Dictionary · Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Integrity
Goals · Beginner
The goal of preventing and detecting unauthorized changes to data, software, and system configuration.
It answers whether the information is still the information you think it is. Hashes, signatures, and change control help you notice tampering or accidents.
Example: A downloaded installer is checked against a published hash. A mismatch means the file's integrity is in doubt.
Common misconception
- A system can keep a secret and still have this goal fail if someone quietly changes the data.