What feature does a blockchain database utilize to maintain information integrity?

What feature does a blockchain database utilize to maintain information integrity?

• A. High-level redundancy
• B. Data encryption
• C. Hashing techniques
• D. Centralized management

Answer: (C)

A blockchain database relies on hashing techniques to maintain information integrity. Hashing involves transforming data into a fixed-size string of characters using a mathematical function, which generates a unique output for each unique input. When data is added to the blockchain, it is hashed and the hash value is stored along with the original data. This ensures that any change to the original data will result in a different hash value, making it easy to detect alterations. This mechanism is crucial for ensuring the integrity of the data in a blockchain. For instance, if someone tries to tamper with a transaction stored in the blockchain, the hash value of that transaction would change, breaking the chain of hashes that link each block to the previous one. As a result, the tampering can be easily detected, creating a secure and verifiable system. In contrast, features like high-level redundancy typically focus on increasing availability rather than integrity, while data encryption secures data from unauthorized access but does not inherently prevent alterations. Centralized management contradicts the decentralized nature of blockchain, which is a key reason for its integrity and security.

A blockchain database relies on hashing techniques to maintain information integrity. Hashing involves transforming data into a fixed-size string of characters using a mathematical function, which generates a unique output for each unique input. When data is added to the blockchain, it is hashed and the hash value is stored along with the original data. This ensures that any change to the original data will result in a different hash value, making it easy to detect alterations.

This mechanism is crucial for ensuring the integrity of the data in a blockchain. For instance, if someone tries to tamper with a transaction stored in the blockchain, the hash value of that transaction would change, breaking the chain of hashes that link each block to the previous one. As a result, the tampering can be easily detected, creating a secure and verifiable system.

In contrast, features like high-level redundancy typically focus on increasing availability rather than integrity, while data encryption secures data from unauthorized access but does not inherently prevent alterations. Centralized management contradicts the decentralized nature of blockchain, which is a key reason for its integrity and security.