Below are the various steps involved in forensic readiness planning. Keep an incident response team ready to review the incident and preserve the…

The sequence in option A represents a logical progression for establishing forensic readiness. The process begins with foundational identification steps: determining what evidence may be required (3) and where it resides (4). It then transitions to creating the procedural framework by defining policies for legal evidence extraction (8) and secure handling/storage (7). The subsequent steps address operational aspects by defining investigation triggers (6), formalizing documentation processes (2), establishing legal oversight for the investigation process itself (5), and ensuring the incident response team is prepared (1). This structured approach from evidence identification to policy definition and finally to operational readiness is a coherent model for forensic readiness planning.

B. This sequence is incorrect because it prioritizes documentation (2) and team readiness (1) before fundamental planning steps like identifying evidence sources (4).
C. This option incorrectly places team readiness (1) immediately after identifying evidence types, which is premature as collection and handling policies have not yet been defined.
D. This option incorrectly begins with operational readiness (1), which is an outcome of the planning process, not the starting point.

1. Tan, J. (2001). Forensic readiness. AusCERT Asia Pacific Information Technology Security Conference. This foundational paper outlines a 10-step model for forensic readiness. The model's sequence aligns with option A's logic, starting with identifying business scenarios and evidence sources (similar to steps 3 & 4), then defining collection and storage capabilities (similar to steps 8 & 7), and later establishing a legal review process and training staff (similar to steps 5 & 1). This supports placing policy definition before establishing the final oversight and operational teams.

2. ISO/IEC 27043:2015, Information technology — Security techniques — Incident investigation principles and processes. Section 5, "Processes," describes the "Readiness Processes." These processes emphasize a structured approach that includes identifying potential incident scenarios and evidence, defining procedures for evidence handling, and preparing the necessary resources (including personnel and legal counsel). The flow in option A, from identification to procedure definition to resource readiness, is consistent with the principles of this international standard.

3. NIST Special Publication 800-61 Rev. 2, Computer Security Incident Handling Guide. Section 3.1, "Preparation," details the activities necessary before an incident occurs. It emphasizes the need to establish policies and procedures for forensics, evidence handling, and incident response. It also discusses acquiring necessary tools and training the team. The guide implicitly supports a sequence where policies and procedures (like steps 8 & 7) are established before the team is considered fully operational and ready (step 1).