Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users; or interrupting normal business processes.
Implementing effective cybersecurity measures is particularly challenging today because there are more devices than people, and attackers are becoming more innovative. A successful cybersecurity approach has multiple layers of protection spread across the computers, networks, programs, or data that one intends to keep safe. In an organization, the people, processes, and technology must all complement one another to create an effective defense from cyber attacks.
Key elements of cybersecurity include:
- Application Security: Keeping software and devices free of threats. A compromised application could provide access to the data its designed to protect. Security begins in the design stage, well before a program or device is deployed.
- Information Security: Protecting the integrity and privacy of data, both in storage and in transit.
- Network Security: Securing a computer network from intruders, whether targeted attackers or opportunistic malware.
- Operational Security: Includes the processes and decisions for handling and protecting data assets. The permissions users have when accessing a network and the procedures that determine how and where data may be stored or shared all fall under this umbrella.
- Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity: Defining how an organization responds to a cyber-security incident or any other event that causes the loss of operations or data. Disaster recovery policies dictate how the organization restores its operations and information to return to the same operating capacity as before the event. Business continuity is the plan the organization falls back on while trying to operate without certain resources.
- End-User Education: Addressing the most unpredictable cyber-security factor: people. Anyone can accidentally introduce a virus to an otherwise secure system by failing to follow good security practices. Teaching users to delete suspicious email attachments, not plug in unidentified USB drives, and various other important lessons is vital for the security of any organization.
Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field, with new threats emerging regularly. As such, it requires a proactive and adaptive approach to protect against the ever-changing landscape of cyber threats.
Checkout the CCST CyberSecurity practice tests from certexams.com