Quick Answer
The answer is integrity, as it is the CIA triad principle that ensures data is not modified by unauthorized users. Integrity guarantees that information remains accurate, complete, and unaltered from its original state, which is typically enforced through technical controls like hashing algorithms (e.g., SHA-256) or digital signatures that detect any unauthorized changes. On the CompTIA ITF+ FC0-U61 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how integrity differs from confidentiality (keeping data secret) and availability (keeping data accessible), and a common trap is confusing integrity with confidentiality when a question mentions unauthorized changes. A reliable memory tip is to think of a tamper-evident seal on a package: integrity is broken if the seal is damaged, even if the contents are still hidden.
This FC0-U61 practice question tests your understanding of security. 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.
Which principle ensures that data is not modified by unauthorized users?
Authentication
Why wrong: Authentication verifies identity, but does not inherently prevent data modification.
Confidentiality
Why wrong: Confidentiality prevents unauthorized disclosure, not modification.
Availability
Why wrong: Availability ensures data is accessible when needed, not protection from modification.
Integrity
Integrity ensures data is not altered by unauthorized means.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Integrity
Integrity ensures that data has not been altered or tampered with by unauthorized users. This is typically enforced through mechanisms like hashing (e.g., SHA-256) or digital signatures, which detect any modification to the original data. Without integrity controls, an attacker could change financial records or system files without detection.
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.
Authentication
Why it's wrong here
Authentication verifies identity, but does not inherently prevent data modification.
Confidentiality
Why it's wrong here
Confidentiality prevents unauthorized disclosure, not modification.
Availability
Why it's wrong here
Availability ensures data is accessible when needed, not protection from modification.
Integrity
Why this is correct
Integrity ensures data is not altered by unauthorized means.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the distinction between confidentiality and integrity, where candidates mistakenly choose confidentiality because they associate 'protection' with encryption, but encryption only prevents reading, not modification.
Detailed technical explanation
Integrity is often implemented using cryptographic hash functions like SHA-256 or HMAC, which produce a fixed-size digest that changes if even one bit of the data is altered. In file systems, integrity can be verified using tools like Tripwire or Windows System File Checker (SFC), which compare current file hashes against known good values. A real-world scenario is a man-in-the-middle attack where an attacker modifies a software update; integrity checks via digital signatures (e.g., using RSA) would detect the tampering and reject the update.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Integrity — Integrity ensures that data has not been altered or tampered with by unauthorized users. This is typically enforced through mechanisms like hashing (e.g., SHA-256) or digital signatures, which detect any modification to the original data. Without integrity controls, an attacker could change financial records or system files without detection.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This FC0-U61 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 FC0-U61 exam.
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