Often, cybersecurity and information security are spoken of as if they were the same thing and the two terms were interchangeable. This is because, in their most basic forms, they refer to the same thing: the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. However, there is a crucial difference between them that affects how an organization operates.
What is Information Security?
Let's start by saying that information is at the heart of any organization, whether it's company documents, personal data, or intellectual property. No company can work without it. It can be stored in many different places, and access can vary depending on the chosen medium, but you are extremely likely to access data from your work computer or through paper records. Other places where data can be stored include external archives, servers, personal devices, etc. Whatever medium is chosen, everything must be kept safe, and the process for doing so is called information security. In particular, organizations protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. In this context, "confidentiality" refers to the fact that information is viewed only by authorized parties, "integrity" to the fact that information must be accurately protected so that it is perfectly preserved, and "availability" of information to the fact that it must be accessible whenever needed.
There are two subcategories related to information security. Organizations must protect physical assets, including the premises in which they are located, but also information in electronic format, which belongs to the second subcategory of information security. This is cybersecurity. Information security covers any process or technology used to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. This can include anti-malware technology, information security policies, access controls, training to raise awareness among staff who will be involved in information management, data protection impact assessments, key cards to enter the office, locks for cabinets containing sensitive information, etc.
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is a particular type of information security that focuses instead on protecting electronic data and, therefore, on the measures used to prevent unauthorized access to an organization's networks and systems. The term is often used to refer to information security in general because most data breaches involve network or system intrusion. It is much more likely, in fact, that criminals will compromise information with cyber attacks such as malware intrusions or phishing scams because they can be carried out online. Furthermore, organizations typically store much more data online than in physical form, which means there is more information to reach. If we add to this that technical vulnerabilities are easier to exploit and that the risk of being discovered is lower, we have the perfect storm.
Precisely for this reason, even though cybersecurity is only a part of information security, it is the most important. Taking practical examples, cybersecurity covers any process or technology designed to protect electronic data such as data encryption, passwords, VPNs, spam filters, multi-factor authentication, anti-malware software, etc.
While distinguishing, as we must, cybersecurity and information security, you can clearly see that, in practice, there is significant overlap. To begin with, any moment in the design of the cybersecurity process to protect sensitive data can also be classified as information security.
Password protecting a database, for example, protects the information it contains but also prevents a cyberattack. There are also risks in which you need to address physical and cybersecurity. Organizations, for example, must implement physical controls to prevent unauthorized personnel from reaching parts of the building where they should not be. This could be the archive room or the office of a senior employee where files could be left on the desk. But the organization must also consider the cybersecurity risks associated with this threat. All digital records must be appropriately protected, for example with access controls or data encryption. Another overlap between information security and cybersecurity occurs with digital records stored on physical devices, such as USB drives or laptops. Organizations must implement policies and processes to mitigate the risk that the device is used inappropriately.
This could happen, for example, if an employee leaves their laptop unattended in an unsecured location or if they use a removable device for personal and professional use. Such measures should be integrated with cybersecurity mechanisms aimed at protecting information on such devices. Organizations could encrypt sensitive files or implement a technology that allows them to remotely erase a laptop in case of loss. These are just a few examples. When assessing the risks to data protection, you will find countless cases where you will need to consider both information security and cybersecurity.
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