A healthcare administrator needs to detect unauthorized changes to critical patient files. Which measure most directly supports this goal?

### Why this is right File integrity monitoring can alert administrators to unauthorized changes in files. It directly addresses the risk that patient information may be improperly altered or destroyed. ### The concept Integrity means that information remains accurate and is not improperly changed. File integrity monitoring watches for changes to selected files and alerts administrators when changes appear unauthorized. Checksums, digital signatures, and version control are other measures named in the material for tracking or verifying changes. Encryption mainly protects confidentiality by making data unreadable without authorization; it does not by itself prove that the data has not been altered. ### The other options - **B. A shared user account**: shared accounts make individual accountability harder and do not detect file changes. - **C. Encryption of data in transit only**: this protects information moving between systems, not changes to stored files. - **D. A policy that does not include monitoring**: a policy without monitoring does not directly detect changes. ### Terms - **File integrity monitoring**: a process that detects and reports changes to files. - **Checksum**: a calculated value that can be compared to help identify whether data has changed. - **Digital signature**: a cryptographic method used to help verify the origin and integrity of data. ### Remember Use integrity safeguards to detect or prevent improper changes; encryption alone is not an integrity check.