Why Digital Security Is Important
We depend on digital technology more than ever before: for communication (email, text messages and apps), entertainment (interactive video games, social media and mobile apps), shopping (including credit cards) and even travel (using GPS systems and smartphones to navigate). But there are also many security risks to digital life, whether it is your personal information being stolen by hackers or your computer being infected with a virus. These are some of the reasons why digital security is becoming increasingly important for businesses and individuals.
Digital security (also known as cybersecurity) is the discipline that protects digital assets, devices and data from cyberattacks. It involves a mix of technical, procedural and strategic measures and encompasses tools like encryption, access control, secure communication protocols, and more.
It can also be about educating yourself and your teams on the latest threats to digital security, which are constantly evolving. For example, it’s not enough to know that encrypting sensitive information in emails is important – it’s also about knowing the best practices for doing this, and having training sessions that ensure everyone is up to speed on the latest risks.
With cyberattacks on the rise, companies need to think about digital security in a holistic way that involves both advanced technical solutions and governance programs. This is often called ‘security by design’ and aims to reduce the likelihood of cyberattacks by making it as hard as possible for attackers to get in. It is about designing and building software, infrastructure and processes in a secure way from the ground up.