Which of the following refers to the principles of protecting data in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and availability?

The correct answer pertains to information assurance, which is the practice of managing risks related to the use, disclosure, and destruction of information while ensuring its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. These three principles, often referred to as the CIA triad, are fundamental in the field of information security.

Confidentiality ensures that information is accessible only to those authorized to have access. Integrity involves maintaining the accuracy and completeness of data, ensuring that it remains unaltered during storage and transmission. Availability ensures that information and resources are accessible when needed by authorized users.

While data encryption, cybersecurity, and data masking contribute to protecting information, they do not encompass the broader scope of managing risks related to all aspects of information assurance. For instance, data encryption specifically refers to the method of converting information into a secure format that can only be read by someone who has the key to decrypt it. Cybersecurity encompasses a wider range of measures taken to protect systems and data from cyber threats, while data masking is a technique used to obfuscate specific data within a database to protect it from unauthorized access. Therefore, information assurance best captures the holistic approach to ensuring data protection through confidentiality, integrity, and availability.