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Immutable Record

Governance & Workflows
process

Definition

A data record that cannot be altered, deleted, or overwritten after creation. Immutable records use mechanisms such as cryptographic hash chains, append-only storage, and database-level enforcement (triggers and policies) to ensure that historical data integrity is preserved. Any correction to an immutable record is made by creating a new record that references and supersedes the original.

Context

Reliatic's audit log uses immutable records with hash chain verification. Each record contains a hash of the previous record, creating a tamper-evident chain. Database triggers and RLS policies prevent modification or deletion of existing audit records.

Examples

  1. An audit log entry with hash chain: {id: 1234, event: 'rpn_updated', previous_hash: 'a3f2...', hash: 'b7c4...'} — any attempt to modify entry 1234 would break the hash chain, revealing the tampering.
  2. A correction to a mistaken RBI score creates a new audit record: 'RBI score corrected from PoF=3,CoF=4 to PoF=2,CoF=4 by Engineer A, reason: original assessment used outdated thickness data.'

Applicable Standards

  • ISO 27001

Related Terms

Audit Trail

A chronological record of system activities, decisions, and data changes that provides documentary evidence of the sequence of events that have affected a specific operation, procedure, or artifact. In asset integrity management, the audit trail records who made what change, when, why, and with what authorization, creating an unbroken chain of evidence for regulatory compliance and forensic investigation.

Governance Event

A discrete, auditable event in the lifecycle of a governed artifact (asset, risk, MOC, inspection) that records a decision, approval, status change, or significant action. Governance events capture who did what, when, why, and with what authorization. They form the backbone of the audit trail and provide the evidence chain for regulatory compliance.

Compliance Evidence

Documentary proof that an organization's practices conform to applicable regulatory requirements, industry standards, or internal procedures. Compliance evidence includes inspection records, test certificates, calibration records, training records, approval documents, audit reports, and any other documentation that demonstrates conformance to a specific requirement.

Where this appears in Reliatic

This concept is used in the Governance module.