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Parity
What is Parity?
What is Parity?In cybersecurity, parity generally refers to a simple error detection method used to ensure data integrity during transmission or storage. It involves adding an extra bit (a parity bit) to a data unit, and the parity bit is set to make the total number of 1s either even (even parity) or odd (odd parity). This parity bit allows the receiver to check if any errors occurred during transmission, as any change in a single bit will alter the parity.
- Parity Bit: This is an extra bit added to a data unit (like a byte).
- Even Parity: The parity bit is set so that the total number of 1s in the data unit, including the parity bit, is even.
- Odd Parity: The parity bit is set so that the total number of 1s in the data unit, including the parity bit, is odd.
- Error Detection: At the receiving end, the parity of the received data is checked. If the parity is incorrect (e.g., expected even parity but received odd parity), it indicates that an error might have occurred during transmission.
See Also: Parity Bit
Applications:
Parity checks are commonly used in serial communication protocols, computer memory (RAM), and storage systems (RAID).
- Limitations: Parity checks are good for detecting single-bit errors but cannot detect multiple-bit errors or errors in the parity bit itself.
- Alternatives: More robust error detection and correction methods, like Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) or forward error correction, are often used in conjunction with parity checks or as replacements in more critical applications.
Definition
Bit(s) used to determine whether a block of data has been altered.
SOURCE: CNSSI-4009
