What concept directly correlates with the focus of protecting sensitive information in security?

The concept that directly correlates with the focus of protecting sensitive information is confidentiality. Confidentiality refers to the principle of keeping sensitive information private and ensuring that it is accessed only by authorized individuals. This is a fundamental aspect of information security, as organizations need to safeguard data against unauthorized access and disclosure to maintain the trust of clients, stakeholders, and regulatory compliance.

In the context of security practices, achieving confidentiality means implementing measures such as encryption, access controls, and secure communication protocols. It helps ensure that sensitive data, including personal identification information or proprietary business data, is not leaked or misused.

While integrity and availability are essential components of information security, they address different aspects. Integrity focuses on maintaining the accuracy and completeness of information, while availability ensures that authorized users have access to information when needed. Authentication, on the other hand, verifies the identity of a user attempting to access data, which is a separate process from protecting the data itself. Therefore, confidentiality is the most appropriate choice when discussing the protection of sensitive information.