Cybersecurity

cybersecurity

Cybersecurity refers to the protection of internet-connected systems - including hardware, software, and data - from cyber threats. Cybersecurity is used by individuals as well as companies and organizations to prevent unauthorized access to data centers and other systems.

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Cybersecurity includes

• Application security - the process of making apps more secure by fixing and enhancing the security of apps. This can happen in the development phase of making the app, as well as after it has been launched by using tools.
• Information security - the process and methods used to protect electronic sensitive information or data from unauthorized access.
• Network security - a set of processes and rules designed to protect the integrity and confidentiality of computer networks and data.
• Disaster recovery/business continuity planning - practices which help an organization remain operational after a cyberattack or other issue. It is meant to minimize the disruptions and allow an organization to get back on its feet.
• Operational security - the process of protecting critical information that can be used against us. It prevents attackers from having access to information that could compromise a user or organization.
• End-user education - the process of educating staff who are not trained technical staff (because attackers will go past hardware, software, and trained staff to get to the most vulnerable users) so they are trained to recognize phishing and other cyberattacks.

• Hackers, data loss, privacy, risk management, and changing cybersecurity strategies are all challenges to cybersecurity. However, one of the biggest problems for cybersecurity is that the more technology evolves, the more entry points there are for attacks and the more cybersecurity is necessary to secure networks and devices. It is very difficult for organizations to keep up with these changes - to prepare for new and different kinds of attacks, and to constantly update their practices to protect against these new threats,
• Another challenge is that today an organization can gather a lot of information from the individuals who participate in their services, and the more information they collect, the more careful they must be that cybercriminals cannot steal clients’ personal information. Organizations who store personally identifiable information from clients should be careful to protect against cloud breaches and ransomware attacks.
• Cybersecurity must also educate end-users as an untrained employee could accidentally bring a virus to work on their work computer or smartphone.
• A job shortage is another concern for cybersecurity. There is an increasing need for cybersecurity experts to analyze, manage, and respond to issues. Experts estimate there are 2 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide and that by 2021, there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide.

The benefits of having good cybersecurity practices include:

• Protection against malware, ransomware, social engineering, and phishing
• Protect data and networks
• Prevent unauthorized users from accessing data and information
• Improves a user or organization’s recovery time after an attack or breach
• Education and protection for end users
• Increased confidence in the company or product for both the company itself as well as its customers

Cyberthreats can have many forms, including:

• Malware refers to malicious software including ransomware, viruses, and spyware. Any file or program can be used to harm a computer user through computer viruses, worms, spyware, and more.
• Ransomware is a kind of malicious software that infects your computer - often an attacker will lock the victim’s computer system files through encryption - and then the computer displays a message demanding a fee to unlock the files or get the computer working again.
• Social engineering is a non-technical cyberattack which relies on human interaction to trick people into breaking standard security procedures in order to obtain sensitive information that would usually be protected.
• Phishing is a type of fraud in which emails purporting to be from a reputable source are sent with the intention of stealing sensitive data or personal information when the user opens a link, enters their login information, or enters their credit card information.

Cybersecurity refers to the protection of internet-connected systems - including hardware, software, and data - from cyberthreats. The purpose of cybersecurity is to prevent attackers from accessing computers, servers, networks, mobile devices, and the data stored on these devices. An attacker can access, steal, delete, or even extort an organization or individual user if they have their sensitive data. As new technologies are developed, there are new possibilities for cyberattacks that must be addressed. To protect themselves, both organizations and individuals should implement cybersecurity tools, training, and risk management, and be sure to update their systems as technology evolves.

Rouse, Margaret. “What Is Cybersecurity? Everything You Need to Know.” SearchSecurity, TechTarget, 3 Apr. 2020, searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/cybersecurity.