What does the CIA triad represent in computer security?

The CIA triad is a fundamental model in computer security, representing three core principles: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.

Confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is accessed only by authorized individuals, safeguarding against unauthorized access and breaches of personal or organizational data. This is crucial in maintaining privacy and trust in various systems, particularly in sectors such as healthcare and finance where data sensitivity is paramount.

Integrity focuses on the accuracy and reliability of data throughout its lifecycle. It ensures that information is not altered in unauthorized ways and maintains its correctness, which is critical for decision-making processes that rely on accurate data. Measures to ensure integrity include checksums and hashing, which help detect any unauthorized changes.

Availability ensures that information and resources are accessible to authorized users when needed. This involves maintaining systems and networks in a manner that minimizes downtime and delays, ensuring that legitimate users can consistently access the resources required to perform their tasks.

Together, these three aspects form a comprehensive approach to information security, where protecting data confidentiality impacts integrity and availability, thereby supporting robust security measures across various environments.