ISC2 CC Security Principles Practice Question
An organization implements full-disk encryption on all laptops. Which element of the CIA triad is primarily being addressed?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is assuming encryption covers integrity or availability — candidates must recall that encryption is a confidentiality control, and integrity requires hashing/signatures while availability requires redundancy and uptime measures.
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
Full-disk encryption protects data at rest so that if a laptop is lost or stolen, the data cannot be read without the decryption key. This directly safeguards confidentiality, ensuring only authorized parties can access the information. Encryption is fundamentally a confidentiality control.
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 is not a CIA triad element; it is a separate property proving an action occurred, typically delivered by digital signatures and audit logs. It is tempting because encryption uses cryptographic primitives, but confidentiality is the correct answer when the objective is preventing unauthorised disclosure of stored data.
- ✗
Integrity
Why it's wrong here
Full-disk encryption renders stored data unreadable without the decryption key, which protects confidentiality, not integrity. Integrity concerns detecting or preventing unauthorised modification of data, addressed by hashing or digital signatures. Encryption is tempting here because it does safeguard data, but against disclosure rather than alteration.
- ✗
Availability
Why it's wrong here
Full-disk encryption protects data at rest from unauthorised disclosure, addressing confidentiality; it does nothing to keep systems reachable, so availability is untouched. It is tempting because encryption can affect performance and recovery, but availability is the correct answer when the concern is uptime or denial of service.
- ✓
Confidentiality
Why this is correct
Full-disk encryption renders stored data unreadable without the decryption key, so a stolen laptop's contents cannot be disclosed. This directly protects confidentiality, the CIA element concerned with preventing unauthorised disclosure, rather than integrity or availability.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Access Control Fundamentals
Key term
Encryption
Encryption is the process of converting readable data into a secret code to prevent unauthorized access.
Key term
CIA triad
The CIA triad is a foundational security model that guides organizations in protecting data through confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
About these practice questions
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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
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CC exam.