Which security objective is most directly concerned with protecting data confidentiality?

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

Answer: (B)

Protecting data from being read by unauthorized individuals is what confidentiality is all about. It focuses on preventing disclosure of information, whether at rest, in transit, or during processing. Techniques such as encryption, strong access controls, and data classification support confidentiality by ensuring only authorized parties can access the actual content. Authenticity, on the other hand, is about confirming who or what produced the data or that it comes from a trusted source. Availability concerns whether systems and data are accessible when needed. Integrity deals with keeping data accurate and unaltered. Because the objective here is specifically about preventing disclosure of information, confidentiality is the best fit.