Data integrity refers to the accuracy and reliability of data, which must be complete and without changes. Human error, system glitches, viruses, and physical damage can compromise data integrity. Designers and users of databases must consider data integrity to protect sensitive information. Training and IT support can help maintain data integrity.
Data integrity is a term used to indicate the accuracy and reliability of data. The data must be complete, without changes or compromises from the original, to be considered reliable and accurate. Data integrity tradeoffs can occur in a number of ways. In industries where data is handled, identifying and addressing potential sources of data damage is an important aspect of data security.
Problems with data integrity can start with a human source. People entering records can make mistakes, leading to variations between the original data and the data stored in a system. Similarly, people can make mistakes when transferring or copying data electronically, causing a disparity between different versions of a file or references to a file. To maintain data integrity, no changes or alterations need to be made to the data.
As data is entered, stored, accessed, moved, and updated, weaknesses in a system can compromise the data. Glitches in a computer can lead to partial data overwriting or other data errors. Viruses can be created to attack the integrity of data, some work silently to damage data without betraying their presence. Interruptions in various operations can cause problems, as well as mechanical damage such as exposure to magnets or physical damage caused by power outages and other events.
Designers of data architectures for everything from government databases to file systems on personal computers must consider data integrity when working on such systems. They think about how the system will be used, identify potential obvious threats and develop methods to protect the system to protect data. Failure to predict can lead to catastrophic trade-offs and the potential inadvertent release of protected or sensitive data—a particularly serious problem with databases containing personally identifiable or personal information about individuals and institutions.
People who work with databases can receive data integrity training, including reminders to review data as it is entered, to save and back up data regularly, and to immediately report any suspected compromises or questionable activity. The quicker a problem is recognized, the easier it will be to address. Support personnel, like IT personnel, also work to protect databases from external attacks with tools such as firewalls, antivirus software, and periodic scans for malicious code. Similarly, systems can also be designed to lock data in a read-only format to protect it from tampering or interference that could compromise its integrity.
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