What is data confidentiality?

• A. Keeping information secure and only sharing with authorized people.
• B. Storing all data in the cloud for easy access.
• C. Allowing anyone to view sensitive records.
• D. Backups of data are unnecessary.

Answer: (A)

Data confidentiality means keeping information secure and accessible only to people who are authorised to see it. It’s about who has permission to view or use data, and about putting safeguards in place—like passwords, access controls, and encryption—to prevent unauthorized access. In the real world, this protects sensitive information such as customer details, financial records, and trade secrets, and helps organisations comply with privacy laws.

Storing data in the cloud for easy access isn’t a definition of confidentiality by itself; it’s a storage decision that can be compatible with confidentiality if proper protections are in place. Allowing anyone to view sensitive records breaks confidentiality. Backups being unnecessary has no bearing on confidentiality; it’s about data recovery and resilience, not who can access the data.