What is defined as "integrity" in the CIA triad?

In the context of the CIA triad, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability, integrity specifically refers to the accuracy and consistency of data over its entire lifecycle. This means that integrity ensures that data cannot be altered or tampered with unauthorizedly, thus maintaining its trustworthiness.

When we talk about preventing unauthorized changes to data, we are ensuring that the information remains as intended by the original creator or input source. This is crucial in various scenarios, such as financial records, healthcare information, and any system where accurate data is vital for operations and decision-making.

Therefore, the essence of integrity is about safeguarding the data from being changed inappropriately, which aligns perfectly with being able to prevent unauthorized changes.