What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is the practice and technique of protecting systems, programs, and networks from a wide array of digital attacks. Hackers and other online criminals usually orchestrate these attacks. Cyberrisks are currently a major challenge affecting not only organizations but also individuals. A cyber-attack often results in a financial or data loss for the victim. These attacks are specifically designed to destroy or delete sensitive data, prevent access to a website, or even extort money. The attackers prey on unaware victims, especially the small business enterprises and startups. The small enterprises consider themselves invalid to cyberattacks and invest little or none in protecting themselves against these attacks. This makes them even more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Common types of cybersecurity
- Application security– focuses on the development stage of applications and software to make them more secure. by finding vulnerabilities in application code and fixing them application are made safer and secure right from the stage of coding.
- Information/data security– upholds the privacy and integrity of data in transit or storage by restricting unauthorized alterations and access to the data.
- Networks security– protection of computer networks from intruders or opportunistic malware.
- End-user awareness– people are the most unpredictable cybersecurity factor. Educating and making people aware of the risk and effects of cyber risk is easily the best measure to eradicate cyber-attacks. Virus intrusion is quickly enabled by an employee who carelessly clicks on an unknown ad or opens an anonymous email attachment.
- Operational security– this involves the decisions and processes of data assets handling. It includes the permission and instructions of accessing and maneuvering a data storage site.
- Disaster management and business continuity– these are frameworks that are put in place to dictate the measures an entity would take in the event of a disaster or attack taking place. It involves an inhouse analysis of all the possible vulnerability points and all actions to put the business back to its feet after the occurrence of a catastrophe..
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Scale of cyberthreats
As the geographic world shrinks into a global village in this era of computer connectivity, cyber-attacks continue to become more sophisticated day by day. Cyber threats are currently a threat to almost everyone. The rate at which the attacks are being executed is alarming. In the first nine months of 2019 alone, records indicate that a staggering 7.9 billion records were exposed in data breaches. This is double the number of records exposed in the same period in the year before. The trend indicates the rate at which cyber threats are thriving.
Modern Types of cyber threats
- Malware
The term refers to malicious software. Malware is one of the most common ways hackers gain access to systems. This malicious software and programs are created by cybercriminals to access and damage a computer system. The programs are easily passed off as legitimate software downloads or email attachments. The programs are deployed by hackers to make money or for organized political gains. Common types of malware used are viruses, spyware, trojans, adware, ransomware, and botnets.
- Phishing
This is whereby criminals lure unsuspecting victims into giving sensitive information through legitimate-looking emails from actual companies. These attacks are commonly deployed to dupe the victims into giving out credit card information and bank details.
- Denial-of-service attacks (DOS)
These are attacks on computer systems to render them unusable. By overwhelming computer servers and networks with traffic, the hackers ensure that the system is slow or inaccessible, therefore barring people from getting services or the organization from performing vital digital functions.
Cybersecurity framework
To better protect their digital assets and prevent losses arising from cyber risks, organizations find it very reasonable to adopt a cybersecurity framework. Rather than a piece of software promising to completely protect against attacks, cybersecurity is a set of procedures and policies that are put forward to better protect an organization from falling prey to cyberattacks. Although they vary from company to company, the frameworks generally follow this format;
- Identifying valuables in the organization.
- Detecting violations.
- Counter such violations.
- Improvement from any damages to systems and data.
Cybersecurity, which is a concern to even government agents, should be treated with the weight it deserves. By adopting and following strict policies and frameworks, organizations can better protect themselves.