CIA Triad & Security Controls Flashcards

A hospital's patient records system allows doctors to read files but not modify them without a second physician approval. Which CIA property does this dual-approval mechanism primarily protect?

Answer: Integrity

Requiring dual approval before modifying records protects integrity by preventing unauthorized or accidental alterations to critical data.

Which type of security control is a fire suppression system installed in a data center?

Answer: Preventive

A fire suppression system is a preventive control because it stops or limits damage before it fully occurs.

An attacker intercepts encrypted communications but cannot read the content. Which CIA principle has been successfully preserved?

Answer: Confidentiality

Encryption preserves confidentiality by ensuring that unauthorized parties cannot read intercepted data.

A DDoS attack floods a web server, making it unreachable to legitimate users. Which CIA property is most directly violated?

Answer: Availability

A DDoS attack targets availability by overwhelming resources so legitimate users cannot access the system.

Security logs that record all administrative actions taken on a system are an example of which control type?

Answer: Detective

Audit logs are detective controls because they identify and record events after they occur for later analysis.

Which of the following best describes a compensating control?

Answer: An alternative control used when a primary control cannot be implemented

A compensating control is an alternative safeguard used when the primary control is not feasible or practical to implement.

Hashing a file before and after transmission to verify it arrived unchanged primarily supports which CIA property?

Answer: Integrity

Hashing verifies data integrity by detecting any modifications that occurred during storage or transmission.