What is the primary goal of network security?

The primary goal of network security is to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information and data. This means ensuring that sensitive data is only accessible to authorized users (confidentiality), preventing unauthorized alterations to that data (integrity), and ensuring that information and services are available when needed (availability). These principles, often referred to as the CIA triad, form the foundation of effective security strategies and policies.

While ensuring system performance and managing network traffic can be aspects of a well-functioning network, they do not address the critical protective measures required to safeguard data against threats like unauthorized access, breaches, and cyberattacks. Similarly, developing network hardware pertains to the physical components of a network but does not address the overarching aim of securing the information that travels through those networks. The primary objective of network security is fundamentally centered around the protection and management of data and information assets in a way that maintains their reliability and safety against evolving threats.