Which of the following terms describes the need to maintain access restrictions on information?

The term that best describes the need to maintain access restrictions on information is confidentiality. In the context of information security, confidentiality refers to the principle of ensuring that sensitive information is accessed only by authorized individuals or entities. This involves implementing measures and controls to protect information from unauthorized disclosure, which is crucial in safeguarding personal data, classified information, and proprietary secrets.

Maintaining confidentiality is essential for various reasons, such as compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, protecting the privacy rights of individuals, and safeguarding an organization’s competitive advantage. Organizations often employ various strategies, including encryption, access controls, and data classification, to uphold this principle.

The other terms, while related to information security, focus on different aspects. Integrity refers to the accuracy and consistency of data over its lifecycle. Availability ensures that information is accessible to authorized users when needed. Accountability involves tracking user actions and ensuring they are held responsible for their actions within the system. Each of these concepts plays a vital role in the overall security framework, but for the specific concern of access restrictions, confidentiality is the appropriate term.