What does "Confidentiality" mean in information security?

In information security, "Confidentiality" refers to the principle of limiting access to information so that only authorized individuals have the ability to view or manage the data. This is crucial in protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access and breaches, ensuring that data is only shared with those who have explicit permission to do so.

By implementing confidentiality measures, organizations can safeguard personal, financial, and other sensitive information against misuse or theft, thus maintaining trust and compliance with legal requirements. This typically involves utilizing access controls, encryption, and secure authentication methods to ensure that only authorized users can interact with the data.

The other options provided do not align with the concept of confidentiality. For instance, making data available to all employees undermines confidentiality by exposing sensitive information to unauthorized individuals. Preparing data for analysis and ensuring data is archived are related more to data management processes rather than directly addressing the need for protecting sensitive information through restricted access.