What is non-repudiation in the context of cyber security?

Non-repudiation in the context of cybersecurity refers to the assurance that someone cannot deny the validity of their actions or the authenticity of a document. This concept is crucial in ensuring accountability, as it provides evidence that can link actions to an individual or entity—therefore, this directly relates to the correlation of actions with an individual or entity.

Using cryptographic techniques like digital signatures helps achieve non-repudiation by proving that a specific person performed a particular action, such as sending a message or signing a contract. If a sender signs a digital document, they cannot later deny having sent it, as the signature can be verified independently. This is vital in environments such as banking transactions, legal agreements, and any area where it is important to maintain accountability for actions taken online.

The other choices, while important concepts in cybersecurity, do not encapsulate the essence of non-repudiation. The ability to deny actions taken suggests a lack of accountability, which is the opposite of non-repudiation. Retention of data integrity pertains to maintaining accuracy and completeness of the data, while prevention of data loss focuses on safeguarding data from being lost or corrupted. None of these accurately address the core principle of non-repudiation, making the choice