What is Cyber-Security?
Cyber-security is a body of technologies, processes, and practices that prevent attacks on networks, devices, programs, and data. It includes cybersecurity principles like email attachment carefulness, strong passwords, and regular backups, but also extends to the use of security software and a firewall, as well as secure cloud storage. Cybercriminals are constantly devising new ways to exploit people and systems, so cybersecurity measures must be continually updated to protect against evolving threats.
The most common cybersecurity tools are technology, such as firewalls and anti-malware protection; training and awareness; and policies and procedures. Technology can provide an excellent level of protection by limiting access to critical systems and blocking potentially malicious attacks, but the effectiveness of cybersecurity depends on human effort. For example, the vigilance and awareness of staff can help reduce the impact of a cyber attack, as can following best practices, like only downloading software from trusted sources and always checking for security updates.
The most dangerous types of cyber attacks are ransomware, phishing, and malware. These threats are usually designed to steal information, extort money, or spread malware to others. Cybersecurity experts use technology to create and implement a range of defenses against these attacks. They also design applications, software, and networks with security in mind from the outset, as it is much more expensive to add security features after an application has been written than to write it securely from the start. This approach, called security by design, is becoming increasingly important.