Which term signifies the protection of data accuracy and integrity against unauthorized modifications?

The term that signifies the protection of data accuracy and integrity against unauthorized modifications is data integrity. Data integrity refers specifically to maintaining and assuring the accuracy and consistency of data over its entire lifecycle. It involves mechanisms and protocols that prevent any unauthorized changes to data, ensuring that the information remains reliable and trustworthy. This can include practices such as input validation, error checking, and the use of checksums or hash functions to detect alterations.

In contrast, data security encompasses a broader spectrum that includes not just integrity but also confidentiality and availability of data, focusing on protecting data from unauthorized access and ensuring that it is accessible to authorized users. Confidentiality refers specifically to the protection of information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals, while information dissemination deals with the distribution and sharing of information rather than its integrity or protection. Thus, in the context of safeguarding against unauthorized modifications, data integrity is the most accurate term.