What is the main advantage of using hashing for message integrity?

Using hashing for message integrity primarily serves to verify that the data has not been tampered with. When a message is hashed, a fixed-size string (the hash) is generated from the original data. This hash serves as a unique fingerprint of the data; any modifications to the original message would result in a completely different hash value. Therefore, by comparing the hash of the original message with the hash of the received message, one can confirm whether the data has remained intact or if it has been altered in transit. This relationship between the original data and its hash is what makes hashing an effective tool for ensuring data integrity.

While other options may relate to characteristics of data processing, they do not specifically address the role of hashing in maintaining integrity. Encryption relates to protecting the confidentiality of data, a unique identifier could pertain to data tracking rather than integrity, and compression deals with reducing data size rather than confirming its accuracy or authenticity. Therefore, the essence of hashing is its ability to detect changes in data, making it essential for validating message integrity.