Refer to the information below to answer the question. During the investigation of a security incident, it is determined that an unauthorized individual accessed a system which hosts a database containing financial information. Aside from the potential records which may have been viewed, which of the following should be the PRIMARY concern regarding the database information?

The question explicitly sets aside the issue of confidentiality ("aside from the potential records which may have been viewed"). In the context of a financial database, the next most critical concern is data integrity. An unauthorized individual with access could modify, insert, or delete financial records, leading to fraudulent transactions, incorrect financial reporting, and significant legal and reputational damage. The trustworthiness and accuracy of financial data are paramount to business operations. Therefore, verifying that no unauthorized changes were made is the primary concern after establishing that a breach occurred.

1. Stewart

J. M.

Chapple

M.

& Gibson

D. (2021). CISSP (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Study Guide (9th ed.). Wiley. In Domain 2

"Asset Security

" the text emphasizes that data integrity is a critical security objective

ensuring that data is accurate and reliable. For financial systems

this is often considered as important as confidentiality (pp. 120-121).

2. Harris

S.

& Maymi

F. (2021). CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill. Chapter 3

"Security Engineering

" discusses the CIA triad. It explains that integrity controls are designed to prevent unauthorized modification of data. In a financial context

an undetected modification could be more damaging than a disclosure (p. 105).

3. Von Solms

R.

& Van Niekerk

J. (2013). From information security to cyber security. Computers & Security

38

97-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2013.04.004. This academic paper discusses the evolution of security concerns

reinforcing that for many systems

particularly financial ones

the integrity of information (ensuring it is unaltered) is a fundamental and primary security requirement alongside confidentiality.