What does Integrity refer to in the CIA triad?

Integrity in the context of the CIA triad, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability, specifically refers to the assurance that data is accurate, trustworthy, and has not been tampered with. This means that the data remains unchanged from its original state and that any modifications are authorized and tracked.

Maintaining integrity involves implementing controls such as access restrictions, checksums, and audit trails, which help ensure that data is reliable and that users can trust the information being presented to them. This is crucial for making informed decisions based on that data. The focus on keeping data unaltered and authentic underscores why this aspect is fundamental to the security and usability of information within any system.