Topic: “What is Information Security” Information security is a practice that organizations use to keep their sensitive data secure. This data may be virtual or physical and is secured by a limited number of professionals, including security managers and analysts. In addition, an organization may have a set of procedures that employees must follow to maintain information security. For example, an employee contract might include a confidentiality section to urge employees to protect sensitive internal information.
What is cyber security?
Cybersecurity is a practice that organizations use to protect their vulnerable technology. This may include software, hardware, or online activity. There is often an IT professional responsible for monitoring and maintaining an organization’s cyber security. For example, a cybersecurity manager may be responsible for ensuring that all employees adhere to and keep their passwords up to date. This type of security encompasses all aspects of a business more than what an organization does use technology, including information security.
Information Security vs. Cyber Security
Between these two processes, the primary difference is that information security concerns protecting sensitive information, while cybersecurity is concerned with preserving the technology used by the organization. As a result, organizations operate them differently but may use the same safety considerations in their approach. For example, an organization may have two different departments, but those departments may collaborate or hold regular meetings to protect all sensitive information and technology.
Here is a list of the main differences and similarities between information security and cyber security:
Appearance
Both information security and cyber security can include digital formats, but information security may consist of non-digital formats. For example, an organization might maintain the safety of its information by keeping physical files locked in room only authorized individuals can access. Many companies use two separate locking procedures to protect files or biological data. Cybersecurity may also include the data, but only information users can access through a computer.
Professionals
Organizations may hire different specialists to manage information security and cybersecurity. For information security, this may entail training all employees in confidentiality practices and hiring an information security analyst to perform and support this training. They can also hire security to store biological data. In addition, organizations often hire IT professionals to oversee cybersecurity and educate employees about computer best practices to stay safe.
Professionals responsible for cybersecurity may include:
- System administrators
- Cyber Security Analysts
- Chief Information Officer
- IT technicians
- Programming Engineers
Procedure
The primary similarity between information security and cyber security measures is that they focus on maintaining the organization’s safety. For example, organizations may keep a list of employees’ best practices that employees can follow, such as sending only internal files through official company emails.
While cyber security may require trained professionals to manage it, information security uses an accessible method known as the CIA triad; the acronym stands for:
- Confidentiality: Sensitive data is only available to authorized individuals. For example, a law firm might only allow senior employees to enter their closed data room.
- Integrity: Sensitive data and the platform the organization uses to store it are up-to-date and well-maintained. For example, an information analyst might review files that an employee has checked out to ensure that any changes made to the file are accurate.
- Availability: Certified employees can reliably access data when they need it. For example, an IT professional might check a program regularly to ensure that it works properly so that authorized personnel can use it.
Tools
Because information security and cybersecurity sometimes overlap digitally, organizations can use computers to manage both. For example, an IT professional whose primary responsibility is cybersecurity can monitor access to sensitive digital files through the same software. In addition, organizations can store sensitive physical items such as paper files and financial documents in secure storage containers or locked and monitored rooms.
Other equipment that cybersecurity organizations may use includes:
- Servers
- Mobile devices
- Cloud storage
- Antivirus software
- Encryption tools
- Network security management tools
- Public key infrastructure
Access
Many organizations grant at least some access to the technologies they use to all employees while reserving access to the same controls for authorized personnel and IT professionals. For example, everyone working at a nonprofit may log data into the system, but they may not have the same access to other functions like deleting or sending files. To maintain information security, an organization may require employees to enter a password to access digital data or use a key to enter rooms with biological data.
Priority
Most organizations prioritize information security and cybersecurity because they keep their valuable assets safe. In addition, they may use more resources on cybersecurity because it encompasses everything the organization uses technology for, including their digital information security. There are also fewer security risks for physical materials in locked containers or rooms than those stored on a server, network, or cloud system.
Expense
The costs of managing information security and cybersecurity may vary, depending on how much an organization relies on technology or what format they use to store data. For example, cybersecurity may cost more for organizations that frequently use technology since they may hire IT professionals, pay for software support subscriptions or accrue higher utility expenses. Though digital data may fall under those expenses, organizations may spend the money differently for information security measures. Those costs might include hiring security, purchasing cameras to monitor their physical data, or paying rent on external storage space.
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