What is integrity?
Integrity in technology means that information, software, or a system remains accurate, complete, and unaltered unless a trusted, authorized change is made. It’s the guarantee that what you see is exactly what was intended to be there.
Let's break it down
- Data integrity: the data stays the same from creation to use (no accidental corruption).
- System integrity: the operating system and hardware run as they should, without hidden tampering.
- Code integrity: the program’s source or binaries haven’t been changed by malware or errors.
- Integrity checks: tools like checksums, hashes, and digital signatures that verify nothing was altered.
Why does it matter?
If integrity is broken, you can get wrong results, security breaches, or system failures. Trusting a database, a financial transaction, or a medical record depends on the data staying intact. Without integrity, even the best security measures become useless because you can’t be sure what you’re protecting.
Where is it used?
- Databases and data warehouses
- File storage systems and backups
- Network communications (e.g., TLS, VPNs)
- Software distribution and updates (digital signatures)
- Blockchain and distributed ledgers
- Embedded devices and IoT firmware
Good things about it
- Reliability: systems behave predictably.
- Security: attackers can’t silently modify data or code.
- Trust: users and partners have confidence in the information.
- Compliance: many regulations (HIPAA, GDPR, PCI‑DSS) require proven integrity.
- Easier troubleshooting: you know the source of errors isn’t hidden corruption.
Not-so-good things
- Performance overhead: calculating hashes or verifying signatures takes CPU and time.
- Complexity: implementing proper integrity checks adds design and maintenance work.
- False positives: legitimate changes can be flagged as tampering, causing alerts or downtime.
- Storage cost: keeping extra metadata (checksums, logs) consumes space.
- Potential for lock‑in: some integrity solutions rely on proprietary tools or formats.