The five security goals are confidentiality, availability, integrity, accountability, and assurance. (SP 800-27) (NISTIR)
What are security goals?
The term Security Goals refers to high-level statements describing the security outcomes a system or organization is intended to achieve, such as confidentiality, integrity, availability, accountability, or resilience. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.
How are security goals used when designing a system?
In practice, Security Goals is applied to the technical or security purpose captured by its definition: high-level statements describing the security outcomes a system or organization is intended to achieve. Organizations combine that function with documented procedures, authorized access, testing, monitoring, and controls appropriate to the system. The governing standard or security policy determines the exact implementation.
Why do security goals matter for election systems?
Understanding Security Goals matters because the concept can affect security, reliability, auditability, or trusted operation. In this glossary context, it refers to high-level statements describing the security outcomes a system or organization is intended to achieve. Applying the term precisely helps teams choose controls that match the actual technical function instead of assuming a broader or unrelated meaning.
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The five security goals are confidentiality, availability, integrity, accountability, and assurance. (SP 800-27) (NISTIR)
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Security Goals. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 21, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/security-goals
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