ISC2 CC Security Principles Practice Question
A security analyst is implementing a solution to ensure that data transmitted between two servers cannot be read by unauthorized parties. Which security principle is the analyst primarily addressing?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates see 'cannot be read' and may overthink it, but the question is a straightforward mapping to the Confidentiality principle — the distractor 'Integrity' tempts those who confuse 'cannot be read' with 'cannot be modified.'
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 that data is accessible only to authorized parties and is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals. Encrypting data in transit between two servers directly addresses confidentiality by rendering the data unreadable to eavesdroppers. This is the core goal of protocols like TLS, IPsec, and SSH, which the analyst would likely implement to satisfy this requirement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Integrity
Why it's wrong here
Integrity protects data from unauthorised modification, not from being read; it detects tampering rather than concealing content. It is tempting because integrity is a fundamental security principle, and it would be correct if the requirement were ensuring the transmitted data arrives unaltered, for example via a hash or MAC.
- ✓
Confidentiality
Why this is correct
Encryption such as TLS renders intercepted traffic unreadable to eavesdroppers, directly enforcing confidentiality. This principle guarantees data is disclosed only to authorised parties, matching the requirement that transmitted data cannot be read by unauthorised parties.
- ✗
Availability
Why it's wrong here
Availability concerns uptime and timely access to systems and data, not preventing unauthorised reading. Confidentiality is the principle addressed by encryption in transit; availability would be the answer if the goal were resilience against denial-of-service or outages.
- ✗
Authentication
Why it's wrong here
Authentication verifies the identity of users or systems, so it does nothing to prevent an eavesdropper reading intercepted traffic. It is tempting because authentication is a core security principle, and it would be correct if the requirement were confirming that each server is genuinely the party it claims to be before exchanging data.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Key term
Internet Protocol Security
Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) is a suite of protocols that encrypts and authenticates data packets sent over IP networks to ensure private and secure communication.
Key term
IPsec
IPsec is a suite of protocols used to secure Internet Protocol (IP) communications by encrypting and authenticating each IP packet in a data stream.
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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 ISC2 exam blueprint
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