The Benefits of Cyber-security
Cyber-security is the practice of protecting digital information and systems from unauthorized access, use or disruption. It encompasses technologies, policies and procedures that reduce risk and ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA). Typically, a cybersecurity career path begins with foundational IT, networking or coding experience, followed by formal training and certifications.
The Benefits of Cyber-security
Cyber security protects sensitive data — including financial information, customer records and proprietary business information — from unauthorized access and breaches. This protects customers’ trust in a company and helps foster brand loyalty. It also helps businesses avoid costly compliance fines and reputational damage following a breach.
While big companies get the headlines, small and midsize businesses are a top target for attackers. In fact, 43% of all hacks involve SMBs. These attacks cause major disruptions to operations, costing companies millions in lost revenue, legal fees and loss of trust with customers.
Fortunately, SMBs can prevent these attacks by implementing strong cybersecurity protocols. These include multi-factor authentication for remote workers, regular software patches to close known vulnerabilities, backups of critical data to secure locations and limiting access to users based on context and risk posture. SMBs should also vet third-party suppliers to ensure they employ threat detection and containment techniques, insulate supply chains from attack and minimize the impact of any data breaches.
Everyone benefits from the work of cybersecurity professionals, including consumers, who expect companies to follow strict data security and privacy protocols. They also value the work of cyberthreat researchers — like the team of 250 at Talos — who uncover new threats, educate the public on best practices and strengthen open-source tools.