Running head: DATA INTEGRITY THREATS TO ORGANIZATIONS1 DATA INTEGRITY THREATS TO ORGANIZATIONS10 Data Integrity Threats To Organizations Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Abstract The purpose of this paper is to define data integrity and to explain in detail its importance to any particular organization or enterprise. This paper goes into detail and discusses the main threats to data integrity which include cyber-attacks, transfer errors, human error, compromised hardware and malware. Solution s to these threats are also highlighted and the possible recommendations are given. The data collected for the purpose of this research paper came from questionnaires and literature reviews. The paper makes use of the qualitative research methodology based on the data collected from the questionnaires, literatures and interviews. Threats to data integrity are seen to have adverse effects on the productivity and profitability of many organizations. Data Integrity Threats To Organizations Introduction Data integrity is defined as the accuracy and consistency of data throughout its lifecycle. Data integrity is the core aspect of cyber security. It is important in the design, implementation and utilization of systems that process, store and retrieves data. There are many threats to data integrity and they include cyber-attacks, transfer errors, human error, compromised hardware and malware. Data integrity has a great impact to organizations in terms of its operations and decision making processes (Nedal & Sail, 2013). Data integrity is important to organizations in terms of productivity and operations since these activities rely on sound decision making processes made by the management based on real time data available to them. Inaccurate data based on data lacking data integrity has adverse effects on an organization progress since wrong organizational decisions would be made. It is therefore important for organizations to make data security a priority in their information systems. Organizations can prioritize data security by establishing cyber security teams or outsourcing the services to a third party who would protect and mitigate the threats associated to cyber security. Thesis Data integrity refers to the accuracy and consistency of data throughout its lifecycle and it can be compromised by threats such as human error, cyber-attacks, compromised hardware and malware. Importance of Data Integrity Data integrity is considered to be both a process and a state. As a state, data integrity can be both accurate and valid whereas as a process, data integrity is described as the measures taken to ensure that a data set or all the data in a database or construct is valid and accurate. It is important for organizations and enterprises to consider data integrity whether as a state or as a process because it ensures the traceability recoverability and searchability of data (Kavale, 2012). The validity and accuracy of data, which is essentia.