In this article, we will explain what is Cyber Security and talk about the different types of enforcement measures that are a part of this field. We will also discuss some myths associated with securing your cyberspace and cover some common threats.
Introduction:
Cyber security is essential for securing domains, cloud systems, networks, and applications. Companies and businesses rely heavily on digital services, digital assets, and various devices for daily business activities. Thus it is absolutely essential to secure these in order not to compromise business operations and business data. Not securing these areas can also lead to the loss of precious customer data or the misuse of their information. Other than the apparent financial losses, data leaks can cause companies to go bankrupt and lose the goodwill of their consumers. It is extremely expensive to fix these kinds of problems and even harder to win the trust back of users or customers. Corporate data that have sensitive information about the company’s plans, finances, products, prototypes, and assets can also lead to massive losses in the market. Hackers can attack systems in order to blackmail companies, or competition can also hire hackers in order to cause damage to the reputation or operations of a business.
It is not just companies that need cyber security. However, we will focus on corporate cyber security as more and more corporations have started storing and using cloud systems and databases that are not in-house. Security compromises can lead to the leak of both employee information and operational information that can be kept hostage by these hackers or data pirates. We also cannot forget how the threat can come from inside the organization or ex-employees who wish to cause damage to the company. As a matter of fact, most security compromises are caused by internal threats, either triggered on purpose or by mistake. According to Fortune Business Insights, global spending on cyber security will reach a staggering $376.32 billion by the year 2029. With cyber security concerns growing every day, cyber security careers are becoming quite promising. This is primarily due to companies needing security experts to protect their businesses from hackers and digital attacks.
What is Cyber Security?
Cyber security can be defined as the invaluable practice of protecting computers, mobile devices, peripherals, networks, servers, programs, and other electronic systems from malicious attacks. Information technology security, data security, and electronic information security are all part of cyber security, including data governance and data integrity. Cyber security deals with defending companies from attacks meant to access, alter, extract or destroy sensitive company information. This field also ensures that business processes and data flows are not interrupted.
Cyber Security is not just about protecting but also preventing, similar to the notion that prevention is better than a cure. This is especially true because hackers are becoming more innovative, and new threats keep appearing frequently. This is why cyber security experts must be trained well enough to discover the roots of potential future problems and discover hidden, secure compromises. This could be an access point that can be overridden or a glitch that attackers can take advantage of. Attacks may even be in the form of a suspicious email or pop-up that can take over a system or infect it. Cyber security experts also have to educate the employees in an organization about these various sources of security threats.
Cyber security is a multi-paradigm approach that can also be explained as a holistic threat management system that covers 3 main areas but multiple sub-domains. For instance, there are numerous other areas that one needs to reinforce to protect these three primary entities. So, what is cyber security protecting, exactly?
The three main entities that cyber security exists to protect are:
- People or Users: Cyber Security ensures that users comply with cyber security principles such as changing passwords often, setting strong passwords, not clicking suspicious emails, and making backups of data. This protects both personal information and corporate data as well. This also ensures that employees do not infect company systems by mistake.
- Operations and Processes: This is where cyber security experts build a strong framework for businesses to identify potential threats, predict attacks, detect malicious programs and respond to attacks on their processes or daily business operations. Organizations must also ensure that a daily backup is made of the information collected due to daily activities. Companies must also create a system to restore their processes in case it is shut down by attackers.
- Devices or Technology: This is the main focus of cyber security as protecting the computers, systems, peripherals, and networks are the most important part of securing cyberspaces. Cyber security professionals also ensure that cloud systems and databases are protected while routers, programs, and firewalls are all secured using filtering, antiviruses, and malware protection. It is also important to ensure that emails, accounts, and portals are well defended as well.
Cyberattacks can lead to extortion, identity theft, financial theft, data loss, and a significant scar on one’s reputation. It can even lead to loss of power in cities or even loss of lives. We must remember that hospitals, electricity plants, nuclear sites, and banks are all dependent on digital infrastructure; thus, a truly dangerous cyberattack can destroy the lives of millions. Cyber security is essential for investigating emerging and more modern threats. It is vital to identify existing threats as well or as discover new vulnerabilities. Cyber Security also educates people on the common goal of making computers and the internet safe for everyone, including those not involved with using these for corporate functions. For example, an unknowing customer of a shopping site can get his financial information compromised due to leaked user data.
Cyber security domains
In order to ensure that a corporation is protected in the most holistic manner possible, cyber security is divided into 10 crucial domains which cover essential areas of their own.
1. Access Control
This domain takes care of security features such as a good authentication process, followed by proper authorization. This domain also incorporates monitoring and tracking suspicious activities through accounting for user actions.
2. Telecommunications and Network Security
This department or domain deals with protecting the confidentiality of information and communication. This also deals with maintaining the integrity of communications and ensuring the availability of data.
3. Information Security Governance and Risk Management
This domain is responsible for essential features such as security governance and policy. Network security also takes care of risk management, risk analysis, and security education. Information is also classified, allotted, and delegated for procurement processes.
4. Software Development Security
This domain is responsible for identifying security and regulatory requirements while addressing internal policies and developing programs accordingly. This field also identifies vulnerabilities, glitches, bugs, and other security compromises within the software. The software must also be maintained and defended by this domain when operational.
5. Cryptography
Cryptography deals with disguising or encrypting information through symmetrical or asymmetrical cryptography. This ensures that the data can only be accessed by the people it is meant for.
6. Security Architecture and Design
This domain deals with designing the security architecture and deciding upon the authorized protocols and services. The final vulnerability identification is also carried out by this domain, followed by patching and security management. The people in this field also are responsible for software or firmware upgrades.
7. Operations Security
Operations security deals with intrusion detection and prevention. The experts in this field are also involved with violation analysis, penetration testing, and vulnerability scanning. The core objective of this domain is to reduce the threat from internal sources and detect violations inside the organization. This field also deals with backing up systems frequently and conducting background checks of employees or their actions inside the network.
8. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning
This domain deals with recovery planning in the case of disasters or data loss so that business operations can continue without being affected. This department also deals with the retrieval of data and systems in case of attacks.
9. Legal, Regulations, Investigations, and Compliance
The people from this field are all about investigating suspicious events and carrying out legal procedures. They are also responsible for maintaining the integrity of data and sensitive corporate information. This domain enforces strict legal action upon the violation of regulations.
10. Physical (Environmental) Security
Physical security deals with physical security methods such as installing locks, surveillance systems, intruder detection systems, alarms, and systems that can destroy hardware or storage devices in the worst-case scenario. They also are in charge of inventory management and equipment maintenance. This domain fundamentally deals with physically stopping unauthorized individuals from accessing company systems.
Myths in Cyber security
Here are some common myths about Cyber Security:
Myth 1: The passwords we set are strong enough.
This is not true at all, as advanced attacks that use multiple alphanumeric combinations simultaneously can eventually crack open any password. The only way to truly secure your account is by setting up a two-factor authentication system. Even using special characters cannot save you with this software getting better at these tasks.
Myth 2: Small businesses do not face cyberattacks, and I won’t experience an attack like that.
This is absolutely not true as many small enterprises have been attacked and are being attacked every month. Anyone is susceptible to cyber-attacks.
Myth 3: Antiviruses are enough.
For businesses, no, antiviruses are not enough. Though normal users experience basic malware and viruses, hackers prepare particular malware for companies that traditional methods cannot stop.
Myth 4: Cyber attacks happen only to external factors.
This is not true either. A large number of attacks occur due to internal reasons or organizational mistakes.
Myth 5: wi-fi networks protected with passwords are secure.
This is not true, and hackers can quickly access any wi-fi network if the security is not reinforced.
Myth 6: Mobile phones are secure.
No, mobiles can also be affected by these kinds of threats that can cause harm to the mobile, extract personal data or infect the entire network to the mobile is connected to.
Myth 7: We have reached the ultimate standards of cyber security.
No, new threats are being discovered every day. Even the recent cyber security 2020 standards are quite different from the current 2021 standards and recommendations.
Myth 8: Once secured, there will never be cyber attacks.
No, companies must keep doing penetration testing and frequently scan for security compromises.
Myth 9: Relying on third-party solutions is enough.
No, for complete 360-degree security, companies must have their own cyber security experts and tools.
Myth 10: We can easily find out if systems are compromised.
No, we cannot. We must dive deep within our systems regularly to fish out hidden malware and ‘digital time-bombs.’
Common Cyber security threats
There are three main types of Cyber Security threats, these are:
- Cyberattacks
- Cybercrime
- Cyber terrorism
These three types of digital threats can be delivered in multiple ways. Let us check some of them.
- Viruses
- Spyware
- Adware
- Ransomware
- Botnets
- Trojans
- Other Malware
- Phishing
- Man-in-the-middle attacks
- SQL Injections
- Denial-of-service attacks
- Social Engineering
- Attacks through blackmail and extortion
Key Technology Best Practices
Here are some of the best practices for ensuring a fully secure cyber environment is created.
- Install cyber security tools.
- Install physical locks.
- Secure your networks and data.
- Use strong passwords with alphanumeric and special character combinations.
- Change passwords and set up multiple authentication requirements.
- Do not download suspicious attachments.
- Do not click unknown links.
- Do not use public networks.
- Keep digging for hidden spyware.
- Conduct penetration testing if required.
- Do not share passwords or systems with others.
- Finally, hire or take the help of a cyber security expert.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is cyber security, and how does it work?
Cyber security is the process of protecting digital assets, networks, computers, devices, data, and other peripherals so that it cannot be used to harm an organization or a company. Cyber security also protects from data loss and data leaks.
Q2. Is cyber security hard?
With proper training, cyber security is not that hard. However, it requires dedication like all other fields of study.
Q3. What are the types of Cyber security?
The 5 main types of cyber security are application security, data security, device security, cloud security, infrastructure security, and peripheral (IoT and I/O) security.
Conclusion
Cyber Security is a crucial part of protecting businesses and data. It is one of the best careers to get involved with as well. Cyber security makes you feel proud of being a protective authority for companies or individuals, thus allowing you to be highly satisfied with your career. The advantages of cyber security are numerous, but mainly it is about protecting the public, private, and government sectors from attacks that can negatively affect supply chains and even common folks. Cyber security in India is also becoming a huge deal as it allows companies to protect their client, consumer, or corporate data. Unintentional breaches through vendors and partners are becoming increasingly common; thus, cyber security is essential in modern times.
AnalytixLabs hosts many holistic courses that focus on Cyber Security and Data Science, focusing on practical well-orchestrated learning modules for coaching and preparing field-ready security and data experts. AnalytixLabs is one of India’s leading Applied AI, Analytics, and Cyber Security training institutes that caters to these specialized fields.
