A data storage device includes a memory device and a controller coupled to the memory device. The controller is configured to receive a read command from a host device to read data from the memory device, fetch the read data from the memory device, check metadata associated with the read data, determine if the metadata corresponds to the read command, and provide modified read data to the host device when the metadata does not correspond to the read command. The modified read data may be encrypted read data, corrupted read data, or read data that is replaced with debug information. When the host device receives data that is different than the read data that is requested, the modified read data may be unreadable to the host device so that unprivileged access to the read data may be avoided.