Which security objective focuses on preventing disclosure of information to unauthorized individuals?

• A. Confidentiality
• B. Integrity
• C. Availability
• D. Authentication

Answer: (A)

Preventing disclosure of information to unauthorized individuals is the aim of confidentiality. Confidentiality means keeping data secret and accessible only to people with proper authorization, using measures like access controls, encryption, and need-to-know policies. It focuses on who is allowed to see the information and prevents exposure to those who shouldn’t have access.

Integrity is about keeping data accurate and trustworthy, ensuring it hasn’t been altered improperly, while availability ensures data and systems are accessible when needed. Authentication is the process of verifying a user’s identity to control access. While authentication supports access control, the specific objective described—limiting who can view information—belongs to confidentiality.