Answer: Protecting Against Data Loss

In a distributed computing system, the primary purpose of data replication for security is to protect against data loss. This is achieved by storing multiple copies of data across different nodes, which significantly reduces the risk of permanent data loss due to hardware or software failures. While data replication also contributes to fault tolerance and can be used for backups, its core security advantage lies in safeguarding data integrity and preventing unauthorized access.

Author: LeetQuiz Editorial Team