Glossary / concepts acsc-glossary

Confidentiality

The right eyes only. Encryption, access control, and not leaving copies in the wrong tray.

CIA triadThe CIA triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Three properties of information security, not a slogan. Lose one and the system is already failing even if the dashboard is green.ANDANDCConfidentialityauthorised eyes onlyIIntegritywritten by the right handAAvailabilitythere when work needs itCIA TRIAD / THREE PROPERTIESLose one pillar and the system is already failing.Check every control against all three — or it is decoration.

Confidentiality is the promise that data is shown only to entities that are allowed to see it. Identity, classification, and encryption are the usual machinery. Gossip in Slack is not.

It fails when a mailbox is shared, a backup is open, a screen is in a cafe, or a contractor keeps last year's export.

Pair it with integrity and availability. Perfect secrecy on a system nobody can use is not a program.

Fact source: ASD's ACSC glossary.