Certified Incident Handler (CIH) Practice Ecam

Which part of the CIA Triad is responsible for ensuring information is accurate?

1. Availability

2. Integrity

3. Confidentiality

4. Authentication

The correct answer is: Integrity

In the context of the CIA Triad, integrity is the component that focuses on maintaining the accuracy and trustworthiness of data. This means that integrity ensures that information remains unaltered, both during storage and transmission, unless modified by authorized individuals. It encompasses mechanisms that prevent unauthorized alterations, allowing data to be reliable and consistent over time. For instance, integrity can be enforced through various methods such as hashing, digital signatures, and checksums, which can detect any unauthorized changes to data. When integrity is compromised, it can lead to misinformation, which could affect decision-making processes and overall system reliability. While the other concepts in the CIA Triad—confidentiality and availability—play critical roles in protecting information and ensuring it is accessible when needed, they do not specifically address the accuracy aspect. Confidentiality focuses on restricting access to information to authorized individuals, ensuring that sensitive data does not fall into the wrong hands. Availability, on the other hand, is about ensuring that information and resources are accessible to authorized users when required. Authentication relates to verifying the identity of users or systems but does not directly pertain to the accuracy of the information. Thus, the clear responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of information lies within integrity.