Learn about cyber security and the most important basics

 Learn about cyber security Cybersecurity is the protection of Internet-connected systems from threats from outsiders or computer manipulators that target hardware, software, and data.

The company's IT security includes cyber and physical security, both of which the company uses to protect against unauthorized intrusions into its computer systems, including data centers.

The goal of cybersecurity is to mitigate risks and protect the IT infrastructure from malicious attackers. Computer security, which maintains the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data, is a subset of cybersecurity.

Organizations large and small, employees and individuals can and should implement cybersecurity best practices. The nature of security risks and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) is constantly changing, which is a real headache for cybersecurity.

In its traditional approach, cybersecurity focused most of its resources on critical system components to protect them from the most dangerous threats, leaving even unprotected components to face more small risks. In the current context, advisory bodies are now recommending a more proactive and adaptive approach.

NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, recently issued an update to its risk assessment recommendations, in which it calls for a move toward continuous monitoring and assessments. in real time. Version 1.1 of its Critical Infrastructure Improvement Framework guide was released in the US in April 2018. Its non-binding framework of reference, CSF (Cyber ​​Security Framework), is designed for the banking and security sectors. Communications, defense and energy industries. It can be used by anyone, including governments and departments (or US federations). President Donald Trump ordered US federal agencies in May 2017 to adopt the NIST CSF framework.

cyber security goals

Cybersecurity rules should always be in place to protect the data of large and small companies, as well as people. Most of the time you hear about large-scale hacks, small businesses also need to worry about their security policies - they are often the targets of virus attacks and phishing.

Why is cyber security important

Cybersecurity is important because it helps protect corporate data from data hacking that, if put into the wrong hands, can harm business or people. The files of medical organizations, government, companies, and financial institutions are full of personal information. Any security incident involving them could tarnish the company's reputation and/or cost money. The business can be a victim of data theft, data erasure, or fraud.

What can cybersecurity prevent

Cybersecurity helps prevent data breaches, identity theft and hacking with ransomware. Contributes to risk management. When an organization has a solid network security policy in place with an effective incident response plan, it is in a better position to prevent cyber attacks or mitigate their consequences. In the face of new technologies, new security trends, and spying threats, this is an ongoing challenge.

The Cyber ​​Security Policy enables the implementation of the following:

1. Protect your business against malware, ransomware, phishing, social engineering and all software that   may cause you problems in the future;
2. Protection of data and networks;
3. Prevent unauthorized users from accessing scanned data;
4.  Improved recovery time (RTO) after parasitism;
5.  Protection of end users and their personal data;
6.  Improving trust within the organization.

Types of cyber security threats

Cyber ​​security threats can take many forms:

Malware: A type of malicious software in which any file or program can be used to harm a computer user, whether through a worm, virus, Trojan horse, or spyware.

Ransomware: A type of malware in which an attacker blocks access to a victim's computer system files - often via encryption - and demands a ransom to reveal the code and unlock the computer.

Social engineering: a method that relies on human interaction to deceive the user and bypass security measures to gain access to sensitive and generally protected information.

Phishing: A type of fraud that involves imitating email messages from trusted sources. These messages are intended to steal sensitive data such as a credit card code or login information.

Threat vector: A threat vector is a path or means by which an attacker can gain access to a computer or network to stop an intruder or to commit a malicious act. Intrusion vectors allow hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the system, including human operators. Intrusion vectors in particular include:

1. UBS switches and other portable storage systems
2. Unsupported browser extensions
3. infected sites
4.  Orphans' accounts
5. Scam ads
6. Online quiz and personality tests

Cyber ​​Security Elements

In the field of cybersecurity, constantly monitoring the evolution of security risks can be a real headache. The traditional approach has been to focus resources on critical system components. Today's cybersecurity requires coordination of efforts in the information system, in particular:

*Application Security: Reduce the chance that unauthorized code can successfully manipulate apps to access, steal, modify, or destroy sensitive data.

* Information security: the protection of information, in whatever form, whether it is in transit, in operation, or stored in a sleep state.

*Network Security: Detecting and preventing threats and then responding to them by setting security policies, software tools, and information technology services. It relies on several methods to protect information and try to prevent re-entry through the network.

Business Continuity Plan (BCP) / Business Recovery Plan (PRA): Ensures rapid maintenance or resumption of mission-critical functions after a disaster.

*End user training: Provides guidance on what employees should and should not do to protect company assets

Cyber ​​Security Challenges

Hackers, data loss, privacy protection, risk management, and changes in cybersecurity strategies are some of the ongoing challenges in cybersecurity and there is no indication that the threats will go away. On the other hand, strategies must be developed to secure digital data and protect networks and devices to deal with the growing number of entry points for attacks.

The nature of security risks is constantly changing, which is a real headache for cybersecurity. New technologies appear, old ones are used in different ways or in new ways; At the same time, threats are evolving in new ways.

It is not easy for organizations to keep their practices up to date and keep abreast of the constant changes and developments of IT threats.

This includes ensuring that every aspect of the cybersecurity policy is constantly changed and updated to avoid potential vulnerabilities, which is an even greater challenge for small businesses.

In addition, companies today are collecting an increasing amount of potential data about members of their divisions, which increases the likelihood that cybercriminals will want to obtain personally identifiable information. For example, an organization that archives information in the cloud may be exposed to a ransomware attack, so it is important to protect against cloud intrusion risks.

Cybersecurity will also have to take into account the education of end users, as they are likely to accidentally introduce a virus at work through their work computer, laptop or smartphone.

Finally, cybersecurity is weakened by the lack of personnel. As the amount of data that must be managed in an organization increases, so does the need for qualified profiles to analyze, manage and respond to incidents. There are about two million vacant jobs worldwide today, and the number is expected to reach three million five hundred thousand in 2021 according to Cyber ​​Security Projects.

a summary:

IT security professionals are embracing recent advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to organize and manage log data. When processing large amounts of data streams, they are useful for:

linking data to its organization, identifying potential threats and anticipating the “consequences” of the attacker;

detect infections by creating a security platform that analyzes data and recognizes threats;

generate protection without exhausting resources;

Continuously auditing the effectiveness of the safeguards in place to ensure that they are working.

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