Goals of Cybersecurity (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)

Introducing the CIA Triad

Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability - often called the CIA Triad - form the foundational model that guides nearly every cybersecurity decision, from designing a system to responding to an incident.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality ensures that information is accessible only to those authorized to see it. This is typically achieved through access controls, authentication, and encryption to keep sensitive data away from unauthorized eyes.

Integrity

Integrity ensures that data remains accurate and unaltered, except by authorized actions. Measures like checksums and version control help detect and prevent unauthorized or accidental changes to information.

Availability

Availability ensures that systems and data remain accessible to authorized users when needed. This involves protecting against disruptions like denial-of-service attacks, as well as building redundancy into critical systems.

The CIA Triad at a Glance