Confidentiality
Confidentiality is the degree to which information is protected from unauthorized access or disclosure.
“The degree to which a component or system ensures that data are accessible only to those authorized to have access.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Confidentiality?
Confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is accessible only to authorized users, processes, or systems through appropriate security controls.
Access control: Permissions restrict who can view protected information.
Data protection: Encryption and secure communication help preserve confidentiality.
Testing focus: Security testing verifies that confidential information cannot be accessed improperly.
Real World Example
A regulated product team is preparing a release where Confidentiality appears in reviews, test design conversations, or defect triage rather than as an isolated glossary word.
The risk is that the team treats Confidentiality as interchangeable with nearby ISTQB terms. That makes test scope blurry and can lead to weak evidence for the release decision.
The tester anchors the discussion in the official definition, asks where the concept appears in the product, and designs examples that show the difference between Confidentiality and similar ideas.
The page becomes useful in practice because Confidentiality is connected to a specific testing decision, not memorized as a detached definition.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Confidentiality in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Confidentiality to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
Test your knowledge with real ISTQB-style questions
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