Which principle ensures that data is truthful and authentic?

The principle that ensures data is truthful and authentic is integrity. In the context of information security, integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency, and trustworthiness of data throughout its lifecycle. It is essential for maintaining the quality and reliability of information, ensuring that it has not been altered or tampered with in an unauthorized manner.

When data integrity is upheld, users can have confidence that the information they are accessing reflects the true state of the data, allowing for accurate decision-making and operations. Integrity can be compromised through various means such as accidental deletions, malicious alterations, or corruption, making it vital to implement measures like checksums, hash functions, and access controls to protect the integrity of the data.

The other principles, while important, serve different purposes. Availability focuses on ensuring that data is accessible when needed. Possession relates to having control over the physical assets and information. Authentication is concerned with verifying the identity of users or systems attempting to access the data. However, these aspects do not directly guarantee that the data itself remains truthful and authentic, which is the primary concern of integrity.