# CIA Triad

The three core principles of information security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The **CIA triad[↗](/cia-triad)** refers to the three foundational goals of information security[↗](/information-security): **confidentiality** (only authorized people can access information), **integrity** (information stays accurate and unaltered), and **availability** (information and systems are accessible when needed). Nearly every security control maps back to protecting one or more of these three properties.

Balancing the triad often involves trade-offs, for example, requiring multiple approvals to change a record improves integrity but can reduce availability by slowing things down. Understanding which part of the triad a given control protects helps teams design defenses that address the actual risk rather than applying security measures blindly.