Information Security Tenets (The CIA Triad)

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Information Security Tenets

The CIA Triad

The three tenets or fundamental principles of Information Security are Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.

This is also commonly known as the CIA Triad.

The Information Security programs refers to the controls designed and implemented to protect these three tenets: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.

What is Confidentiality?

Confidentiality ensures that private information remains private and that these private information can only be accessed or viewed by authorized individuals on need to know basis.

Information Security controls must therefore be put in place to protect the data from unauthorized disclosure.

Examples of Information Security controls to ensure Data Confidentiality:

Access Control List (ACL)

Username and Password

Encryption

Two-Factor Authentication (Password, Token, PIN, Biometric, etc)

What is Integrity?

Integrity refers to the accuracy and completeness of the information. Data must not change without proper authorization.

Information Security controls must therefore be put in place to protect unauthorized modification of data, to ensure that data is accurate and has not been inappropriately altered by unauthorized individuals.

Examples of Information Security controls to ensure Data Integrity:

Version Control

Error Detection in Software

Encryption

Data Backup and System Recovery

What is Availability?

Availability refers to ensuring that data is available whenever needed.

Information Security controls must therefore be put in place to ensure that data will be available as and when needed.

Examples of Information Security controls to ensure Data Availability:

Data Redundancies

System or Application Failover

Data Backup and System Recovery

Data Center Resiliency

Disclaimer

This article is a result of my personal research and is not a substitute for legal advise.

Please consult your Legal Team, Ethics & Compliance, or Regulatory Team for the interpretation of specific CyberSecurity requirements.

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