What does the principle of availability ensure?

The principle of availability is a critical aspect of information security that focuses on ensuring that information and resources are accessible to authorized users when needed. This means that subjects—such as users, applications, or systems—should have timely access to objects, which can be data, services, or IT infrastructure. Ensuring availability is about preventing disruptions due to failures, attacks, or unforeseen events so that users can continuously access the resources they require.

Access can be hindered by various factors, including system failures, natural disasters, or security incidents. Measures like redundancy, failover strategies, and recovery plans are essential to maintain this principle. By prioritizing timely access, organizations can sustain their operations and meet user demands effectively, which is vital for overall business continuity.

Other options focus on different aspects of data integrity and quality rather than access. Authenticity concerns the verification of a user's identity or the legitimacy of data, accuracy relates to the correctness of data, and completeness involves having all necessary data present. While all of these are important for a comprehensive data security framework, they do not directly address the core of availability.