What does data integrity refer to?

Data integrity refers to the accuracy and consistency of data throughout its lifecycle. This concept is crucial in various fields, particularly in cybersecurity, where maintaining the correctness and reliability of information is essential for operational effectiveness and decision-making.

Data integrity ensures that data remains unaltered during processes such as storage, transmission, and retrieval. This means that any changes to the data, whether intentional (like updates) or accidental (like corruption), are monitored and controlled to prevent unauthorized modifications. Techniques such as checksums, hashing, and cryptographic methods are often employed to verify that data has not been tampered with.

While speed of data retrieval, storage capacity, and backup processes are important aspects of data management, they do not directly pertain to the concept of data integrity. Data integrity specifically emphasizes maintaining the reliability and trustworthiness of data, regardless of how quickly it can be accessed or how much space it occupies.