Cybersecurity is the protection of systems connected to the Internet such as hardware, software, and data from cyber threats. This technology is used by individuals and companies to protect against unauthorized access to data centers and other computerized systems.

The purpose of implementing cybersecurity is to provide adequate security for computers, servers, networks, mobile devices, and the data stored on these devices from malicious attackers. Cyber ​​attacks can be designed to access, delete, or extort sensitive data of an organization or user. Make cybersecurity important. For example, medical and government institutions, companies, and financial institutions may keep important personal information about an individual.

Cybersecurity is an ever-changing field, and technology is being developed that opens new horizons for cyber attacks. In addition, although serious security breaches have been announced, small businesses should be careful to prevent security breaches as they can be the target of viruses and phishing.

To protect themselves, employees, individuals, organizations, and services need to implement cybersecurity tools, training, and risk management methods, and constantly update their systems as technology changes and evolves.

Types of cyber security

Responding to new technologies, security trends, and threat intelligence can be a daunting task. However, it is essential to protect information and other assets from various forms of cyber threats. Cyber ​​threats include:

Malware is a type of malware that can be used to harm computer users with any file or program, including worms, computer viruses, Trojans, and spyware.
The ransomware attack is a type of malware that requires an attacker to lock the victim’s computer system files (usually via encryption) and then demand payment to decrypt and unlock them.
Social engineering is an attack that relies on human interaction to trick users into breaching security measures and naturally gaining protected sensitive information.
Phishing is a form of fraud in which fraudulent emails similar to emails are sent from trusted sources. However, the purpose of these emails is to steal sensitive data such as credit cards and login information.

To Read 5 main Types of Cyber Security in Details

Elements of cyber security

Ensuring cybersecurity requires the coordination of security efforts made throughout an information system, including:

• Application security
• Information security
• Network security
• Disaster recovery/business continuity planning
• Operational security
• End-user education

In the field of cybersecurity, addressing changing security risks can be a challenge. The traditional approach has been to focus resources on critical system components and protect them from the greatest known threats. That is, the components remain unprotected and the system is not protected from less risk.

To address the current environment, consulting organizations are pushing for a more proactive and adaptive approach. For example, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released the latest guidance within the risk assessment framework that recommends a transition to continuous monitoring and real-time assessment.

Version 1.1 of the critical infrastructure improvement framework was released in April 2018. A voluntary cybersecurity framework developed for use in the banking, telecommunications, defense, and energy industries can be adopted by all sectors, including federal and state governments. In May 2017, President Donald Trump issued an enforcement order requiring federal agencies to adopt the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF).

As a result of security risks, investment in cybersecurity technologies, and services is increasing. In the past, Gartner predicted that global spending on information security products and services would increase to $ 114 billion in 2018 and increase by 8.7% to $ 124 billion in 2019. Then, in 2019, Gartner also forecasts security spending. Enterprises and risk management will grow 11% in 2020 in relation to the Middle East and North Africa.

Benefits of cyber security

Benefits of utilizing cybersecurity includes:

• Business protection against malware, ransomware, phishing, and social engineering.
• Protection for data and networks.
• Prevention of unauthorized users.
• Improves recovery time after a breach.
• Protection for end-users.
• Improved confidence in the product for both developers and customers.

Cyber security best practices to prevent the breach

1.       Conduct cybersecurity training and awareness

Robust cybersecurity strategies will not succeed if employees are not educated on cybersecurity topics, company policies, and incident reports. Even the best technical defenses can collapse when employees engage in deliberate or intentional malicious activity that leads to costly security breaches. Educating employees through seminars, classes, and online training courses to raise awareness of company policies and security best practices is the best way to reduce the likelihood of negligence and security breaches.

2.       Perform risk assessments

Organizations need to conduct formal risk assessments to identify and prioritize all valuable assets based on the impact they cause when exposed to risk. This helps organizations decide how best to use their resources to protect each valuable asset.

3.       Ensure vulnerability management and software patch management/updates

It is important for your organization’s IT team to identify, classify, address, and mitigate all software and vulnerabilities in your network that you use to mitigate threats to your IT systems. In addition, researchers and security attackers occasionally identify new vulnerabilities in various programs, report them to software vendors, and make them publicly available. These vulnerabilities are often exploited by malware and online attackers. Software vendors regularly release updates that fix and mitigate these vulnerabilities. Therefore, modernizing your IT system helps protect your organization’s assets.

4.    Enforce secure password storage and policies

Organizations must compel all employees to use strong passwords that comply with recommended industry standards. It must also be changed regularly to protect it from leaking passwords. Additionally, password storage should follow the industry best practices that use salt and strong hashing algorithms.

5.    Perform periodic security reviews

Regular security reviews of all programs and networks can help identify security issues early in a secure environment. Security reviews include application and network penetration tests, source code reviews, architectural design reviews, and red team ratings. When security vulnerabilities are discovered, organizations should prioritize and mitigate them as soon as possible.

6.    Backup data

Backing up all your data on a regular basis increases redundancy and prevents all sensitive data from being lost or configured after a security breach. Attacks like injections and ransomware endanger data integrity and availability. In such cases, backups can help protect.

   7.   Use encryption for data at rest and in transit

All sensitive information must be stored and transmitted using strong encryption algorithms. Data encryption ensures confidentiality. You also need to establish effective policies for key management and rotation. All web applications/software must use SSL / TLS.