_____ ensures that information and programs change only in a specified and authorized manner.

• A. Integrity
• B. Confidentiality
• C. Availability
• D. Authenticity

Answer: (A)

Integrity is the principle that ensures information and programs are changed only in a specified and authorized manner. It covers protecting data from unauthorized or unintended modifications, and it enforces that any edits happen through approved processes by authorized people, with ways to detect deviations. Practically, this is supported by controls like access permissions, change management, versioning, and integrity checks (hashes, digital signatures) that confirm what you have hasn’t been altered and that changes are traceable. This focus on authorized changes distinguishes it from confidentiality (keeping data secret), availability (keeping systems accessible), and authenticity (verifying the source).