What role does encryption play in data integrity?

Encryption plays a crucial role in ensuring data integrity by making certain that the data remains unchanged and authentic throughout its lifecycle—during both storage and transmission. When data is encrypted, it is transformed into a format that is unreadable to unauthorized users. This transformation helps protect the data from being tampered with or altered without detection.

In the context of data integrity, encryption not only secures sensitive information but also provides assurance that the data has not been modified in an unauthorized manner. If encrypted data is altered, it will not successfully decrypt to its original form, indicating potential integrity violations. This is crucial in various applications such as financial transactions, medical records, and personal data storage, where it is imperative to maintain the accuracy and authenticity of the information.

While the other choices present concepts related to data management, they do not pertain to the core function of encryption in terms of data integrity. Compression relates to reducing file size, deletion involves removing data from storage, and enhancing access speed does not connect to the protective aspects of encryption. Thus, the primary role of encryption is firmly rooted in securing data against unauthorized changes, thereby preserving its integrity.