What is meant by a 'confidentiality breach'?

A confidentiality breach specifically refers to the situation where sensitive information is disclosed to unauthorized individuals. This encompasses any scenario where information that is meant to be kept private—such as personal data, trade secrets, or proprietary information—is exposed inappropriately or without consent. The focus is on the unauthorized revealing of that data, which can occur through various means, including digital hacking, physical theft, or accidental disclosure.

This concept is a key concern in information security, as maintaining confidentiality is crucial for protecting personal privacy, corporate secrets, and compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA. When confidentiality is compromised, it can lead to significant risks, such as identity theft, loss of competitive advantage, legal liabilities, and damage to reputation.

The other options may involve security risks, but they do not specifically address the breach of confidentiality. Unauthorized access pertains more to gaining entry to a system without permission, data loss relates to information being irretrievably lost due to system failures, and malware attacks typically refer to malicious software designed to harm or exploit devices or networks, rather than the unauthorized disclosure of information.