What is the outcome of a CRC check if data is corrupted?

When a CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) is applied to a set of data, it generates a checksum that serves as a compact representation of the original data. The primary function of this checksum is to detect any alterations to the data, whether accidental or intentional. If the data becomes corrupted during transmission or storage, the calculation of the CRC checksum on the received or retrieved data will differ from the original checksum generated at the time of the data's creation.

As a result, the checksum number will change in the event of data corruption. This change allows the system to identify that an error has occurred, thus indicating a problem with the integrity of the data. The CRC serves as a robust method for error-checking, making it a critical component in ensuring data reliability in various networking and storage contexts. Therefore, when corruption happens, it triggers the detection mechanism built into the CRC methodology, empowering systems to recognize that the data is not intact.