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Maintaining a chain of custody is essential in digital forensics primarily to ensure data integrity. The chain of custody refers to the documented process that details how evidence is collected, handled, stored, and transferred throughout an investigation. This meticulous record-keeping is crucial because it demonstrates that the evidence has not been altered, tampered with, or damaged during its handling.

Ensuring data integrity means that the evidence presented in court or an investigation is credible and can be trusted, which is paramount for legal proceedings. If the chain of custody is flawed, any evidence may be challenged and deemed inadmissible, compromising the entire investigation. This procedural rigor helps establish that the digital evidence is authentic and that its provenance is clear, allowing investigators and legal authorities to rely on the findings without question.

Other possible objectives, such as preventing data loss or improving investigation speed, are important but secondary to the necessity of upholding the integrity of the evidence. Maintaining a chain of custody does not directly focus on reducing storage costs either, as the primary concern is securing the evidence and ensuring its reliability throughout the investigation process.