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Bit flipping is a specific technique used in integrity attacks, where an attacker alters specific bits in a piece of data, such as ciphertext, to change the resulting plaintext in a predictable way. This manipulation can lead to unauthorized changes in the data being transmitted or stored, allowing the attacker to gain control over how the data is interpreted by the recipient.

When an attacker flips certain bits, they are essentially altering the message without needing to crack the encryption, which can have serious implications for data integrity. For example, if the data being transmitted includes commands or transaction requests, flipping bits could change the meaning of those commands, leading to unauthorized actions or data corruption.

Understanding bit flipping is crucial for ensuring data integrity in communications and storage, as it highlights vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors. This concept emphasizes the importance of implementing message authentication codes (MACs) or other integrity-checking mechanisms to detect and prevent such attacks.