CYBERSECURITY

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What is cybersecurity?

Cyber security consists of technologies, processes and controls designed to protect systems, networks, programs, devices and data from cyber attacks. Effective cyber security reduces the risk of cyber attacks and protects against the unauthorised exploitation of systems, networks and technologies.

The three pillars of data security 

Robust cyber security (and information security) involves implementing controls based on three pillars: people, processes and technology. This three-pronged approach helps organisations protect themselves from both organised and opportunistic attacks, as well as common internal threats, such as a user falling for a phishing scam or mistakenly sending an email to an unintended recipient.

People: Every employee needs to be aware of their role in preventing and reducing cyber threats, and staff dedicated to cyber security need to keep up to date with the latest cyber risks and solutions, as well as qualifications, to mitigate and respond to cyber attacks effectively.

Processes: Processes are crucial in communicating the organisation’s cyber security stance. Documented processes should also clearly define roles and responsibilities, and specify the procedure to follow when, for example, reporting a suspicious email. The cyber landscape is one of constant change, so processes need to be regularly reviewed to account for the latest cyber threats and responses.

Technology: While organisational measures are a big part of cyber security, technical controls are just as essential. From access controls to installing antivirus software, technology can be deployed to mitigate cyber risks.

Why is cybersecurity important?

In today’s connected world, everyone benefits from advanced cyberdefense programs. At an individual level, a cybersecurity attack can result in everything from identity theft, to extortion attempts, to the loss of important data like family photos. Everyone relies on critical infrastructure like power plants, hospitals, and financial service companies. Securing these and other organizations is essential to keeping our society functioning.

Everyone also benefits from the work of cyberthreat researchers, like the team of 250 threat researchers at Talos, who investigate new and emerging threats and cyber attack strategies. They reveal new vulnerabilities, educate the public on the importance of cybersecurity, and strengthen open source tools. Their work makes the Internet safer for everyone.

Common Types of Cybersecurity

Network Security: protects network traffic by controlling incoming and outgoing connections to prevent threats from entering or spreading on the network.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP): protects data by focusing on the location, classification and monitoring of information at rest, in use and in motion.

Cloud Security: provides protection for data used in cloud-based services and applications. 

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) or Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS): work to identify potentially hostile cyber activity.

Identity and Access Management (IAM): use authentication services to limit and track employee access to protect internal systems from malicious entities.

Encryption: is the process of encoding data to render it unintelligible, and is often used during data transfer to prevent theft in transit.

Antivirus/anti-malware: solutions scan computer systems for known threats. Modern solutions are even able to detect previously unknown threats based on their behavior.