The Cyber Security Objectives: The three triad

The cyber security objectives consist of three, Confidentiality, integrity, availability.

Confidentiality refers to the protection of sensitive information from unauthorized access, use, or
disclosure. This means that information should only be accessible to those who have a legitimate need
to know it, and it should be kept confidential from others who do not have that need.

Security controls are the measures put in place to ensure that confidentiality is maintained. These
controls can include technical measures such as encryption, access controls, and firewalls, as well as
administrative measures such as policies and procedures that govern how information is handled and
who has access to it.

Together, confidentiality and security controls help to ensure that sensitive information remains private
and secure, reducing the risk of data breaches and other security incidents.

1. Access controls: Access controls can be implemented to restrict access to sensitive information to only
authorized personnel. This can be achieved through the use of passwords, biometric authentication, or
other forms of authentication.

2. Encryption: Encryption is a technique that can be used to protect sensitive data by converting it into
an unreadable format that can only be decrypted with a key or password. This ensures that even if the
data is intercepted, it cannot be read without the key or password.

3. Data classification: Data classification involves categorizing data based on its level of sensitivity and
implementing appropriate security measures based on the classification. For example, highly sensitive
data may require additional encryption or access controls.

4. Secure communication channels: Secure communication channels, such as virtual private networks
(VPNs) or secure sockets layer (SSL) can be used to ensure that sensitive information is transmitted
securely over the internet or other networks.

5. Employee training and awareness: Employees should be trained on the importance of confidentiality
and the security measures in place to protect sensitive information. This can help to prevent accidental
disclosures or breaches caused by human error.

By implementing these security measures, organizations can ensure that sensitive information remains
confidential and protected from unauthorized access or disclosure.
Sure, here are several security controls that can be implemented to ensure confidentiality:

1. Access controls: Limiting access to sensitive information only to authorized personnel through the use
of usernames, passwords, and other authentication methods.

2. Encryption: Converting sensitive information into a code that can only be deciphered by authorized
parties.

3. Secure communication channels: Using secure communication channels such as Virtual Private
Networks (VPNs) or Secure Socket Layer (SSL) to protect data transmission over the internet.

4. Data classification: Categorizing data based on its sensitivity and applying different levels of security
controls to each category.

5. Data masking and redaction: Hiding or removing sensitive information from documents or reports that
are shared with individuals who do not need to see the information.

6. Audit trails: Monitoring and recording all access to sensitive information to ensure that any
unauthorized access can be detected and investigated.

7. Physical security: Ensuring that physical access to sensitive information is limited and protected
through the use of locks, security cameras, and other measures.

8. Two-factor authentication: Requiring an additional form of authentication, such as a security token or

9. Role-based access control: Granting access to sensitive information based on an individual's role
within the organization and the need-to-know principle.

10. Data loss prevention: Implementing measures to prevent the unauthorized transmission of sensitive
information outside of the organization, such as through email or USB drives.
11. Employee training: Educating employees on the importance of confidentiality and the proper
handling of sensitive information.

12. Network segmentation: Separating sensitive information from other data on the network to limit
exposure in case of a security breach.

13. Firewalls: Implementing firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.

14. Antivirus software: Using antivirus software to detect and prevent malware that could compromise
the confidentiality of sensitive information.

15. Secure file transfer protocols: Using secure file transfer protocols, such as SFTP or FTPS, to protect
the confidentiality of data during transmission.

What is integrity?

In cybersecurity, integrity refers to the assurance that data or information has not been altered or
tampered with in an unauthorized manner. It is one of the three main components of the CIA triad,
which stands for confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Data integrity is crucial to ensure that information remains accurate, complete, and trustworthy. This can
be achieved through various security measures such as encryption, digital signatures, access controls,
and data backups.

Maintaining data integrity is particularly important in industries such as finance, healthcare, and
government, where incorrect or incomplete information can have severe consequences. Therefore,
ensuring the integrity of data is a key aspect of regulatory compliance, such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and
GDPR, which require organizations to maintain the integrity of sensitive data.

1. Data validation: Validating data can ensure that it meets specific criteria and is free from errors or
inconsistencies.

2. Hash functions: Hash functions can be used to ensure the integrity of data by generating a unique
code that represents the data.
3. Time stamps: Time stamps can be used to track when data was created, modified, or accessed, which
can help to identify any unauthorized changes.

4. Role-based access control (RBAC): RBAC can limit access to data based on the user's role, which can
prevent unauthorized access or modification.

5. Data loss prevention (DLP): DLP can prevent the unauthorized transfer or deletion of sensitive data.

6. Secure coding practices: Secure coding practices can help to prevent vulnerabilities that can lead to
data tampering or alteration.

7. Penetration testing: Penetration testing can identify vulnerabilities in systems and applications that
can lead to data tampering.

8. Security information and event management (SIEM): SIEM can help to identify and respond to any
suspicious activity that may indicate data tampering.

9. Digital certificates: Digital certificates can be used to authenticate the identity of users and ensure the
integrity of data.

10. Two-factor authentication (2FA): 2FA can add an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized
access to sensitive data.

These security controls can help to maintain the integrity of data and information and prevent
unauthorized alteration or tampering.

What is availability?

In cybersecurity, availability refers to the ability of a system, network, or application to be accessible and
operational when needed. It means that authorized users should be able to access the system and use
its resources without experiencing any downtime or interruptions.
Availability is an essential aspect of cybersecurity because it ensures that critical systems and data are
always available to authorized users. It also helps organizations minimize the impact of any disruptions
or downtime that may occur due to cyber-attacks, natural disasters, or other unexpected events.

To ensure availability, cybersecurity professionals implement various security controls, such as

Overall, availability is critical to the success of any organization, and cybersecurity professionals work
hard to ensure that systems and data are always available to authorized users, even in the face of
unexpected events or cyber-attacks.

1. Redundancy: Redundancy involves having backup systems or components in place to ensure that if
one component fails, another can take over and maintain availability.

2. Load balancing: Load balancing involves distributing traffic across multiple servers to prevent any one
server from being overloaded and causing downtime.

3. Failover mechanisms: Failover mechanisms are designed to automatically switch to a backup system or
component in the event of a failure.

4. Disaster recovery planning: Disaster recovery planning involves developing a plan to recover from
unexpected events, such as natural disasters, cyber attacks, or system failures.

5. Backup and recovery: Regular backups of critical data and systems can help to ensure that data and
systems can be restored quickly in the event of a failure.

6. Network segmentation: Network segmentation involves dividing a network into smaller segments to
prevent failures or attacks from affecting the entire network.

7. High availability (HA) clusters: HA clusters are groups of servers that work together to ensure that
critical applications or services are always available.
8. Intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS): IDPS can detect and prevent cyber attacks that can
cause downtime or disruptions.

9. Denial of service (DoS) protection: DoS protection can prevent malicious attacks that can overload
servers and cause downtime.

10. Regular maintenance and updates: Regular maintenance and updates can help to prevent system
failures and ensure that systems are always up-to-date and secure.

These security controls can help to ensure that systems, networks, and applications are always available
to authorized users, even in the face of unexpected events or cyber attacks.

What is Security Breach?

In the CIA Triad, a security breach is a threat to the confidentiality and integrity of data or systems. The
CIA Triad is a model used in cybersecurity to describe the three fundamental principles of information
security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Confidentiality refers to the protection of sensitive or confidential information from unauthorized access,
disclosure, or theft. A security breach can compromise confidentiality by allowing an attacker to access
or steal sensitive data.

Integrity refers to the protection of data from unauthorized modification or deletion. A security breach
can compromise integrity by allowing an attacker to modify or delete data.

Availability refers to the ability of a system or resource to be accessible and operational when needed. A
security breach can compromise availability by causing downtime, system failures, or denial of service
attacks.

Therefore, a security breach can impact all three principles of the CIA Triad, but it is typically associated
with the loss of confidentiality and integrity. The goal of cybersecurity is to protect against security
breaches and ensure that data and systems remain confidential, integral, and available to authorized
users.