Which core functions remain applicable to data at rest?

• A. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability
• B. Redundancy, recovery, and monitoring
• C. Analysis, assessment, and reporting
• D. Control, feedback, and execution

Answer: (A)

The core functions applicable to data at rest are confidentiality, integrity, and availability, collectively known as the CIA triad. Understanding these principles is essential for safeguarding data that is stored and not actively being transmitted.

Confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is accessible only to those authorized to view it, preventing unauthorized access or data breaches. For instance, encryption methods can be employed to protect data at rest, making it unreadable without the appropriate decryption keys.

Integrity refers to the accuracy and trustworthiness of data over its lifecycle. It is crucial that data remains unaltered and authentic while stored. Implementing checksum algorithms or hash functions can help detect any unauthorized changes or corruption that may occur.

Availability guarantees that data is available and usable when needed by authorized users. This can involve maintaining reliable storage systems, ensuring backups are in place, and preventing any potential system failures that could impede access to stored data.

These three functions work together to create a security framework that protects data at rest, making them fundamental to effective data management practices. The other choices, while relevant in specific contexts, do not represent the core principles essential for securing data at rest as thoroughly as the CIA triad does.