Final answer:
If the recipient's locally generated MAC is identical to the received hash, it verifies the integrity and authenticity of the received message, indicating no tampering has occurred.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the recipient's locally generated MAC is identical to the received hash, it means that the data integrity and authenticity of the received message is verified. In the context of digital security, a Message Authentication Code (MAC) is a piece of information used to authenticate a message and provide integrity and authenticity assurances. The MAC value is computed by the sender using a secret key and the message content. When the recipient receives the message, along with the separate MAC value, they perform the same computation with the expected key. If their computed MAC matches the received hash, it suggests that the message has not been tampered with during transmission and that it is authentic, as only someone with the correct key could have generated that MAC value.