Cybersecurity and information security are both vital for protecting your business, yet their objectives differ. Understanding the distinction between them is essential for effective information risk management.
Cybersecurity is the process of safeguarding your company's data and network from unauthorized access, use, modification, or disruption. On the other hand, InfoSec deals with safeguarding information assets for confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Definition
Cybersecurity is a term that describes practices, processes, and technologies an organization utilizes to safeguard its computers, networks, electronic devices, systems, and data from cyberattacks. This includes safeguarding against threats that attempt to access, modify or destroy sensitive information, extract money from users, or disrupt business operations.
InfoSec also referred to as information security, is the collection of policies, principles, and personnel responsible for safeguarding an organization's sensitive data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or modification. It often works in tandem with other aspects of cybersecurity such as physical and technical safeguards, including the use of EDR tools.
Though these terms are frequently confused, there is a distinct difference between them. While both focus on keeping digital content secure, cybersecurity encompasses much more than infosec does.
Information security focuses on data and digital assets, while cybersecurity encompasses all aspects of an organization's IT infrastructure. This includes servers, firewalls, software applications, hardware components, and networks.
It is essential to comprehend the distinctions between these two approaches to digital system security, as this will enable you to select the optimal type of cybersecurity for your company and its requirements.
Infosec typically involves the balance of three factors: confidentiality, integrity and availability (known as the "CIA" triad"). Confidentiality refers to how information is made accessible or hidden from unauthorized parties; integrity measures accuracy, completeness, and truthfulness in data; while availability ensures accessibility at all times.
Another essential aspect of infosec is nonrepudiation, or the capacity to demonstrate that information hasn't been altered without approval from its owner. This implies no one should alter or modify information without their owner's consent.
For instance, if an accounting analyst modifies financial records without approval, then it's likely the data is no longer accurate or complete. Organizations can put in place computer controls such as restricting change rights and logging updates to prevent this from occurring.
Infosec also involves administrative components, such as access control lists (ACLs) for user authentication and authorization; incident response plans; employee training programs; regular system audits; and more. An effective information security strategy must incorporate these factors to guarantee all sensitive data is handled and stored securely.
Scope
Information security (InfoSec) is the practice of safeguarding all types of information, whether digital or physical. This interdisciplinary field involves developing techniques for safeguarding data and creating policies to enforce them.
Cybersecurity is an area of Information Security that focuses on safeguarding computer systems and networks against external and internal threats. To do this effectively, practitioners need to employ various practices and EDR tools that can prevent, detect, and respond to cyberattacks.
Contrary to popular belief, Cybersecurity and Information Security are distinct disciplines. Cybersecurity primarily deals with technology-related threats while infosec also shields you against non-cyber risks like fires or natural disasters.
At the core of an infosec system lies confidentiality, integrity, and availability - commonly referred to as the CIA triad. These three concepts are essential for maintaining the overall functionality of an infosec system.
Confidentiality refers to the idea that information should only be accessible by authorized personnel. Integrity refers to ensuring data accuracy, trustworthiness, and consistency; finally, availability ensures information can be accessed by authorized users without disruptions when needed.
A comprehensive infosec policy should consider all these elements and more, such as the classification of data correctly and what types of guards to implement. Organizations may want to consult risk management principles when deciding how much risk they are willing to accept.
Businesses must implement user training to teach employees proper behavior and how to avoid security risks. Furthermore, computer controls and organizational policies should be used as risk mitigation factors that help limit employee access to data tampering or modification.
An infosec strategy must also include a robust business continuity and disaster recovery plan. This involves using backup and redundant systems to maintain access to data during software failures or other system outages, as well as ensuring that data can be restored back to an acceptable state.
Functions
Cybersecurity is the framework that shields computers, servers, networks, and devices from malicious hackers or phishing attacks. It also includes protecting data from loss, damage, or corruption. Cybersecurity can be applied across many sectors such as business organizations and personal devices alike to safeguard personal information.
InfoSec, on the other hand, protects both digital and analog information. This could include cryptography, mobile computing, and social media as well as infrastructures and networks containing private or sensitive data such as financial or corporate records.
Cybersecurity's primary objective is to safeguard an organization against malicious cyberattacks from either outside or within. This can include a range of approaches such as malware, phishing scams, exploits, and other types of hacks.
Cybersecurity professionals work to safeguard against threats through software and hardware security. They identify, and patch up holes and misconfigurations, then collaborate with IT security specialists to implement appropriate safeguards.
They can assist in prioritizing data losses and creating a plan for recovery from such incidents alongside their InfoSec colleagues. Many have dealt with similar situations in the past, so they understand how important it is to safeguard sensitive information.
Information security consists of several aspects, but the most critical are confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data - collectively referred to as the CIA triad. These principles form the cornerstone for all infosec policies, processes, and safeguards that surround data protection.
Confidentiality guarantees the information is only accessible to authorized personnel; integrity protects it against modification by unapproved parties; and availability ensures easy accessibility for these same authorized users without disrupting the enterprise system.
Utilizing the CIA triad as a starting point, businesses can create comprehensive security personnel, process, and technology controls to protect their data in various environments.
Other elements to consider in an infosec strategy are cloud security, critical infrastructure protection, and incident response. These can help minimize risk and keep data secure when systems are down due to disasters or other events.