Integrity in the context of#cybersecurity refers to the assurance that information is not altered or tampered with by unauthorized individuals, entities, or processes. This principle ensures the accuracy and reliability of data throughout its lifecycle.
Integrity is a fundamental component of the CIA triad in information security, alongside confidentiality and availability.
To maintain data integrity, various strategies and technologies are employed, such as:
- Checksums and Hash Functions: Used to verify the integrity of data during transmission or storage.
- Digital Signatures: Ensure that a piece of digital data or document is authentic and unaltered.
- Access Controls: Prevent unauthorized modification of data.
- Version Control Systems: Track changes to documents or code to ensure that alterations are legitimate and traceable.
Breach of data integrity can have serious consequences, such as misinformation, decision-making based on false data1, and compromise of system functionality2.
Footnotes
-
DigiNotar Breach: This event underscored the vulnerability of digital certificate systems and the potential for widespread impact when data integrity is compromised. ↩
-
Stuxnet Worm: An example of how cyberattacks can achieve physical effects by compromising the integrity of industrial control systems. ↩