This write-up will review the history, and the importance of the CIA Triad, as well as the differences between authorization and authentication.

History of the CIA Triad

While there is no official creator of the CIA Triad, the first mention of confidentiality was mentioned in a US Airforce Study about confidentiality in computer science.  Integrity was first brought up in a 1987 paper about commercial computing and data correctness Finally accessibility was first brought up after the Morris Worm destroyed a significant portion of the internet (Fruhinger, 2020).  The distance between these studies is important because these three ideas together have become the pillars of cybersecurity.  The first time these ideas were put together was in 1998. 

Importance of the CIA Triad

The three steps of the Triad are needed in unison, for example, using passwords as well as another form of authentication entails confidentiality, by only allowing certain users to modify information.  Accessibility also is tied into authentication since it allows authorized users access to that information.  It is important to have a thorough understanding of the triad for higher offices to better identify risks as well as to protect their networks by cyber policies.  The triad can also give the public more information on sensitive issues (EI-ISAC 2020). 

Authentication and Authorization

Authentication and authorization are two ideas that are combined under the confidentiality pillar.  Authentication is used to detect a user and make sure they are who they say they are.  Authorization is used to make sure a user has the authority to access the document. One of the major tools used in both authentication and authorization is public-key cryptography.  This is when writing is encrypted, and one can only see it if they have the authorization to read it, as well as making sure that the person who is authorized to read the writing is who they say they are. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, each component in the triad must work together in unison to understand and perfect the art of cybersecurity.  Each component has working parts to it, but the most important working part, that crosses into different components is authorization and authentication.  It is once these ideas are understood that one can understand and grasp the building blocks of modern-day cybersecurity.

References

EI-ISAC Cybersecurity Spotlight – CIA Triad. (2020). Center for Internet Security. Retrieved. September 22, 2020.

Fruhlinger, J. (2020). The CIA triad: Definition, components and examples. IDG Communications. Retrieved September 22, 2020.