Quick Answer
The answer is hashing. Hashing is the correct control for ensuring data integrity because it applies a one-way mathematical function, such as SHA-256, to produce a fixed-length digest of the original data; even a single-bit change in the input yields a completely different hash output, making tampering or corruption immediately detectable. On the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how integrity differs from confidentiality—a common trap is confusing hashing with encryption, but remember that encryption is reversible and protects secrecy, while hashing is irreversible and verifies unchanged state. The exam often presents scenarios where an analyst must confirm that logs or files have not been altered, and hashing is the go‑to control for that purpose. A useful memory tip: “Hash it, don’t stash it”—hashing proves data hasn’t been tampered with, whereas encryption hides it.
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A security analyst needs to ensure data integrity. Which control best achieves this?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Logging
Why wrong: Logging records events but does not protect data integrity.
Encryption
Why wrong: Encryption provides confidentiality, not integrity.
Access control
Why wrong: Access control manages who can access data but does not detect tampering.
Hashing
Hashing produces a unique hash that changes if data is altered, ensuring integrity.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Hashing
Hashing is the correct control for ensuring data integrity because it produces a fixed-length digest (e.g., SHA-256) from the original data. Any change to the data, even a single bit, results in a completely different hash value, allowing the analyst to detect tampering or corruption. Unlike encryption, hashing is a one-way function that does not conceal the data but verifies its unchanged state.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Logging
Why it's wrong here
Logging records events but does not protect data integrity.
Encryption
Why it's wrong here
Encryption provides confidentiality, not integrity.
Access control
Why it's wrong here
Access control manages who can access data but does not detect tampering.
Hashing
Why this is correct
Hashing produces a unique hash that changes if data is altered, ensuring integrity.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between confidentiality (encryption) and integrity (hashing), so the trap here is that candidates confuse encryption's ability to hide data with the ability to detect tampering, leading them to select encryption instead of hashing.
Detailed technical explanation
Hashing algorithms like SHA-256 produce a message digest that is computationally infeasible to reverse, and any collision resistance property ensures that two different inputs do not produce the same hash. In practice, integrity is often combined with a secret key (HMAC) to also provide authenticity, preventing an attacker from recomputing a valid hash after modifying the data. Real-world scenarios include file integrity monitoring (e.g., Tripwire) where baseline hashes are stored and compared periodically to detect unauthorized changes.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the 200-201 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Security Concepts — This question tests Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Hashing — Hashing is the correct control for ensuring data integrity because it produces a fixed-length digest (e.g., SHA-256) from the original data. Any change to the data, even a single bit, results in a completely different hash value, allowing the analyst to detect tampering or corruption. Unlike encryption, hashing is a one-way function that does not conceal the data but verifies its unchanged state.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.
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