Live data acquisition is the process of collecting volatile data from a system that is still running. Volatile data includes information stored in system memory (RAM), cache, and system and network configuration settings that are lost when the system is powered off. This method is essential for capturing data that can provide insights into the state of the system at the time of an incident, including active network connections, running processes, and the contents of memory. Marley must employ live data acquisition to ensure that this crucial and ephemeral data is not lost, which can be pivotal in understanding and responding to the incident effectively.