Cyber Security Definition – What Is Cyber Security

In this post, you’ll learn what cyber security is, how does it work, different types, examples and risks associated with cyber security.

What is Cyber Security?

Cyber security or IT security refers to the technologies, policies, and procedures used to safeguard networks, devices, apps, and data from any cyber-attacks. Cyber security is all about avoiding unwanted entry or changes to your devices and webwork. 

What is a Cyber Security risk?

Cybersecurity risk states the chances of facing unauthorized database breaches or your company losing money because of a cyber-attack or leakage of data. It is the potential loss or harm to an organization’s technological resources, technology usage, or reputation. 

Cybersecurity must be kept as an essential priority amongst sectors. Businesses should work together to create a cybersecurity risk management strategy to safeguard against developing cyber issues or threats.

📌 Important resources on cyber security

How does Cyber Security work?

Cybersecurity is intended to provide many layers of security across all of a company’s computers, networks, and programmes. The business, workers, procedures, and technology must work together to form a united defence against potential cyberattacks. Cybersecurity systems that work effectively will be able to detect, examine, and remedy potential system weaknesses and vulnerabilities before a hacker or lousy software may exploit them.

Hackers prefer to target easy targets and therefore require fewer efforts and have a lesser chance of getting caught. Thus, using software to protect the system and network becomes necessary. Also, you do not get total protection by using a security system software; instead, they help make the entry point difficult for the hackers.

Therefore, they act as a security layer to the system.

1. Antivirus software

You can quickly check the presence of malware and even remove it with the help of antivirus software. This software also makes it tricky for the malware to access the system.

2. Firewalls

A firewall is the primary security source for cybersecurity, and it helps prevent network traffic and ensure protection against unauthorized networks.

3. Staff education

The importance of cyber security awareness in defending your systems cannot be overstated. A single employee’s loss of understanding could impact your entire network. As a result, every person on staff must be extensively trained and undergo frequent refreshers.

In layman’s words, cyber security refers to a vast group of ethical hackers who protect your data against theft, data erasure, or gadget damage. Cyber security professionals work to keep evil individuals from doing harmful things. Your network, computer system, any programme, and data are all protected due to this.

📌 Related resource: Is cyber security difficult to learn?

Types of Cybersecurity

Here is the various form of cyber security.

1. Security of databases and infrastructure

Because physical equipment and databases are part of everything in a network, protecting these items is essential. Cyber-physical systems like water purification systems and electricity grids need infrastructure safety and database. 

2. Application Security

Application security employs software and hardware to defend and secure an application against dangers that may arise during its development. Firewalls, antivirus programmes, encryption, and other forms of application security are examples.

3. Information privacy

Information Security helps in preventing unauthorized access, alteration, abuse, disclosure, inspection, recording, interruption, and other sorts of malintent involving critical information and data.

Information security is usually based on three goals: CIA (confidentiality, integrity, and availability), and it seeks to safeguard both physical and digital data in any form.

4. Cloud security

Cloud security is the technology, services, processes, and policies that protect cloud data, architecture, and programs from cyberattacks and breaches. It aims to remove any risks associated with on-premises attacks by continually safeguarding and tracking information in the cloud.

5. Preventing data loss

Data loss prevention includes creating policies and procedures to control and prevent data loss and recovery strategies to fight cyberattacks and breaches. Data loss prevention demands the establishment of network authorization and data storage regulations.

6. End-User training

End-user education teaches and instructs customers about the best security practices and safety precautions (for example, don’t browse on weird URLs, don’t install suspicious files attached to emails, and so on) to avoid viruses or other harmful software from infecting the system. When implemented appropriately, a robust end-user security training course may enhance a company’s security. 

7. Identity management and access control

Since they manage access to the company’s resources, identity authentication and password protection are crucial parts of a security infrastructure. It is a prudent precaution to take to protect systems and data. This type of security aids in authenticating users’ identities before providing them access to systems and sharing data with them.

8. Mobile safety

Wireless Security or Mobile Security is the protection of electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, PCs, and other electronic devices and other connected devices, preventing them from the risks and vulnerabilities that are inheritable from wireless computing.

What are the examples of cyber security?

The following are examples of how cybersecurity can help protect data from theft or misuse.

1. Encryption

To access sensitive information, the users need a key. Algorithms are used to turn cleartext into ciphertext (different codes). Because unauthorized people will not have access to the key, encrypting data reduces the chance of being accessed and exploited.

2. Authentication

Before providing access to the system, the authentication process takes place with the help of authentication technology which verifies the credentials given by the user to the credentials present in the database or the data authentication server.

3. Authorization

The process of establishing your identity is known as authentication. Assessing if you have the necessary permissions is known as authorization.It consists of rules that determine who has authority over whom.. It is the process of granting legitimate access to accessible resources.

4. Network security

The term “network security” entails implementing a set of rules and configurations for the protection of network and data confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility. Network security aims to protect internal networks from attackers by securing the architecture. The use of fresh, secure passwords and two-factor verification demonstrates network security (2FA).

📌 Further resources on cyber security

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