What does the acronym "CIA" stand for in cybersecurity?

In the context of cybersecurity, the acronym "CIA" stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. These three principles form the core foundation of information security.

Confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is accessed only by authorized individuals or systems, preventing unauthorized access to data. This is crucial for protecting personal data and maintaining privacy.

Integrity involves maintaining the accuracy and trustworthiness of data over its lifecycle. It ensures that the information remains unaltered except by authorized personnel and that any changes to data can be tracked. This guarantees that the data users are working with is reliable and has not been tampered with.

Availability ensures that information and resources are accessible to authorized users when needed, without disruptions. This means that systems and data must be operational and that any downtime due to maintenance or attacks is minimized.

The other options do not represent foundational concepts in cybersecurity. Control, Inspection, Administration, and the various combinations of terms in the other choices do not align with the accepted norms that define the essential elements of securing data and IT environments correctly.