What is Cybersecurity?
18 Apr 2019 IT Services
Understanding what cybersecurity is can help you protect your business from potential online attacks and threats. At Fortify Technology Services, they understand how important it is to ensure that your business is keeping its cybersecurity up to date. That is why they offer a range of IT services designed to help small businesses improve their cybersecurity.
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity, also known as information security, is the practice of ensuring the safety of information on systems, networks, and programs from a variety of digital attacks. Proper cybersecurity is made up of an evolving set of tools, risk management approaches, technologies, training, and best practices. Ensuring that your business is using effective cybersecurity measures can help you better protect your networks, devices, programs, and data from cyberattacks or unauthorized access.
Types of Cybersecurity
Some of the different types of cybersecurity you can utilize to help protect your business from online attacks include:
- Network Security—Designed to protect network traffic and to prevent threats from entering or spreading on a network by controlling incoming and outgoing connections.
- Cloud Security—Designed to protect any data used in cloud-based services and applications.
- Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) or Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)—Designed to limit and track employee access by using authentication services to protect internal systems from malicious entities.
- Encryption—Designed to make data unintelligible to prevent theft while data is being transferred.
- Antivirus/Anti-Malware—Designed to scan computer systems for any known threats or previously unknown threats based on their behaviour.
Why is Cybersecurity Important?
Since the world today relies heavily on technology, devices and systems that are exploited due to vulnerabilities can have a range of devastating consequences for any business, including loss of consumers, partner trust, and important data. Losing critical data like source files or intellectual property can also cost a business its competitive edge.
Common Types of Cybersecurity Threats
Some of the most common types of cybersecurity threats include:
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that is designed to extort money by blocking access to files or entire computer systems until the ransom is paid; however, paying the ransom does not guarantee that the files will be recovered, or that the system will be completely restored.
Malware
Malware is a type of software that is designed to gain unauthorized access or cause damage to a computer. This type of cyberattack includes computer viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, and keyloggers.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is a tactic used by cybercriminals to trick you into revealing sensitive information, such as confidential data or credit card information. This type of cyberattack can be combined with both ransomware and malware.
Phishing
Phishing is sending fraudulent emails that resemble emails from reputable sources to steal sensitive data like credit card numbers and login information. This is the most common type of cyberattack.
If you would like to learn more about what cybersecurity is, or if you are interested in IT services, please contact the IT professionals from Fortify Technology Services at 604-546-2656 or by filling out a contact form on their website.
