Digital Scams Are Not A Joke: 4 Sides Of Cyber Security To Look Into For Your Business Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users via ransomware; or interrupting normal business processes. Here are four tools for you and your business to be cyber secure.
By Kavya Pillai
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Since 2004, the President of the United States and Congress have declared the month of October to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a dedicated month for the public and private sectors to work together to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. This is the 20th Cybersecurity Awareness Month and it has grown into a collaborative effort between government and industry to enhance cybersecurity awareness, encourage actions by the public to reduce online risk and generate discussion on cyber threats on a national and global scale.
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users via ransomware; or interrupting normal business processes. There are different types of cyber security, but they all share the same goal: establish data confidentiality, integrity, and availability within your business. Here are four tools for you and your business to be cyber secure.
1. Application Security
This refers to the measures taken to protect software applications from malicious attacks and data theft. A Web Application Firewall monitors and filters HTTP traffic that passes between a web application and the Internet. WAF technology does not cover all threats but can work alongside a suite of security tools to create a holistic defence against various attack vectors. In the open systems interconnection (OSI) model, WAF serves as a protocol layer seven defence that helps protect web applications against attacks like cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site forgery, SQL injection, and file inclusion. Unlike a proxy server that protects the identity of client machines through an intermediary, a WAF works like a reverse proxy that protects the server from exposure. The WAF serves as a shield that stands in front of a web application and protects it from the Internet—clients pass through the WAF before they can reach the server.
2. Network Security
It protects and defends online systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. The use of a firewall is equally important when it comes to defending your data. A firewall screens out hackers, viruses and other malicious activities that occur over the internet and determines which digital traffic is permitted to enter your device. If you are a Windows or Mac OS X user you would have seen the aptly named firewalls called Windows Firewall and Mac Firewall on your devices protecting your system. Note, that it is also important to ensure your router has a built-in firewall to prevent attacks on your network.
3. Cloud Security
It is an increasingly significant component of cyber security. Normally you would enter your username and password to log into your accounts but this is a simple step even hackers could use to access your account. With two-factor authentication, you would be prompted to use an additional personal identification code, one-time password, second password or even a fingerprint. Businesses are encouraged to use multi-factor authentication as it prompts two additional authentication methods when there is an attempt made to access the website or device.
4. Critical Infrastructure Security
This protects infrastructures such as energy, water, transportation, and communications systems from malicious activity or natural disasters by deploying cyber security measures. A SIEM solution aggregates event data across disparate sources within your network infrastructure, including servers, systems, devices and applications, from perimeter to end user. Ultimately, an SIEM solution offers a centralized view with additional insights, combining context information about your users, assets and more. It consolidates and analyzes the data for deviations against behavioural rules defined by your organization to identify potential threats.
