In a corporate investigation involving suspected data theft from Google Workspace accounts, the forensic examiner...

Option C is the best answer because CHFI v11 places strong emphasis on lawful evidence handling, search and seizure requirements, privacy compliance, and cloud forensics procedures . The exam blueprint specifically includes “Google Workspace Forensics” under cloud-related forensic activities, which means investigators are expected to follow recognized forensic and legal procedures when collecting evidence from cloud-hosted services. It also separately lists “obtaining a warrant for search and seizure,” “seeking consent,” “preserving evidence,” and “chain of custody” as core legal and procedural requirements for digital investigations.

Choices A and D are incorrect because they ignore due process and risk making the evidence inadmissible or improperly obtained. Choice B is cautious, but it does not directly satisfy the formal legal requirement for acquiring evidence from a cloud account. In CHFI terms, a forensic examiner must combine cloud forensics methodology with rules of evidence and legal authorization . Therefore, obtaining proper judicial or legal authority before accessing a Google Workspace account is the most defensible and CHFI-aligned response.