CIAtriidi

CIAtriidi, also known as the CIA triad, is a foundational model in information security that identifies three core objectives for protecting information systems: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The model emerged in the early days of computer security as a simple framework to guide policy, controls, and risk management, and it remains widely used in standards, audits, and education.

Confidentiality means preventing unauthorized disclosure of information. It is enforced through measures such as access control, authentication, encryption, and data classification. Examples include restricting database access to authorized users, encrypting data in transit and at rest, and implementing secure communication channels.

Integrity refers to maintaining the accuracy and trustworthiness of information and resisting unauthorized modification. Techniques include cryptographic hashes, digital signatures, versioning, change control processes, and audit trails that detect tampering or errors.

Availability ensures that information and systems are accessible to authorized users when needed. It involves reliable infrastructure, redundancy, backups, disaster recovery planning, incident response, and protections against disruptions such as hardware failures or cyberattacks like distributed denial-of-service events.

Security policies must balance these objectives. Strong confidentiality can impede legitimate access, while high availability may require redundancy that increases cost and complexity. The CIA triad is a simplified model; real-world security often requires additional considerations such as authenticity, non-repudiation, accountability, and resilience. Frameworks and standards, including ISO/IEC 27001 and NIST SP 800-53, commonly reference the CIA triad as the central lens for organizing controls and evaluating risk.