Edward, an experienced CHFI professional, was conducting an investigation into potential intellectual property theft at...

Option B is the best answer because one of the most fundamental forensic acquisition principles is to avoid changing the original evidence . CHFI v11 emphasizes preserving evidence , best practices for handling digital evidence , data acquisition methodology , and maintaining evidence integrity so the results remain defensible in legal or disciplinary proceedings. That principle applies regardless of device type, operating system, or case category.

This rule of thumb is broader and more important than the other options because the correct acquisition approach depends on the system state and circumstances. Live acquisition is not always appropriate. Focusing only on non-volatile data may cause investigators to miss valuable volatile evidence. Network-based acquisition is not universally the least intrusive or the best approach. What remains constant is the duty to minimize alteration of the original source.

By preserving the original data and performing analysis on properly acquired copies, the investigator protects the integrity, repeatability, and admissibility of the evidence. Therefore, the most accurate CHFI-aligned rule of thumb is that Edward should avoid making changes to the original data during acquisition.