Which aspect of cybersecurity ensures data is not altered or destroyed?

The aspect of cybersecurity that ensures data is not altered or destroyed is integrity. Integrity focuses on the accuracy and consistency of data over its lifecycle. This means that mechanisms are in place to detect and prevent unauthorized modifications, thereby maintaining the authenticity and reliability of the information.

When integrity is upheld, it guarantees that the data remains unchanged and authentic unless a legitimate update occurs, which is essential for preventing data corruption or malicious tampering. Systems that ensure integrity often utilize checksums, cryptographic hashes, and access controls to verify that the data remains as intended.

In this context, the other aspects, while crucial to cybersecurity, do not specifically address the requirement for data to remain unaltered. Authentication relates to verifying identities to ensure that only authorized users can access the data. Accountability involves tracking and monitoring user actions to ensure that activities are recorded for auditing purposes. Confidentiality focuses on ensuring that sensitive data is not disclosed to unauthorized users.