Which principle ensures that data is accurate and reliable in information security?

The principle that ensures data is accurate and reliable in information security is integrity. Integrity in this context refers to the protection of data from unauthorized alteration or destruction, ensuring that the information remains correct and trustworthy over its lifecycle. When integrity is maintained, users can rely on the data as being complete, consistent, and reflective of the true state of the information.

In practical terms, integrity measures include mechanisms such as checksums, hash functions, and digital signatures, which help to detect any unauthorized changes made to the data. By focusing on integrity, organizations can assure stakeholders that the information they use for decision-making is not only accurate but also free from tampering, thereby fostering a trustworthy environment for data usage.

Confidentiality, while essential for protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access, does not address the correctness or reliability of data. Availability pertains to ensuring that data and resources are accessible when needed, which, although critical for operations, does not safeguard the accuracy of that data. Compliance involves adhering to laws, regulations, and policies, which may concern integrity but is not a principle that directly ensures data accuracy by itself. Hence, integrity stands out as the key principle associated with maintaining accurate and reliable data in the realm of information security.