CISSP Study Plan – Day 39 of 55 | CIA vs DAD – Both Matter
- Luke Ahmed
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 12 hours ago
“The CIA Triad is the core principle of not only the CISSP exam, but all of cybersecurity.” – Luke Ahmed
Today is Day 39 of Yihenew’s CISSP study plan, focusing on one of the most fundamental — yet frequently misunderstood — pairs of concepts: CIA vs DAD.
The CIA Triad forms the backbone of every information security decision you’ll make as a CISSP. The DAD Triad, on the other hand, is its opposite — representing the consequences when those principles fail. Understanding both is what transforms theory into management-level insight.
Key Areas Covered in the CISSP Study Plan
CIA Triad
Confidentiality — Protecting information from unauthorized access.
Integrity — Ensuring data accuracy, consistency, and trustworthiness.
Availability — Making sure systems and information are accessible when needed.
Example: Encryption enforces confidentiality, hashing supports integrity, and redundancy improves availability.
DAD Triad
Disclosure — Breach of confidentiality (data exposure).
Alteration — Breach of integrity (data tampering).
Destruction — Breach of availability (data loss or system outage).
Example: A ransomware attack can trigger all three DAD failures simultaneously.
Why Both Matter:
CIA defines security success metrics.
DAD defines security failure symptoms.
CISSPs must design systems that prevent DAD by enforcing CIA.
CISSP Exam Tie-In
You’ll encounter CISSP questions that test whether you can identify which part of the triad is being violated in a given scenario.
A hacker leaks employee salaries? → Confidentiality / Disclosure
Logs modified without authorization? → Integrity / Alteration
Data center outage halts operations? → Availability / Destruction
CISSP exam writers love testing CIA in reverse — so recognizing DAD as the symptom of CIA failure gives you a mental shortcut.
Quick CISSP Practice Question
A system experiences unauthorized modification of database records, leading to false financial reports. Which part of the CIA triad has been compromised?
A. Confidentiality
B. Integrity
C. Availability
D. Authenticity
✅ Correct Answer: B. Integrity
Explanation:Unauthorized changes to data compromise integrity — the assurance that information remains accurate and unaltered. This aligns with the “A” in DAD: Alteration.
Think Like a Manager:Security failures are the inverse of good governance. Preventing “DAD” means protecting the organization’s trust, not just its data.
👉 Can you take the Yani Challenge?
55 days of consistent CISSP prep, tackling one domain at a time, using only the resources below:
Course
Luke's CISSP Course (2 months access, $89.98)
One-to-one Zoom sessions with Luke Ahmed (2 weeks before exam)
Books, Notes, and Practice Questions
All-In-One Study Guide by Shon Harris (Around $45)
Sybex 10th Edition (Around $52.55)
Total Cost: approxiamately $250 depending on your geographic location. Yani is located in East Africa.
📚 Study Plan (55 Days of Dedication):
- Weekdays: 2–3 hours of focused study—late nights and early mornings (5 AM).
- Weekends: 5–6 hours of deep study sessions.
Pass CISSP in first attempt within 100 questions.
Yani's biggest expense was his time, committment, consistency, and dedication! It was worth it because he passed first attempt in 100 questions using the above resources only.
If Yihenew could do it, so can you.
All the best Future CISSP. You can feel free to contact me anytime as well.
Thank you.
Luke Ahmed
