the TSA's public key. Verification results should be documented and retained as part of the evidence record.

Key Principle

The foundation of any chain of custody challenge response is hash verification. If the SHA-256 hash of every produced file matches the hash recorded at collection, the evidential integrity of every file is established — regardless of what the opposing expert alleges.

What's Inside

7 steps for a chain of custody audit.

I Verify Original File Integrity — SHA-256 recalculation and comparison

II Audit the Collection Log — completeness, consistency, operator identity

III Verify Timestamp Certificate Validity — TSA accreditation, certificate validity

IV Reconstruct the Access History — every person, every access, every reason

V Address Any Chain of Custody Gaps — proactively, before the challenge hearing

VI Prepare for Cross-Examination on Methodology — tool reliability, limitations

VII Prepare a Chain of Custody Summary for the Court — one-page per exhibit