easyMultiple Choice
ISC2 CC Practice Question: Wants to ensure that data remains unaltered…
An organization wants to ensure that data remains unaltered during transmission over the internet. Which security goal is being addressed?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between confidentiality and integrity by presenting a scenario about data alteration, where candidates mistakenly choose confidentiality because they associate encryption with all security, ignoring that encryption alone does not prevent tampering.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
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 is not altered during transmission, typically verified through cryptographic hash functions (e.g., SHA-256) or message authentication codes (MACs) such as HMAC. Protocols like TLS use integrity checks to detect any unauthorized modification of packets in transit, directly addressing the requirement that data remains unaltered.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Non-repudiation
Why it's wrong here
Non-repudiation proves a sender cannot deny having sent a message, typically through digital signatures; it does not detect modification during transmission. Integrity is the goal that ensures data remains unaltered. Non-repudiation would be correct if the requirement were irrefutable proof of origin or delivery.
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Availability
Why it's wrong here
Availability ensures systems and data remain accessible to authorised users, addressing denial-of-service and uptime, not modification in transit. Integrity detects unauthorised alteration. Availability would be correct if the requirement were guaranteeing continuous access to a service during attack or failure.
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Confidentiality
Why it's wrong here
Confidentiality protects data from unauthorised disclosure through encryption, not from modification. Integrity is the goal that detects alteration in transit, typically via hashes or MACs. Confidentiality would be correct if the requirement were preventing eavesdroppers from reading intercepted traffic.
- ✓
Integrity
Why this is correct
Integrity guarantees data is not altered in transit, detecting any modification between sender and receiver. Cryptographic hashes or MACs verify that received data matches what was sent, directly satisfying the requirement that data remains unaltered over the internet.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Authentication and Authorization Methods
Key term
Organization
An Organization is a top-level container in Google Cloud that represents your company or entities and serves as the root node for all your cloud resources, policies, and access control.
Key term
Integrity
Integrity is the assurance that data has not been altered or tampered with in an unauthorized way, preserving its accuracy and consistency from source to destination.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.