The CIA Triad
What you will learn
You will use the CIA Triad to describe what kind of security problem you are dealing with.
CIA stands for
Confidentiality
Keeping information private—only the right people can access it.
Examples:
- Passwords
- Student records
- Private messages
Integrity
Keeping information accurate and unmodified by unauthorized changes.
Examples:
- Grades
- Bank balances
- System configuration files
Availability
Keeping systems and information accessible when they are needed.
Examples:
- Email and internet access
- A school’s learning platform
- A point-of-sale system
Important note
Many real incidents affect more than one part of CIA.
Quick practice (5 minutes)
For each scenario, decide whether it is mainly C, I, A—or a mix:
- A stolen laptop with unencrypted files.
- A student changes a grade in the system without permission.
- A website goes offline during registration day.