Availability

For a medical device, losing availability can mean losing therapy or monitoring, which makes it a safety question and not only an IT one. It is one of the three classic security properties with confidentiality and integrity.

the property of data, information, and information systems to be accessible and usable on a timely basis in the expected manner (i.e., the assurance that information will be available when needed).

FDA guidance: Cybersecurity in Medical Devices: Quality Management System Considerations and Content of Premarket Submissions (February 2026), Appendix 5, Terminology