What is the assurance that data received are exactly as sent by an authorized entity called?

• A. Data integrity
• B. Data security
• C. Data confidentiality
• D. Data authenticity

Answer: (A)

The assurance that data received are exactly as sent by an authorized entity is recognized as data integrity. Data integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of data during its entire lifecycle. It ensures that information remains unchanged and intact from the point of origin to the destination, safeguarding it against unauthorized modifications.

In the context of data integrity, mechanisms such as checksums, hashes, and digital signatures can be employed to verify that the data received matches the data that was originally sent. This is crucial for preventing errors or unauthorized alterations that could undermine the trustworthiness of the information.

While other options like data security or data confidentiality focus on protecting data from unauthorized access or ensuring that private information is kept secret, they do not specifically address the correctness or fidelity of the data itself. Similarly, data authenticity relates to verifying whether data comes from a legitimate source, but it does not ensure that the data has not been altered in transit. Therefore, the focus on the exact match of sent and received data aligns specifically with the concept of data integrity.