The CIA Triad

The CIA Triad is one of the most important things in cybersecurity because it explains how to keep data safe,official, and easy to get to. On top of that, it’s important to know the difference between authentication and authorization since both protect information in different ways.

What the CIA Triad Is

The CIA Triad stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. It’s a guide for keeping information secure:

• Confidentiality – Making sure private info stays private, this can mean using passwords, 2FA, or encrypting files so only the right people can see them.
  
• Integrity – Keeping data safe, things like file permissions, backups, and checksums help make sure nobody changes or damages data by accident or on purpose.
  
• Availability – Making sure the data and systems people need are up and running when they are supposed to be. Organizations use tools like backups, disaster recovery plans and extra servers so systems don’t crash when something goes wrong.
  

Authentication vs. Authorization

Sometimes people mix these up, but they are different:

Term	What It Means	Why It Matters	Example
Authentication	Proves if the user is the original	Makes sure only real users can get in.	Using your log in info to sign into a website.
Authorization	Decides what they can do after they log in.	Keeps users limited to what they’re allowed to see or change.	After the log in process, you might be able to view your own grades but not change them.

Example in Real Life

Online banking is an easy example:

• When you enter your login info and a code sent to your phone, that’s authentication.
• After you’re logged in, the app lets you see your account or send money. That part what you can or can’t do is authorization.