Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →easymultiple choiceObjective-mapped
What does the confidentiality objective of the CIA triad focus on?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Preventing unauthorized changes to data
That is integrity.
B
Distractor review
Ensuring systems are reachable when needed
That is availability.
C
Best answer
Preventing unauthorized disclosure of information
Correct. That defines confidentiality.
D
Distractor review
Providing authentication and accounting only
Those can support security, but they are not the definition of confidentiality.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common exam trap is confusing confidentiality with integrity or availability. For example, option A describes integrity, which protects data from unauthorized changes, not unauthorized disclosure. Option B refers to availability, ensuring systems are reachable, which is unrelated to confidentiality. Option D mentions authentication and accounting, which support security but do not define confidentiality. Candidates often mistake these related concepts for confidentiality because they all contribute to overall security, but only confidentiality specifically focuses on preventing unauthorized information disclosure.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Confidentiality is one of the three core objectives of the CIA triad, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. It specifically aims to protect sensitive information from being accessed or disclosed by unauthorized individuals or systems. In networking, confidentiality is enforced through mechanisms such as encryption, access control lists (ACLs), and authentication protocols that restrict data visibility to only authorized users. This ensures that sensitive data like passwords, personal information, or proprietary business data remains private during transmission and storage. In the context of Cisco networking and the CCNA exam, confidentiality is implemented using technologies like IPsec VPNs, Secure Shell (SSH), and ACLs that filter traffic based on permissions. The decision process to maintain confidentiality involves verifying user identities, encrypting data in transit, and limiting access to network resources. While authentication and accounting are important for verifying identities and tracking usage, they are supporting functions rather than the definition of confidentiality itself. Understanding these distinctions helps correctly identify confidentiality-related concepts in exam questions. A common confusion arises when candidates mistake confidentiality for integrity or availability. Integrity protects data from unauthorized modification, while availability ensures systems remain operational and accessible. Practical network security requires balancing all three objectives, but the exam question specifically targets confidentiality’s role in preventing unauthorized data disclosure. Recognizing this focus helps avoid exam traps and aligns with Cisco’s approach to securing network communications and data privacy.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- The confidentiality objective in the CIA triad prevents unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information to protect data privacy.
- Confidentiality requires implementing access controls, encryption, and authentication mechanisms to restrict data access to authorized users only.
- Integrity focuses on preventing unauthorized changes to data, ensuring information remains accurate and trustworthy.
- Availability ensures that systems and data are accessible and operational when needed by authorized users.
- Authentication and accounting support confidentiality by verifying user identities and tracking access, but do not define confidentiality itself.
- Cisco security features like ACLs and encryption protocols help enforce confidentiality by controlling who can view or transmit data.
- Confidentiality breaches can lead to data leaks, loss of trust, and compliance violations, making it a critical security goal in networking.
- Understanding the distinction between confidentiality, integrity, and availability is essential for correctly answering security fundamentals questions on the CCNA exam.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?
Question 2
A router shows this output: R1#show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:34 192.168.12.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 10.1.1.3 1 2WAY/DROTHER 00:00:39 192.168.12.3 GigabitEthernet0/0 Which statement is correct?
Question 3
What is the OSPF metric called?
Question 4
A non-root switch has two uplinks toward the root bridge. One path has a lower total STP cost than the other. What role will the lower-cost uplink have?
Question 5
A router interface applies this ACL inbound: 10 deny tcp any any eq 80 20 permit ip any any A user reports that web browsing to a server by IP address fails, but ping works. Which statement best explains the behavior?
Question 6
A router learns route 198.51.100.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and also has a static route to the same prefix configured with AD 150. Which route is installed?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
The confidentiality objective in the CIA triad prevents unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information to protect data privacy.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Preventing unauthorized disclosure of information — Confidentiality is about preventing unauthorized disclosure of information.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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