200-201 Security Concepts Practice Question
Which element of the CIA triad is primarily compromised when an attacker successfully intercepts and reads encrypted network traffic without authorization?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is conflating confidentiality with integrity when the scenario involves interception; candidates often assume any network attack compromises integrity, but a read-only interception specifically targets confidentiality.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Confidentiality
Confidentiality ensures data is not disclosed to unauthorized parties. When an attacker intercepts and reads encrypted traffic, the confidentiality of that data is breached because the adversary gains access to information they were not authorized to see. Integrity concerns unauthorized modification, and availability concerns disruption of access, neither of which is the primary impact of a read-only interception.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Non-repudiation
Why it's wrong here
Non-repudiation concerns proving a party performed an action, such as a signed transaction, not preventing unauthorised reading of traffic. It is tempting because it is a security property, but it would be the correct answer where the concern is denying having sent a message.
- ✓
Confidentiality
Why this is correct
Confidentiality guarantees data is readable only by authorised parties. Intercepting and reading encrypted traffic without authorisation exposes the plaintext content to an unintended party, so the confidentiality element of the CIA triad is the one primarily compromised.
- ✗
Integrity
Why it's wrong here
Integrity concerns unauthorised modification of data, whereas interception and reading is disclosure, which compromises confidentiality. It is tempting because both are CIA triad elements, but integrity would be correct if the attacker altered the traffic rather than merely reading it.
- ✗
Availability
Why it's wrong here
Availability concerns ensuring systems and data remain accessible to authorised users; interception and reading does not disrupt access. It is tempting because denial-of-service attacks compromise availability, which would be the correct answer if traffic were blocked or systems taken offline.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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