table of contents
- 01.Overview and importance of the three elements of information security
- 02.Four elements added to the three elements of information security
- 03.The three elements of information security are essential for obtaining ISMS certification
- 04.Formulation of an information security policy that leads to improvements in the three elements of information security
- 05.Specific measures for information security
- 06.Information security measures using LANSCOPE Endpoint Manager Cloud Edition
- 07.summary
The “three elements” of information security generally refer to ” confidentiality ,” ” integrity ,” and ” availability ,” and are sometimes abbreviated as “CIA.”
An overview of each element and specific measures to ensure and maintain the three elements of information security are provided below.
| overview | countermeasure | |
|---|---|---|
| confidentiality | Ensure that only authorized users have access to information | ・Minimizing access privileges ・Password management ・Data encryption ・Introduction of VPN |
| completeness | Keeping your information accurate and complete | ・Version control ・Data backup ・Digital signature |
| availability | Keeping information available whenever needed | ・Redundancy /Load distribution /Uninterruptible power supply |
Maintaining a good balance between the three elements of information security not only enables companies and organizations to properly protect the information assets they hold, but also helps them obtain ISMS certification, which proves that they have established and are operating an appropriate information security management system.
In recent years, in addition to the three elements mentioned above, four other elements – “Authenticity,” “Accountability,” “Non-repudiation,” and “Reliability” – have also come to be seen as important.
| authenticity | Refers to a state in which it is clear that the user or device accessing information is an authorized person or system. |
|---|---|
| Accountability | It refers to clarifying who performed what operations on information and systems. |
| non-repudiation | When a problem occurs with information assets, it refers to proving that the person responsible cannot later deny it. |
| Reliability | Refers to the system processing and data manipulation being carried out without defects or malfunctions. |
This article explains the definitions of the three elements of information security and measures to ensure and maintain them.
To summarize this article:
- The three elements of information security are confidentiality, integrity, and availability .
- If only one of the three elements is enhanced, not only will convenience and productivity decrease , but the risk of information leakage will also increase , so it is necessary to maintain a good balance between confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
- In recent years, in addition to the three elements mentioned above, four other elements have also come to be considered important: ” Authenticity ,” ” Accountability ,” ” Non- repudiation ,” and ” Reliability .”
- In order to ensure information security, it is necessary to formulate three documents: a basic information security policy , information security measures regulations , and information security measures procedures.
- Specific information security measures include ” strengthening cyber attack countermeasures , ” ” strict password management ,” and ” implementing in-house training .”
Overview and importance of the three elements of information security
The three elements of information security are confidentiality , integrity , and availability .
It is also called CIA, which is an acronym for the above three terms.
Confidentiality : Ensuring that only authorized users have access to information
Integrity : Ensuring that information is accurate and complete Availability
: Ensuring that information is available whenever needed
These three elements are crucial to properly protecting information and protecting it from risks such as unauthorized access, tampering, and even service outages.
In order to protect the information assets of organizations and individuals, it is necessary to understand these factors and take appropriate measures.
Below we will explain confidentiality, integrity, and availability in more detail.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality means keeping information accessible only to authorized users.
If confidentiality is not maintained, personal information and trade secrets may be leaked and misused.
Ensuring confidentiality is extremely important as leaks of information can lead to loss of trust and the risk of legal liability.
Ways to ensure confidentiality include:
Least Privilege Access
By granting access to important information, such as personal information of employees and customers and development information on new products that have not yet been released, to only a limited number of people, the risk of fraudulent use or criminal misuse can be reduced.
Password Management
By specifying the number of characters and the type of characters that must be included in a password through a password policy (rules and regulations regarding passwords), you can prevent employees from setting passwords that can be easily guessed by third parties.
Data encryption
By encrypting data when it is transferred or stored, it is possible to prevent it from being viewed or used illegally even if it is leaked to the outside.
VPN deployment
VPN is a technology that enables secure communication over the Internet.
Using a VPN encrypts your communication data and protects it from theft and tampering by external attackers.
Integrity
Integrity means keeping information accurate and complete.
To put it more simply, it refers to a state in which information is correct, up-to-date, and neither too much nor too little .
If this integrity is low, decisions may be made based on incorrect information and the reputation and trust of the company or organization may be damaged.
Ways to ensure completeness include:
Version Control
Version control allows you to trace back and see who changed a file, when, and how the change was made.
Backing up your data
Regular data backups allow you to quickly restore data in the event of data loss or tampering.
Digital Signature
A digital signature is a technology that certifies that an electronic document has not been tampered with, and it assigns a signature to the electronic document using public key cryptography.
Public key cryptography is a method that uses different keys for encryption and decryption.
If an electronic document is altered after it is signed, this can be detected by the digital signature, ensuring its integrity.
Availability
Availability means having information available whenever it is needed.
Poor availability can result in system downtime and delays, slowing down business operations.
This can lead to lost productivity, business credibility, and customer satisfaction, so be careful.
Ways to ensure availability include:
redundancy
Simply put, redundancy means ” preparing spare equipment .” By operating multiple copies of existing equipment on a daily basis, you can continue to operate the entire system without stopping it even if a server or device fails.
load balancing
Load balancing is the process of distributing processing evenly across multiple servers to prevent processing from concentrating on a specific server.
This means that even if one of the distributed servers goes down, the remaining servers can continue to provide service.
uninterruptible power supply
This power supply device provides a stable supply of power to important equipment in the event of a power outage or other power failure.
By installing an uninterruptible power supply, you can not only continue stable operations in the event of an unexpected power outage, but also prevent servers and storage devices from being forced to shut down.
Balance of the three elements of information security and how to approach it
From an information security perspective, confidentiality, integrity, and availability must be maintained in a balanced manner.
This is because improving only one element can reduce convenience and productivity , or conversely, increase the risk of information leaks .
For example, implementing strict access control to increase confidentiality may reduce work efficiency and reduce availability, such as making it impossible to access the information you need when you need it.
Therefore, it is important for companies to conduct appropriate risk assessments and take measures according to their needs.
Four elements added to the three elements of information security
In recent years, in addition to the three elements mentioned above, four other elements – ” Authenticity ,” ” Accountability ,” ” Non- repudiation ,” and ” Reliability ” – have also come to be seen as important.
| authenticity | Refers to a state in which it is clear that the user or device accessing information is an authorized person or system. |
|---|---|
| Accountability | It refers to clarifying who performed what operations on information and systems. |
| non-repudiation | When a problem occurs with information assets, it refers to proving that the person responsible cannot later deny it. |
| Reliability | Refers to the system processing and data manipulation being carried out without defects or malfunctions. |
The seven elements that make up information security are explained in detail in the article below, so please take a look.
The three elements of information security are essential for obtaining ISMS certification
ISMS certification is a system for implementing and continuously improving appropriate management in accordance with the importance of the information held, based on risk assessment (analysis and efforts to improve workplace hazards and risks).
Obtaining ISMS certification proves that a company or organization has established and is operating an appropriate information security management system, which has the benefit of earning the trust of customers and business partners.
To obtain this ISMS certification, companies must prepare their security environment in accordance with an international standard called “ISO/IEC 27001,” which requires that confidentiality, integrity, and availability be secured and maintained in a balanced manner.
In order to ensure and maintain a good balance between the three elements of information security, “risk assessment” is extremely important.
The risk assessment procedure is explained below.
Basic steps in risk assessment
The basic procedure for risk assessment is as follows:
1. Identify risks (examination, analysis, evaluation)
2. Determine priorities and respond to risks
3. Evaluate and review the implementation status of risk assessment
1. Risk identification (identification, analysis, and evaluation)
The first step is to identify, analyze, and evaluate the potential risks to the information assets held by the organization.
Risks are identified based on whether confidentiality, integrity, or availability has been compromised.
2. Prioritize and address risks
Identified risks are prioritized according to the likelihood of occurrence and the impact on the organization and business operations.
We take measures based on the highest priority and optimize the costs and efforts involved.
3. Evaluation and review of the implementation status of risk assessment
After conducting a risk assessment, the status of its implementation should be evaluated periodically and revised as necessary. As circumstances and the environment within the organization change, new risks may emerge, so risk assessments should be repeated periodically.
We will also evaluate the effectiveness of the measures implemented and make adjustments or improvements as necessary.
These are the basic steps of risk assessment.
By properly implementing these steps, companies can minimize information security risks and establish a safe and reliable business environment.
Formulation of an information security policy that leads to improvements in the three elements of information security
An information security policy refers to the guidelines and code of conduct for information security measures implemented by a company or organization.
An information security policy will clarify what measures will be taken and what procedures will be used to protect your information assets from various threats .
By making this known to the entire company or organization, advanced information security measures can be implemented, which will ultimately lead to improvements in the three elements of information security.
Below we explain what should be included in your information security policy.
Contents to be formulated
The content of an information security policy varies depending on the size, information assets, and structure of the company or organization, so it is necessary to develop one that is appropriate for your company. However, it is generally considered advisable to include the following items:
● Information Security Basic Policy
● Information Security Measures
● Information Security Procedures
The first, the information security basic policy, is a document that outlines an organization’s stance and policy regarding information security. It recognizes the importance of information security and clearly describes the direction and goals that the organization should take to achieve it.
Next, information security regulations are documents that define the specific rules and regulations for an organization to achieve information security. They contain various policies, procedures, and guidelines related to information security, and all parties within the organization are required to follow them.
Finally, an information security procedure manual is a document that outlines specific procedures and steps for implementing information security measures, such as password management procedures and system access control procedures.
These documents form the foundation of an organization’s information security system and are essential for creating a safe and reliable information environment.
For more details, please see the article below.
Specific measures for information security
So far, we have explained the three elements that you need to understand when taking information security measures, but from here on we will explain specific information security measures.
The following three specific measures for information security are listed:
* Strengthening measures against cyber attacks
* Thorough password management
* Implementation of in-house training
Strengthening measures against cyber attacks
Cyber attacks often exploit software and system vulnerabilities.
A vulnerability is a “security flaw,” and if left unaddressed, it increases the risk of suffering damage such as malware infection or unauthorized access.
Therefore, in order to strengthen countermeasures against cyber attacks, it is necessary to fix software and system vulnerabilities through patch updates and regular security updates.
Thorough password management
Thorough password management is essential to prevent unauthorized access and account hijacking.
For example, when setting a password, make sure it is at least eight characters long and includes all letters, numbers, and symbols to make it as strong as possible.
However, even if you set a complex password, authentication can still be broken.
To prepare for such situations, we also recommend implementing multi-factor authentication.
Multi-factor authentication is a security method that uses two or more factors from the following sources: knowledge information (such as a password), possession information (such as a smartphone), and biometric information (such as a fingerprint).
Multi-factor authentication
reduces the risk of authentication being breached even if a password is leaked or guessed.
In-house training
In-house training to raise employee awareness and understanding is essential to strengthening information security.
By holding security study sessions, you can share basic security knowledge and information on the latest threats to raise employee awareness.
It is also important to regularly conduct employee awareness surveys to understand the level of understanding and misperceptions regarding information security and to develop countermeasures.
summary
In this article, we have explained the overview and countermeasures of the “three elements of information security.”
To summarize this article:
- The three elements of information security are confidentiality, integrity, and availability .
- If only one of the three elements is enhanced, not only will convenience and productivity decrease , but the risk of information leakage will also increase , so it is necessary to maintain a good balance between confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
- In recent years, in addition to the three elements mentioned above, four other elements have also come to be considered important: ” Authenticity ,” ” Accountability ,” ” Non- repudiation ,” and ” Reliability .”
- In order to ensure information security, it is necessary to formulate three documents: a basic information security policy , information security measures regulations , and information security measures procedures.
- Specific information security measures include ” strengthening cyber attack countermeasures , ” ” strict password management ,” and ” implementing in-house training .”
