Which principle of data security is focused on ensuring that data remains unaltered?

Integrity is the principle of data security that focuses on ensuring that data remains unaltered and accurate throughout its lifecycle. This principle ensures that the information has not been tampered with or modified, which is crucial for maintaining trustworthiness and reliability in data management.

When data integrity is upheld, it guarantees that users can rely on the information for making informed decisions, as it reflects true and original content. Mechanisms such as checksums, hashes, and access controls are commonly employed to protect data integrity by detecting unauthorized changes or corruption.

In contrast, confidentiality deals with protecting data from unauthorized access, ensuring that only authorized users can view sensitive information. Availability refers to ensuring that data and resources are accessible to authorized users when needed. Authenticity involves validating the legitimacy of a message, transaction, or user, confirming that it is genuine and not a forgery. While all these principles are vital to a robust data security strategy, integrity specifically pertains to the unaltered state of data.