Which aspect is primarily ensured by confidentiality in information security?

Confidentiality is a core principle in information security, and it primarily focuses on protecting sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals or entities. The goal of confidentiality is to ensure that data remains private and is only accessible to those who have been granted the appropriate permissions. This is achieved through various mechanisms such as encryption, access controls, and authentication processes, which prevent unauthorized users from viewing or obtaining sensitive information.

In the context of information security, confidentiality directly relates to the management of data privacy and access rights. Protecting against unauthorized access helps mitigate risks associated with data breaches, identity theft, and information leaks, which can lead to significant harm for individuals and organizations.

The other options relate to different aspects of information security. For example, protection from data loss focuses on ensuring data integrity and availability rather than privacy. Data recovery deals with the ability to restore data after a loss event, often involving backup solutions. Authenticating users is part of an overall access control strategy but does not directly ensure that the information remains confidential once access has been granted.