We are in an age in which computers are taking over our daily activities. We store our personal information, work, access services, and have our social lives using computers. The integration of these computers, information technology, and programming make up what is referred to as cyber. We’ve often heard of cybersecurity and cyberattacks or someone saying my Instagram account was hacked. Well, what do these terms mean? What did they mean when they said they were hacked? Zone Networks provides you with a simple and easy-to-understand explanation of cybersecurity and what you need to know about this topic.
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity involves applying technology and information technology procedures to protect computers, computerised devices, and networks from unauthorised access meant to manipulate data maliciously, also known as cyberattacks. And so why should we embrace cybersecurity? It protects our personal and organisation’s information from being stolen or compromised by cyberattackers.
Every organisation needs to recognise the importance of cybersecurity because the risk of cyberattacks is present and real. This is because more than 30,000 websites are hacked daily. Even with secure networks, companies still lose their information.
From a personal level, we can follow basic security protocols, including creating strong passwords, avoiding sharing passwords, and staying away from suspicious sites. But cybersecurity is more than that. It involves leveraging security processes and technology, including firewalls and antiviruses, to establish cybersecurity. Zone Networks is prepared to use these powerful cybersecurity tools to help its clients secure their computers, networks, and devices against any cyberattacks.
Awareness is an essential aspect of stopping cyberattacks. To increase your awareness on this matter, we will first discuss the types of cybersecurity and cyber attacks.
Types of Cybersecurity
Protecting your business or organisation from cyberattacks is vital. To do this, you should be able to identify the vulnerable parts of your business and the steps to establish cybersecurity. So what are the types of cybersecurity?
NETWORK SECURITY: Network security involves the practices aimed at protecting computer networks from cyberattacks or malicious malware.
APPLICATION SECURITY: Application security involves keeping devices and software threat-free. It includes introducing security protocols in the design stage of applications before they are launched. This ensures that applications are not faulty, thus compromising data security.
CLOUD SECURITY: Cloud security focuses on utilising policies, technologies, and controls to make the cloud a secure data storage platform. It is beneficial to companies who use the cloud for data storage.
INFORMATION SECURITY: The integrity of information in storage and that in transit is crucial for any business. Information security protects this information from being compromised or lost.
OPERATIONAL SECURITY: These include the protocols and processes applied when handling data and devices to uphold data integrity. They are set by organisations to protect the integrity of their vital information.
PREVENTION OF DATA LOSS: If you have ever lost important data, you know how expensive it is to retrieve it. Data loss prevention is focused on preventing frequent data loss or establishing reliable recovery protocols.
Types of Cyberattacks
Having looked at the types of cybersecurity, it is also essential to know the types of cyberattacks to recognise why we need cybersecurity. The common types of cyberattacks include:
MALWARE
Malware or malicious software is software created by cybercriminals to damage or disrupt a user’s computer. They include viruses, trojan horses, spyware, and ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware that locks down or controls a user’s computer and asks for ransom with threats of erasing data.
SQL INJECTION ATTACK
An SQL injection attack uses SQL code to gain access to databases and steal data. Cybercriminals use these malicious SQL codes to access vulnerable databases, thus stealing data.
SOCIAL ENGINEERING
Social engineering attacks are tricks used by cybercriminals to gain access to vital information. An example of these attacks is phishing. Phishing involves cybercriminals using emails appearing to be from legitimate companies and tricking recipients into revealing sensitive information.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is an essential aspect of modern society. Advancement in cybertechnology provides cybercriminals with new ways to mess with our data. Cyberattacks at this moment are not a matter of how but when. So, creating a solid cybersecurity system saves many businesses and organisations from the struggle of dealing with cyber threats. Therefore, Zone Networks will help you utilise strong cybersecurity technologies and protocols to ensure your personal information and business information are safe from any cyberattacks.