By Gabriel Mallari
09/06/2026
Introduction
One of the most important models in cybersecurity that is a blueprint for protection across the internet is the CIA Triad. The CIA Triad: Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability, is the system that organizations use to secure information, ensure policies function properly, and tests to identify if any systems have failed or need maintenance.
Component 1: Confidentiality
Each component of the CIA Triad is equally necessary and are interconnected in their functionality to provide the most protected foundation for organizations. The first article, confidentiality, is used to restrict unauthorized users from accessing or obtaining private or confidential information that only authorized users should have access to. These restrictions should be applied to every organization or business security policy, as this protection is heavily advised against any hackers or viruses that might gain access and either use the information or leak the data for dangerous means that can damage the organization or others. Confidentiality is important for cybersecurity practices due to the constant improvement of cyber-attacks to infiltrate firewalls and bypass malware, the cybersecurity field and protection needs constant development in their protection to fight against the cyber-attacks.
Component 2: Integrity
Whilst confidentiality is used to prevent any unauthorized access, integrity involves the information and data credibility throughout its creation and existence. This component involves the safety of a piece of information to identify if it has been tampered or altered without proper authorization while transferring, causing false or corrupt information that can be misinterpreted or cause a disruption within an organization or those who have been in contact with the data. Integrity is essential to cybersecurity to practice to ensure that any flagged alteration does not happen and to act quickly if it has been breached. This system also keeps security organized, as most information is watched on a constant basis, so if there has been any incident involving a false integrity to information, cybersecurity can address the issue, find the source, and create a solution as swift as possible.
Component 3: Availability
Lastly, the availability branch of the CIA Triad acts more for the organization than to help protect. This component assists that information and data should be ready to use at any time, and to be accessed on a regular basis by all who are involved. This can be viewed as a contrast to confidentiality, from restricting access to those who are unauthorized to touch or view any information, to allowing those who are authorized to access as much efficiency and dependability whenever it is needed. Cybersecurity practices use this component to stay organized, as it is necessary to take care and constant updates to store the information in the systems to be as reliable as can be.
CIA Triad Failure
While the CIA Triad is used as the foundation for cyber security protection, there are events that a system or hacker can override or bypass these security, and cause damage to an organization. There was an incident in early 2025, New Jersey, where a healthcare company called ESHYFT had an unprotected AWS S3 storage bucket with over 100 GB worth of data and 86,000 records (86,000+ Healthcare Staff Records Exposed from Misconfigured AWS S3 Bucket). First signaled by a cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler, it was shown that the storage bucket had little to no protection, with the possibility of leaking or publicly viewing documents filled with personal identification and information. While there were some restrictions made, it is still uncertain if there was any improvements to security and confidentiality made to the company.
Confidentiality breaches that occur just like ESHYFT are highly due to an insufficient or no protected system of the CIA Triad that can cause anyone to infiltrate and obtain information. In this particular case, the information leak had affected both the organization, system, and all the individuals who worked or are associated with the company, since personal files, financial and medical records could have been viewed publicly, as well as developing and possibly ruining credibility of ESHYFT with keeping information private, and showing plenty of holes in their systems.
To reduce incidents similar to these confidentiality breaches or any infiltration to integrity and availability is to set up a proper and effective cybersecurity system and team within the organization, to minimize the damage and optimize the prevention of these events. They can also be addressed with near instant reactions, providing close to 24 hour surveillance and plenty of firewalls to avoid those trying to get in unauthorized.
Conclusion
The CIA Triad is one of the foundations of cybersecurity protection for organizations, and can serve for efficiency and effectiveness when storing, transferring, and accessing information or data from the network. As well as preventing any incidents or cyber-attacks against the organization to access the data, that could potentially destroy the organization or personnel.
Works Cited
Kaaviya. “86,000+ Healthcare Staff Records Exposed from Misconfigured AWS S3
Bucket.” Cyber Security News, 13 Mar. 2025, cybersecuritynews.com/86000
healthcare-staff-records-exposed/.