Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies (AZ-300) Practice Exam 2026 - Free AZ-300 Exam Questions and Study Guide

Utilizing a one-way hashing algorithm in data transmission primarily serves the purpose of ensuring data integrity. A one-way hash function takes an input (or message) and produces a fixed-length string of characters, which is typically a digest that uniquely represents the input data.

When data is transmitted, the sender can create a hash of the original data and send it alongside the data itself. Upon receiving the data, the recipient can apply the same hashing algorithm to the received data and compare the generated hash with the one sent by the sender. If the hashes match, this indicates that the data has not been altered or corrupted during transmission, thereby confirming its integrity. This process is especially useful in scenarios where data integrity is crucial, such as financial transactions or sensitive information exchanges.

The other options do not align as closely with the primary function of one-way hashing. While encryption is related, it is focused on protecting data confidentiality rather than integrity. Preventing unauthorized access deals more with authentication and authorization mechanisms than hashing. Counting data packets pertains to network management rather than the data integrity that hashing ensures.