What is a significant characteristic of digital evidence?

Digital evidence is characterized by its susceptibility to alteration or destruction, making it crucial for investigators to handle it with care. This characteristic is due to the nature of digital data, which can be modified or deleted with relative ease using various tools and methods. It’s essential for law enforcement and investigators to use proper techniques for collecting, preserving, and analyzing digital evidence to maintain its integrity and reliability in a legal context.

The other options do not accurately reflect the characteristics of digital evidence. For example, the notion that it is impervious to tampering is misleading, as digital data can be manipulated. Additionally, stating that digital evidence is always stored safely does not take into account the various risks associated with data storage, such as hardware failures or cybersecurity threats. Lastly, the idea that digital evidence cannot be time-sensitive overlooks the reality that timestamps and the timing of data creation or modification are often critical in criminal investigations. Understanding the fluid nature of digital evidence highlights the need for rigorous preservation methods to ensure it can be effectively utilized in legal proceedings.