Immutable meaning is somETHing that cannot be changed. In computer science, an immutable object is an object whose state cannot be altered after its creation.
Immutability is one of the primary and most important features of Bitcoin and blockchain technology. Immutable transactions make it impossible for any entity (such as a government or corporation) to manipulate, replace, or falsify data stored on the network. This ensures a high level of data integrity is maintained all the time.
As a result, such immutability of public blockchains can enhance the current trust and audit system. It can reduce the time and cost of audits since verifying information becomes much simpler or effectively redundant. For businesses, this is important because by maintaining a full historical record of their business processes, they are able to provide truth to disputes.
Although immutability is one of the core benefits of Bitcoin and blockchain, the data stored on blockchains aren’t completely resilient to vulnerabilities. If a malicious actor is able to amass the majority of the network hash rate, it could alter the otherwise immutable data in an attack called the 51% attack. An attacker in this scenario would then be able to prevent new transactions from gaining confirmations or even reverse transactions entirely. However, in this case of Bitcoin, gaining control of such a large amount of hashing power would be extremely expensive.
In conclusion, immutable meaning is somETHing that cannot be changed. This is a primary feature of blockchains and cryptocurrencies that make them so secure.
