What is the CIA Triad and its components ?

 


1. What is the CIA Triad? 

The CIA triad refers to the three fundamental principles of cybersecurity: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. To avoid confusion with the Central Intelligence Agency, it is sometimes called the AIC triad, standing for availability, integrity, and confidentiality. This model is widely used as the foundation for developing security systems, identifying vulnerabilities, and devising solutions. When an organization successfully implements all three aspects of the triad, its security profile becomes stronger and more capable of handling threats.

In this context, confidentiality involves implementing high-level rules to restrict access to data and information. Integrity ensures that the information is trustworthy and accurate. Availability focuses on risk management to ensure reliable access to information by authorized individuals.

2. What are the 3 components of the CIA triad?

1. Confidentiality: it ensures that data is kept secret or private by controlling access to prevent unauthorized sharing. This involves implementing stringent restrictions to ensure only those with proper authorization can access sensitive information, while those who need access have the necessary privileges. Confidentiality can be compromised through direct attacks, such as man-in-the-middle attacks or network spying, and through human error or insufficient security controls. To protect confidentiality, organizations should classify and label restricted data, enforce access control policies, encrypt data, use multi-factor authentication, and provide adequate training to employees on security practices.

2. Integrity: it ensures that data is trustworthy, authentic, accurate, and reliable, preventing tampering or unauthorized alterations. For example, accurate information about senior managers on a company website reflects the organization's trustworthiness. Compromising data integrity can be intentional, such as hackers altering website content or logs, or accidental, due to human error or inadequate security measures.

To protect data integrity, methods like hashing, encryption, digital certificates, and digital signatures are used. Trusted certificate authorities (CAs) verify website authenticity. Non-repudiation, such as using digital signatures in emails, ensures that both the sender and recipient cannot deny the origin or receipt of the communication.

3. Availability: it ensures that information is accessible to authorized users whenever needed, maintaining the functionality of systems, networks, and applications. Availability is compromised if critical systems are down due to issues like power outages, natural disasters, or sabotage (e.g., denial-of-service attacks or ransomware).

To ensure availability, organizations can implement redundant networks, servers, and applications that activate when primary systems fail. Regular software and security updates, along with comprehensive backups and disaster recovery plans, also help maintain access to critical data and systems following disruptions.





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