Integrity is defined as which of the following?

• A. Guarding against improper information modification or destruction and includes ensuring information non-repudiation and authenticity
• B. Ensuring timely and reliable access to information
• C. The act of holding information in confidence
• D. Conserving device restrictions on information access

Answer: (A)

Integrity means keeping data accurate, trustworthy, and unaltered by unauthorized actions, so you can rely on what the information says. This includes guarding against improper modification or destruction and ensuring you can verify the data’s source and origin—non-repudiation and authenticity. That direct idea matches the option that emphasizes preventing unauthorized changes and preserving verifiable provenance. In practice, if someone changes a record or deletes it without permission, integrity is compromised; mechanisms like digital signatures provide authenticity and non-repudiation to help maintain integrity. The other concepts describe different aspects: availability is about timely, reliable access to information; confidentiality concerns keeping information secret from unauthorized eyes; and a restriction-focused option addresses access controls rather than ensuring data remains correct and attributable.