DAD Triad: Disclosure, Alteration, and Destruction

In today’s digital landscape, the protection of sensitive information is more critical than ever. One important framework for understanding security failures is the DAD triad, which consists of Disclosure, Alteration, and Destruction. Each element highlights a different way in which security can be compromised, posing significant risks to organizations and individuals alike.

Disclosure refers to the unauthorized access of sensitive information, violating confidentiality. A poignant example of this is the data breaches experienced by healthcare organizations, where hackers gain access to personal health information (PHI). Such breaches not only threaten individual privacy but can also lead to identity theft and financial fraud, underscoring the urgent need for robust security measures.

Alteration occurs when data is maliciously or accidentally modified, undermining integrity. Consider a financial institution that is hacked, allowing an attacker to change transaction records. This kind of manipulation can lead to significant financial losses and damage the trust customers place in the institution. Protecting data integrity is essential to maintaining accurate and reliable information.

Destruction involves the damaging or making of resources inaccessible to authorized users, thus violating availability. A common example is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, where attackers flood a website with traffic, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users. Such disruptions…