1.2 - The CIA Triad

CIA Triad

Confidentiality

Confidentiality ensures that information is only accessible to authorized individuals, preventing unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data.

• Encryption: Uses algorithms to protect data by making it unreadable to unauthorized users, ensuring that only those with the decryption key can access the original content.
• Access Controls: Implements mechanisms (e.g., role-based or attribute-based access) to restrict access to data to authorized users based on policies.
• Two-Factor/Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA): Adds additional layers of verification (such as codes, biometrics, or hardware tokens) to confirm user identity beyond just a password.

Integrity

Integrity ensures that data remains accurate, consistent, and unaltered without proper authorization. This prevents unauthorized users or unintended processes from modifying the data.

• Hashing: Generates a unique fixed-length value from data (hash) to verify its integrity. If even a small change is made, the hash value will change, making it easy to detect tampering.
• Digital Signatures: Uses a cryptographic signature to validate the sender and guarantee that the message or document has not been altered since it was signed.
• Certificates: Digital certificates issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) confirm the authenticity of entities, such as users or devices.
• Non-Repudiation: Ensures that a party cannot deny an action, such as signing a document or sending a message, by linking the action to an identifiable entity through mechanisms like digital signatures.

Availability

Availability ensures that systems, applications, and data are accessible to authorized users when needed. This principle prevents disruptions and helps maintain the smooth operation of services.

• Redundancy: Incorporates additional components (e.g., backup servers or network links) that can take over if the primary system fails, ensuring continuous service.
• Fault Tolerance: System design that allows it to continue functioning even when some components fail, thereby minimizing disruptions.
• Patching: Regularly updating software and systems to fix known vulnerabilities, thereby ensuring system stability and preventing downtime due to security issues.