Nick Cline
February 17th, 2026
CYSE 200T
Professor Duvall
The CIA Triad
Bluf: The CIA triad is a crucial piece in the field of cybersecurity, without it company’s would lose millions of dollars and data.
Confidentiality
The CIA triad consists of three main components, the first being confidentiality. This is what monitors who has access to the data, turning away anyone who does not have the proper credentials. Forms of this are encryption keys, multi-factor authentication, and basic passwords.
Integrity
Integrity is what protects the data during its transfer, keeping the data intact and unchanged. It is also responsible for confirming the data of from a trustworthy source and has not been infected with any malicious programming.
Availability
Availability makes it possible for users with the proper credentials to access their data instantly. It makes sure the data can always be accsessed, through backup, maintaining hardware and software, and protected from attacks.
Authentication Vs Authorization
Authentication confirms who the user is, through fingerprint scanning, passwords, and MFA. This allows a user into a system, but it does not grant access to any data. Authorization checks the user’s permission the moment they are authenticated, and grants access to only the data they are authorized to access.
Conclusion
The CIA triad is a vital component in cybersecurity, and it must be well known and followed to properly progress in the field. If one aspect is out of line it could cost not only you, but your customers and company millions of dollars.