A government data center handling citizen records is facing repeated…
A government data center handling citizen records is facing repeated unauthorized access attempts. The security team must strengthen its information security framework.
(a) What are Information Security Threats? Name any three sources from which they can originate.
(b) Explain the three core principles of the CIA Triad with one real-world example each.
(c) "Availability is not just a technical issue — it requires cross-team coordination." Justify this statement.
Attempted by 6 students.
Show answer & explanation
(a) Information Security Threats
Information security threats are actions or events that can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data and systems. They originate from various sources including individuals, organised groups, and natural disasters.
(b) CIA Triad
Confidentiality: Ensures information remains accessible only to authorised individuals and processes. A breach occurs when unauthorised parties access sensitive data like passwords. Example: Only HR staff can view salary records.
Integrity: Maintains accuracy and completeness of data by preventing unauthorised modifications. Only authorised personnel can edit information. Example: Bank transaction records cannot be altered without an audit trail.
Availability: Guarantees systems remain accessible when needed. Requires coordination between network operations, development teams, incident response, and policy management. Example: Hospital records must be accessible 24/7.
(c) Availability
Availability requires network operations to keep infrastructure running, development teams for system stability, incident response teams to handle disruptions, and policy management to define protocols. Without this multi-team coordination, even a minor failure causes complete service disruption — making availability a shared organizational responsibility.