Threats to ______________ are threats that actually alter data.

• A. Integrity
• B. Authentication
• C. Availability
• D. Confidentiality

Answer: (A)

Data integrity is about keeping information trustworthy and unmodified. When threats actually alter data, they compromise integrity because the information no longer reflects the true state or originates from a trusted source. Think of scenarios where a file is edited by an unauthorized actor, a database record is changed, or messages are altered in transit by a attacker. These actions damage the accuracy and reliability of the data itself.

To protect integrity, we rely on measures like cryptographic hashes to detect changes, digital signatures to verify origin, versioning and audits to track edits, and strict access controls to prevent unauthorized modifications. By contrast, confidentiality is about preventing unauthorized disclosure of data, and availability is about ensuring data and services remain reachable when needed. Since altering data directly undermines trust in the data’s accuracy, integrity is the best fit.