What does data integrity ensure in file management?

Data integrity in file management primarily refers to the accuracy and consistency of data stored in a database or file system over its entire lifecycle. Ensuring data integrity means that the data remains reliable, authentic, and unaltered by unauthorized changes, which encompasses managing how files are accessed and updated.

When only one user is allowed to update files at a time, it significantly reduces the risk of data corruption or conflicts that could arise from simultaneous editing. This practice ensures that changes made by one user do not inadvertently disrupt or override changes made by another user, thereby preserving the integrity of the data.

In contrast, the other choices do not align with the core concept of data integrity. While accessibility is important for usability, it does not directly correlate with the integrity of the data itself. Preventing malware focuses on security rather than maintaining the correctness of the data. Automatic backups are a critical aspect of data protection, but they do not in themselves guarantee that the data remains unaltered or accurate if multiple users can modify it simultaneously. Thus, the concept of preventing simultaneous updates directly supports the maintenance of data integrity.