SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
Which three of the following are core principles of the CIA triad in information security? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
The SY0-701 exam often tests the distinction between the CIA triad and other security objectives like AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting), leading candidates to mistakenly include Authentication or Authorization as core CIA principles.
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
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Confidentiality
The CIA triad is the foundational model for information security, consisting of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Confidentiality ensures data is accessible only to authorized users, often enforced through encryption (e.g., AES-256) and access controls. Integrity guarantees data has not been tampered with, using mechanisms like hashing (SHA-256) or digital signatures. Availability ensures systems and data are accessible when needed, supported by redundancy (RAID, failover clusters) and DDoS mitigation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Confidentiality
Why this is correct
Confidentiality is a core pillar of the CIA triad that ensures data is accessible only to authorized users, systems, or processes. It is typically enforced via encryption, access control lists (ACLs), and the principle of least privilege to prevent eavesdropping, data exfiltration, and unauthorized disclosure. Without confidentiality, sensitive information such as credentials, financial records, or personal data would be exposed.
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Integrity
Why this is correct
Integrity is a core CIA triad principle that guarantees data has not been tampered with or altered by unauthorized parties, preserving its accuracy and completeness. This is achieved through cryptographic hashing (e.g., SHA-256), digital signatures, and file integrity monitoring, which detect any unauthorized modification. Integrity also covers the correctness of data throughout its lifecycle, ensuring that accidental or malicious changes are identified and corrected.
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Availability
Why this is correct
Availability is a core CIA triad principle that ensures information and systems remain consistently accessible and usable to authorized users whenever required. It involves implementing redundant infrastructure, failover clusters, load balancing, and robust backup strategies to mitigate denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, hardware failures, or natural disasters. High availability maintains business continuity and meets uptime requirements, thereby protecting against downtime that could disrupt critical operations.
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Authentication
Why it's wrong here
Authentication is not a principle of the CIA triad; rather, it is a security process that verifies the identity of a user or device before granting access. It is commonly implemented via passwords, biometrics, smart cards, or multi-factor authentication (MFA) and serves as a foundation for confidentiality and integrity controls. While essential to security, authentication is a mechanism for enforcing policies, not a core objective of the triad, and thus it does not constitute one of the three pillars.
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Non-repudiation
Why it's wrong here
Non-repudiation is not a core principle of the CIA triad; it is an assurance that a party cannot falsely deny performing an action, such as sending or receiving a message. It relies on digital signatures, audit logs, and trusted timestamps to provide proof of origin and delivery. Although it complements integrity and accountability, non-repudiation addresses legal and forensic certainty rather than the fundamental data security goals of confidentiality, integrity, or availability.
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Authorization
Why it's wrong here
Authorization is not a core principle of the CIA triad; it is the process of defining and enforcing what resources an authenticated user or system is allowed to access or perform. Typically implemented through access control lists (ACLs), role-based access control (RBAC), and attribute-based access control (ABAC), authorization ensures compliance with organizational policies. While it supports confidentiality by restricting access, it remains a procedural control outside the triad's core data protection objectives.
Quick reference
Symmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Size | Block Size | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-128 | 128-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | NIST approved; WPA3, TLS |
| AES-256 | 256-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | Preferred for sensitive / govt data |
| 3DES | 112-bit effective | 64-bit | Deprecated (2023) | Replaced by AES |
| DES | 56-bit | 64-bit | Broken | Cracked in < 24 h; never deploy |
| ChaCha20 | 256-bit | Stream cipher | Current | TLS 1.3, WireGuard |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Security Controls
Key term
Advanced Encryption Standard
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a widely used symmetric encryption algorithm that protects electronic data by converting readable information into a scrambled format that can only be unscrambled with the correct secret key.
Key term
Integrity
Integrity is the assurance that data has not been altered or tampered with in an unauthorized way, preserving its accuracy and consistency from source to destination.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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