What does 'information assurance' primarily focus on?

'Information assurance' primarily focuses on the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of information. This discipline aims to protect data by ensuring that it remains accurate and trustworthy, is accessible when needed, and is kept secure from unauthorized access or breaches. The core principles of information assurance revolve around safeguarding sensitive information and managing the risks associated with data, which includes implementing policies, practices, and technologies to mitigate vulnerabilities.

Options related to software usability, data analysis and reporting, and network performance optimization, while important in their own contexts, do not capture the essence of information assurance. Usability pertains more to how user-friendly software applications are, while data analysis and reporting deal with interpreting data rather than protecting it. Network performance optimization focuses on enhancing the efficiency and speed of network activities, which falls outside the specific scope of information assurance's primary goal of protecting and defending information assets.