Which term refers to the protection of information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals or systems?

Which term refers to the protection of information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals or systems?

• A. Confidentiality
• B. Integrity
• C. Availability
• D. Non-repudiation

Answer: (A)

Protecting information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals or systems is confidentiality. It means data is only viewable by people or systems that have permission. Achieving this involves authentication to verify identities, authorization to grant appropriate access, and protections like encryption to keep data secure in transit and at rest. Applying least-privilege access, strong credentials, and robust access controls helps ensure that sensitive information isn’t exposed to those who shouldn’t see it. This concept sits within the broader CIA triad, alongside integrity, which is about data accuracy and trustworthiness, and availability, which ensures authorized users can access data when needed. Non-repudiation, on the other hand, focuses on proving who performed an action and preventing denial afterward. For example, encrypting sensitive records and limiting who can view them preserves confidentiality by preventing unauthorized access; altering a record would threaten integrity, while keeping a system online pertains to availability.

Protecting information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals or systems is confidentiality. It means data is only viewable by people or systems that have permission. Achieving this involves authentication to verify identities, authorization to grant appropriate access, and protections like encryption to keep data secure in transit and at rest. Applying least-privilege access, strong credentials, and robust access controls helps ensure that sensitive information isn’t exposed to those who shouldn’t see it. This concept sits within the broader CIA triad, alongside integrity, which is about data accuracy and trustworthiness, and availability, which ensures authorized users can access data when needed. Non-repudiation, on the other hand, focuses on proving who performed an action and preventing denial afterward. For example, encrypting sensitive records and limiting who can view them preserves confidentiality by preventing unauthorized access; altering a record would threaten integrity, while keeping a system online pertains to availability.