Data Integrity
Definition and meaning
Data integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency and completeness of data throughout its entire life cycle. It is about ensuring that data is not falsified by errors, manipulation or unauthorized access. High data integrity is crucial for the reliability of IT systems and the trustworthiness of data in business-critical applications.
Measures to ensure data integrity
To ensure data integrity, companies use backups, access controls and encryption. Mechanisms such as checksums and transaction logs are also used to detect and rectify data errors. Data integrity is particularly essential in the financial sector, the pharmaceutical industry and in cloud environments, where even the smallest deviations can have serious consequences.