Certified: The CISSP Prepcast

Welcome to The Bare Metal Cyber CISSP Prepcast. This series helps you prepare for the ISC squared CISSP exam with focused explanations and practical context.
In this episode, we are turning our attention to one of the most foundational models in cybersecurity: the C I A Triad. This triad stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. You will encounter this model again and again—not only in your CISSP exam preparation, but throughout your entire career in cybersecurity. These three principles form the core of virtually every security strategy, policy, and control. They are not simply abstract concepts. They shape how we think about risk, how we design systems, and how we respond to incidents. By mastering the C I A Triad, you will gain a deeper understanding of what it truly means to protect information and systems in a dynamic and ever-changing environment.
Let us begin with the first element of the triad: Confidentiality. Confidentiality means making sure that sensitive information is only accessible to people and systems that are authorized to see it. In other words, we want to prevent unauthorized access to data. This could mean anything from keeping personal health records private to making sure company secrets do not leak outside the organization.
One of the most important ways we protect confidentiality is through encryption. Encryption transforms readable data into unreadable code unless the proper key is used. This way, even if a hacker intercepts a file, they cannot understand it without the decryption key. Another essential method is access control. This includes things like usernames and passwords, biometric systems, or multi-factor authentication to ensure that only the right individuals can get to the data they need.
In many cases, confidentiality is not just a best practice—it is a requirement. Regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in healthcare, or the General Data Protection Regulation in Europe, require organizations to maintain the confidentiality of certain types of data. Failing to do so can result in penalties, lawsuits, or serious reputational damage.
To effectively manage confidentiality, organizations often use data classification and labeling. This means identifying how sensitive each piece of information is and labeling it accordingly. For instance, internal-only emails might get a low classification, while customer credit card numbers might receive a high classification, triggering stronger security protections.
Industries like finance, healthcare, and government depend heavily on confidentiality. Banks must protect customer account information. Hospitals must keep medical records private. Government agencies must ensure that national security data does not fall into the wrong hands. In all these cases, confidentiality is not just an ideal—it is a necessity.
Now let us shift to the second component of the triad: Integrity. Integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency, and trustworthiness of data and systems. When we talk about integrity in cybersecurity, we mean that the data should not be altered in unauthorized ways. It should remain as it was originally intended, whether it is stored, transmitted, or displayed.
There are several methods to maintain integrity. One of the most common is hashing. A hash is a unique digital fingerprint created from data. If the data changes, even slightly, the hash value changes. By comparing hashes, you can tell whether data has been tampered with. Another method is the use of digital signatures. These not only confirm that data comes from a trusted source, but also that it has not been altered since it was signed.
Version control systems also help protect integrity by keeping track of changes to documents or code, so that unauthorized or mistaken changes can be identified and reversed. Audit trails—records of who accessed or changed what and when—are another tool to support integrity. These logs provide a way to detect suspicious behavior and restore systems to a known good state if needed.
Integrity is especially important in environments where data accuracy is critical. Think about financial transactions. If even a single number is changed in a payment or account balance, the results could be disastrous. Regulatory compliance also depends on trustworthy records. Organizations must be able to prove that reports, records, and logs are accurate. Without integrity, the value and reliability of information collapse, and decision-making becomes compromised.
Next, we turn to the third leg of the triad: Availability. Availability means ensuring that information and systems are accessible when they are needed by authorized users. A system that is confidential and accurate but frequently unavailable is not truly secure in a practical sense. After all, security is meant to support business goals, not hinder them.
Maintaining high availability requires careful planning and investment. Organizations often use redundancy to make sure that if one part of the system fails, another can take over. This could include redundant servers, duplicate network paths, or backup power supplies. Fault tolerance and load balancing help systems continue operating even when components fail or when demand is high.
Disaster recovery and business continuity planning are also key to availability. These involve creating strategies for how to quickly restore services after an outage, whether it is caused by a cyberattack, a hardware failure, or a natural disaster. Backups are essential, and not just any backups—backups that are tested regularly to ensure they actually work.
Availability is under constant threat. Denial-of-service attacks are designed specifically to knock systems offline. Hardware components can fail at any time. Storms, fires, or power outages can interrupt services. By building systems with availability in mind, organizations ensure that they can continue operating smoothly even when something goes wrong.
For more cyber related content and books, please check out cyber author dot me. Also, there are other podcasts on Cybersecurity and more at Bare Metal Cyber dot com.
Now let us look at how the three principles of the C I A Triad interact. In real-world environments, confidentiality, integrity, and availability must all be maintained—but doing so requires balance. These goals can sometimes conflict with each other. For example, a system that is extremely confidential might be so locked down that it becomes less available. On the other hand, opening up access to increase availability might create new risks to confidentiality or integrity.
Security professionals must constantly evaluate and balance these trade-offs. What level of access does a user really need? How quickly does data need to be restored after an outage? How do we monitor systems to detect changes without slowing performance? These questions help us understand the business context and risk tolerance that shape every decision we make.
The key is to avoid focusing on only one pillar of the triad at the expense of the others. An organization that prioritizes availability above all might become vulnerable to data leaks or manipulation. One that focuses solely on confidentiality might grind to a halt during a crisis because no one can access critical systems. True cybersecurity success means applying all three principles in a balanced and thoughtful way.
Security frameworks, like those from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, are built around this balanced approach. They encourage organizations to identify what they need to protect, determine the impact of various threats, and implement layered controls that address confidentiality, integrity, and availability together. A strong risk management process helps determine where the balance should lie in each unique situation.
Finally, let us bring these ideas into real-world scenarios. In the healthcare industry, protecting patient data is a top priority. Confidentiality ensures that personal health information remains private. Integrity guarantees that medical records are accurate and consistent, which is essential for diagnoses and treatments. Availability ensures that doctors and nurses can access that information immediately in an emergency.
In finance, banks rely on confidentiality to protect account details and prevent identity theft. Integrity ensures that transactions go through exactly as intended, and availability means that customers can access their accounts whenever they need to. A failure in any one of these areas could damage customer trust, violate regulations, or even cause financial loss.
Government agencies deal with a wide range of sensitive information, from personnel data to national security plans. The confidentiality of this information is often a matter of safety. The integrity of intelligence reports or voting systems can affect democracy itself. And the availability of critical services—especially during a crisis—is essential to public trust.
Information technology companies and cloud service providers are another example. Their clients depend on them to deliver reliable and secure services. These organizations must ensure that data is kept private, systems are kept accurate, and platforms are always online. Failing in any part of the C I A Triad could damage their reputation and drive customers away.
By studying these real-world applications, you begin to see how the C I A Triad is not just a theory—it is a working model that guides practical decision-making. The better you understand it, the more effective you will be in designing and evaluating security solutions. It is a foundational lens that will shape every exam question you answer and every policy you help implement.
Thanks for joining the CISSP Prepcast by Bare Metal Cyber. For additional episodes, comprehensive study materials, and tailored support for your CISSP journey, visit baremetalcyber.com. Continue building your knowledge, maintain your strategic focus, and we'll help you achieve CISSP certification.