The Five Different Types of Cybersecurity
The term “cybersecurity” has become well-known even with those who aren’t tech-savvy, but those outside of the IT industry might not realize just how broad that term is. Just as there is a wide variety of cyber threats, there’s a wide variety of cybersecurity needs and solutions. Any good IT expert knows that your security is only effective if you’re properly covering each and every aspect. Not every type of cybersecurity applies to every business, but it’s good to understand what types of threats are out there.
Critical Infrastructure Security
This is arguably the most important form of cybersecurity, hence the word “critical.” Critical infrastructure generally refers to things that provide us with energy, communication, health resources, food and water, and anything else that is critical to the continued function of society. Critical infrastructure security focuses on keeping hackers out of power grids, water purification systems, and other things that, were they to shut down, could cause massive harm.
Due to the importance of these systems, not only does critical infrastructure security focus on preventing devastating attacks, but also on developing contingency plans if such attacks were to take place. (MindCore)
Application Security
You and your employees are going to use several applications in your day-to-day operations. Regardless of an individual’s role in the company, if they use a computer, they use multiple apps. Any application that contains sensitive data – Excel, Quickbooks, Xero, etc. – offers a way for hackers to access that data. This is what application security is about, making sure these apps are secure. With app security, it basically all falls on the user. Secure passwords and two-step authentication are two effective, simple measures every user can take. Ensure that it’s your employees signing into their accounts and not somebody impersonating them. (TridayNet)
Network Security
Most attacks will come in through your network, so you want to make sure you have adequate safeguards in place to prevent unauthorized access. Network security involves things like firewalls, anti-virus and anti-malware software, and even email security.
After all, when it comes to weak points in any security setup, the people in your organization present a very real threat. If they’re not being overly vigilant, they could fall victim to a security breach coming through their email. On the subject of your staff, data loss prevention is a major component of network security, and you want to be sure that your staff isn’t sharing sensitive data with outside parties. (UniserveIT)
Cloud Security
More and more companies are foregoing traditional computing for cloud-based computing solutions. While there are a number of benefits of moving your operations to the cloud, it also presents another doorway for potential hackers.
Just as you need to prevent hackers from accessing your in-house networks, you need to keep them out of your cloud servers, too. Most cloud providers offer their own security, but depending on the type of security they offer and the information you’re trying to safeguard, you might want to look into third-party cloud security solutions as well. There’s no harm in being extra cautious. (Checkpoint)
Internet of Things (IoT) Security
When people hear the term “Internet of Things,” they might think of it in consumer terms, where it refers to appliances like smart washers and smart refrigerators. However, IoT devices are used heavily in business environments, as well, as the interconnectivity they offer can be a huge boon to both convenience and productivity.
Again, anything that can access your network can provide a gateway for those looking to do you harm. With IoT devices, hackers will generally pinpoint the weakest device on a given network and try to gain access through that particular device. IoT security places a big emphasis on identifying each and every device connected to your network to ensure that there aren’t any connected devices that shouldn’t be there. (Checkpoint)
