What is the role of encryption in data integrity?

Encryption plays a critical role in ensuring data integrity by providing a mechanism to verify that data has not been altered during transmission. When data is encrypted, it transforms the original information into an unreadable format using an encryption algorithm and a key. This process safeguards the data against unauthorized access and tampering.

During transmission, the recipient can utilize decryption alongside checksums or hashes that work in conjunction with encryption. This allows the recipient to confirm that the data has not been modified before it reaches them. If any alteration occurs due to interference or malicious intent, decryption would yield an incorrect outcome or produce a mismatch with the original hash value, indicating potential data integrity issues.

The other choices do not align with the function of encryption regarding data integrity. Encryption does not primarily format data for transmission, ensure readability, or compress data for faster access; its main focus is on protecting the data from unauthorized changes and ensuring its original state is preserved throughout the communication process.