Quick Answer
The correct answer is preventing unauthorized disclosure, as this directly upholds the confidentiality goal of ensuring that sensitive data is accessible only to authorized individuals. Confidentiality protects data both at rest and in transit, meaning it prevents unauthorized parties from reading or intercepting information, whether stored on a server or transmitted across a network. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this principle is frequently tested alongside integrity and availability, and a common trap is confusing confidentiality with authentication or data accuracy. Remember that confidentiality is about secrecy and access control, not about verifying identities or ensuring data correctness. A useful memory tip is to think of the word “confidential” as a sealed envelope: only the intended recipient should open it, and no one else should read its contents during delivery.
This CC practice question tests your understanding of security principles. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO of the following are primary goals of the security principle of confidentiality?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Ensure data accuracy
Why wrong: Data accuracy is integrity.
Maintain system uptime
Why wrong: Uptime is availability.
Provide user authentication
Why wrong: Authentication is separate from confidentiality.
Protect data in transit
Protecting data in transit from interception is part of confidentiality.
Prevent unauthorized disclosure
Preventing unauthorized disclosure is a core goal of confidentiality.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Protect data in transit
Correct: A and C. Confidentiality ensures data is not disclosed to unauthorized parties, covering both storage and transmission. Data accuracy (integrity), system uptime (availability), and identity verification (authentication) are not confidentiality goals.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Ensure data accuracy
Why it's wrong here
Data accuracy is integrity.
Maintain system uptime
Why it's wrong here
Uptime is availability.
Provide user authentication
Why it's wrong here
Authentication is separate from confidentiality.
Protect data in transit
Why this is correct
Protecting data in transit from interception is part of confidentiality.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Prevent unauthorized disclosure
Why this is correct
Preventing unauthorized disclosure is a core goal of confidentiality.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Identify which CC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Security Principles — This question tests Security Principles — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Protect data in transit — Correct: A and C. Confidentiality ensures data is not disclosed to unauthorized parties, covering both storage and transmission. Data accuracy (integrity), system uptime (availability), and identity verification (authentication) are not confidentiality goals.
Identify which CC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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