Today, the network and the equipment that has access to it store a huge amount of important information: user personal databases, payment data of individuals and legal entities, information of national importance, etc. So, the creation of a solid cybersecurity strategy is a crucial task for government institutions and commercial organizations.
Now, I, Yaroslav Gordiychuk, will tell you what cybersecurity is and what types of cybersecurity exist. I suggest we start with the basics.
Cybersecurity: What Is It?
Cybersecurity (cyber protection) is a set of measures and technical tools aimed at protecting computer networks and devices from a cyber attack. A well-developed cyber safety system provides reliable protection for personal information and other important data from unauthorized access by malicious actors.
In this context, I want to say an important thing: cybersecurity is not a result, but a process. It is impossible to configure protection systems in such a way that they work 100% effectively once and for all.
My experience shows that such an infrastructure requires constant monitoring, otherwise problems cannot be avoided. Many companies and people have paid for their overconfidence and carelessness. These are not just fiction, but real-life examples.
Classification
Now, I will tell you about the main types of protection.
- Network security. The main point is to protect entire networks from unauthorized access. For example, cyber security tools such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS/IPS) are used.
- Cloud. As the name suggests, this type deals with protecting information stored in remote cloud services. A good security engineer uses multi-factor authentication (MFA), access management policies, and encryption (for example, 128-bit SSL encryption).
- Informational. This type of security is focused solely on ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data, rather than protecting software from malware intrusions. In this case, cryptography, backup tools, and measures aimed at access control are actively used.
- Operational. This branch of IT security aims to ensure correct user authentication to prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access rights.
- Endpoint security. Here, the focus is not on software or databases but on the device. Specialists configure the protection of computers, tablets, and smartphones, for example, for “simple” end users or, say, employees of the company. The enemies in this case are malware, phishing attacks, spyware, and so on.
- Application security. The goal here is to identify vulnerabilities in a particular software product that could be exploited by attackers. I can describe this type as ”heads-up play”. The specialists’ task is to find the weakness before the cybercriminal does. It is a kind of race.
- IoT (Internet of Things security). For many, I will now tell the news: a certain service that you use on a daily basis at home or in the office can become a target for attackers. These are various cameras, sensors, smart TV… IoT security deals with the protection of such devices.
See? Modern protection is a massive system of measures that covers literally everything involved in the “life” of information: from the simple phone in your hands to the powerful server located 1,000 km away that stores your memes with cats.
Conclusion
I will say for sure: many people, hearing the word “cybersecurity”, do not even imagine the scale we are talking about. It is not just 1-2 system administrators, and engineers, who sit in the office and work hard.
It is a huge “machine” that protects, among other things, your personal data. Any self-respecting company carries out compliance management, meaning it constantly checks whether its system meets modern standards.
This article was prepared by Yaroslav Gordiychuk, a ProInternet certified cybersecurity specialist with significant experience.
