What is Cyber Security?

A DEFINITION OF CYBER SECURITY

Cyber security is the practice of protecting networks, systems, hardware and data from attack, damage, or unauthorized access. Cyber security may also be referred to as information technology security.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CYBER SECURITY

Cyber security is an increasingly important issue for companies and institutions. The risk of cyber attacks has increased significantly in recent years, and has become a major concern for businesses. It’s no longer a question of “if” but rather “when” you will be targeted by cyber criminals. This is why cyber security is of such great importance.

The fast development of technology, such as fast broadband, better gadgets, and cloud computing, has led to an increase in the number of connected devices. Organizations transmit sensitive data across networks and to other devices in the course of doing business, and cyber security describes the discipline dedicated to protecting that information and the systems used to process or store it.

CHALLENGES OF CYBER SECURITY

To implement a strong cyber security framework, it's essential to leverage all the different components of the information system.

Elements of cyber security encompass all of the following:

• Network security :  Network Security protects your network and data from breaches, intrusions and other threats.
• Application security :  Making apps more secure by finding, fixing, and enhancing the security of apps.
• Endpoint security :  Endpoint security is important for the protection of computer networks that are remotely bridged to client devices.
• Data security :  It’s the practice of protecting sensitive digital information from unwanted access, either in person or online
• Database and infrastructure security :  Database security refers to the various measures organizations take to ensure their databases are protected from internal and external threats.
• Cloud security :  As companies move more and more of their infrastructure to the cloud, they're forced to shift their approach to cloud security
• Mobile security :  Protection of mobile devices against cybersecurity threats, is a top-of-mind concern for today’s companies due to the growing use of mobile devices for business purposes. 
• Disaster recovery/business continuity planning :  Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is the process of creating preventive and recovery systems to deal with potential cyber threats to an organization. To ensure continuity of IT-related systems, be sure to incorporate secure work-arounds or redundancy into your business continuity planning, allowing stakeholders to gain access in the event of a system or network failure.

MANAGING CYBER SECURITY

The need for cyber security risk management is the need of the hour, as the magnitude and number of cyberattacks increase.

Companies must be prepared to “respond to the inevitable cyber incident, restore normal operations, and ensure that company assets and the company’s reputation are protected.”

The ISO 27001 defines five major pillars that are needed for managing Cyber security Risk and seven steps that must be followed in carrying out a Risk Assessment:

· Risk identification

· Vulnerability reduction

· Threat reduction

· Consequence mitigation

· Enable cybersecurity outcome

Organizations should consider implementing new cyber-defense solutions. These solutions can include IT security as well as social engineering and phishing detection, supply chain management, Internet of Things security, and maintaining the trust of mission-critical elements within the network.

Conclusion:

Cyber threats are evolving rapidly. The wide range of security vulnerabilities, more sophisticated cyber attacks, and faster speeds are making it difficult for experts to protect people against the threats. Thus, it is vital that you have a proper cybersecurity plan in place. IC Digital offers unique cybersecurity solutions that cater to the needs of organizations of all sizes. Learn more about IC Digital’s cyber security solutions