An IS auditor performing an audit of backup procedures observes that backup tapes are picked up weekly and stored offsite at a third-party hosting facility. Which of the following recommendations would be the BEST way to protect the integrity of the data on the backup tapes?
Ensuring that data is encrypted before leaving the facility is the best way to protect the integrity of the data on the backup tapes. Encryption transforms data into a secure format that is unreadable to unauthorized individuals. This ensures that the data remains intact and unaltered during transit, thereby protecting its integrity even if the physical security measures fail or the tapes fall into the wrong hands.
in my opinion A could be right. The question is about integrity of DATA and not the physical security of the tapes. Even if the tapes are transported in tamper evident containers, this will physically protect the tapes and in event of tamper will leave behind an evidence. However, if the data on tapes is encrypted, the data integrity will be preserved during as well as after the transport.
encryption can protect the confidentiality of data, but it does not necessarily ensure data integrity
why not?
encryption won't protect the tapes to be damaged
While confirming that data is transported in locked tamper-evident containers (option C) is also a good practice to prevent unauthorized access or tampering during transportation, encryption provides an additional layer of security by rendering the data indecipherable to unauthorized parties.
C is answer.
Encryption ensures that even if the physical security measures fail and the tapes fall into the wrong hands, the data on the tapes would still be unreadable and useless to unauthorized individuals
Encryption = confidentiality, the question is about Integrity, locked tamper box, will protect the tapes to be damaged during transportation.