Encoding data in a dispersed storage network

A processing system of an integrity processing unit comprises:

• at least one processor;
• a memory that stores operational instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor cause the processing system to:
• perform a deterministic function on data for storage to produce an integrity value;
• combine the data and the integrity value in accordance with a combining function to produce a data package;
• encrypt the data package in accordance with an encryption approach to produce a secure package;
• encode the secure package to produce a set of slices;
• decode the set of slices to reproduce the secure package;
• identify associated with the secure package;
• decrypt the secure package in accordance with the encryption approach to reproduce the data package;
• de-combine the data package in accordance with the combining function to generate reproduced data and a received integrity value;
• perform the deterministic function on the data to produce a calculated integrity value;
• and
• generate a validity indicator of the reproduced data based on a comparison of the received integrity value and the calculated integrity value.

A computer readable storage medium comprises:

• at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by a processing system of a dispersed storage network (DSN) that includes a processor and a memory, causes the processing system to:
• perform a deterministic function on data for storage to produce an integrity value;
• combine the data and the integrity value in accordance with a combining function to produce a data package;
• encrypt the data package in accordance with an encryption approach to produce a secure package;
• encode the secure package to produce a set of slices;
• decode the set of slices to reproduce the secure package;
• identify the encryption approach associated with the secure package;
• decrypt the secure package in accordance with the encryption approach to reproduce the data package;
• de-combine the data package in accordance with the combining function to generate reproduced data and a received integrity value;
• perform the deterministic function on the data to produce a calculated integrity value;
• and
• generate a validity indicator of the reproduced data based on a comparison of the received integrity value and the calculated integrity value.