What does the CIA triad stand for in information security?

• A. Cybersecurity, Integrity, Accessibility
• B. Compliance, Integrity, Assurance
• C. Control, Identity, Access
• D. Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability

Answer: (D)

The CIA triad is a foundational model in information security that focuses on three protections you must balance when safeguarding information. Confidentiality means keeping data secret from unauthorized people or systems; you guard it with encryption, strict access controls, and strong authentication. Integrity means data and systems are trustworthy and accurate, not altered or corrupted; you protect this with checksums, cryptographic hashes, digital signatures, and audit trails to detect any changes. Availability means information and services are accessible when needed; you ensure it through redundancy, backups, reliable hardware and networks, and disaster recovery planning.

This is why the standard representation uses those exact terms: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. The other options mix different words that don’t align with the established triad, such as using Accessibility or Cybersecurity, or swapping in terms like Compliance or Control that aren’t part of the triad’s formal meaning.