[lojack]

but is a traditional database cryptographically secure? if a super user with write permissions (or, say, direct access to the physical data store) modifies records are users able to validate the integrity of the data?

[mathnmusic]

Users just need to insert signed data into the database for tamper-proofing.

[jayd16]

You could use permissions and stored procedures that ensure append only.

[jeroiraz]

The difference is that client applications does not need to trust proper "append-only" permissions were enforced on server side but they will be have the chance to detect any tampering while in the former approach, it won't be noticeable