Information has always been an essential non-tangible asset of any business. As organizations have increased their use of technology for business, the need for protection from security threats has grown along with it. From small startups to mid-sized companies to large global corporations, any organization that uses technology needs a system in place to keep their information secure. If you are wondering what information security is, read more to find out more about it and why all businesses need it.
What Is Information Security?
Information security is a set of procedures, strategies, policies, and tools to detect, document, prevent and fight threats to both digital and non-digital information. The responsibilities include implementing a set of business processes that protect information assets no matter how they are formatted or whether they are in transit, being processed, or in storage.
Why Is Information Security Important?
Organizations recognize the importance of putting up roadblocks to keep their information private, especially information that is privileged. With the advent of information technology, cyberattacks have emerged as significant risks to individuals, organizations, and governments. Data is exposed to a huge number and types of risks.
Malicious codes, hacking, and denial of service (DOS) attacks are becoming increasingly common. Data breaches seem to be occurring more frequently, and businesses and consumers money. Attacks are becoming more sophisticated, and the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices makes it easier for hackers to get in. And lastly, regulatory laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), mandate security measures. Violations of these measures can cost businesses money.
Types of Information Security
There are many subtypes of information security that cover specific types of information, the tools that protect information, and the domains where the information needs to be protected.
Application Security
Strategies for application security protect applications and application programming interfaces (APIs). These strategies can be used to prevent, detect, and fix bugs or vulnerabilities in the applications your system uses. If not secured, applications and API vulnerabilities may offer a gateway into your broader systems that can put your information at risk.
The majority of application security involves specialized tools for the shielding, scanning, and testing of applications. These tools help identify weaknesses in applications and the components surrounding them. Once these weaknesses are found, they can be correct before applications are released, and their vulnerabilities are taken advantage of. Application security covers applications a business is currently using and any they may be developing.
Infrastructure Security
Infrastructure security protects your infrastructure components such as servers, networks, mobile devices, client devices, and data centers. As the connectivity between these components and other infrastructure components grows, information is increasingly at risk if proper precautions are not taken.
Although necessary, connectivity extends weaknesses and vulnerabilities across systems. If one part of the infrastructure is compromised or fails, all other dependent components are affected. Infrastructure security takes on the delicate task of minimizing dependencies and isolating components while allowing intercommunications to continue.
Cloud Security
Cloud security protects cloud-connected components and information. It provides extra protection and tools to protect the weaknesses that can occur with shared environments and Internet-facing services. It also works to centralize security management and tooling. This focus on centralization helps security teams to preserve information visibility and identify information threats throughout distributed resources.
Another part of cloud security is the collaboration with a cloud provider or third-party services. When a business uses cloud-hosted resources and applications, they are often not able to completely control the environment since it is generally managed for them. Because of this, cloud security practices must take into consideration restricted control and apply measures that limit accessibility and weaknesses stemming from contractors and vendors. A trusted IT solutions company in Florida like Flagler Technologies will ensure your cloud infrastructure is safe and secure.
Cryptography
Cryptography uses encryption to obscure the information and keep it secure. When a business’s information is encrypted, it can only be accessed by authorized users. Security teams use encryption preserver information integrity and confidentiality until it is no longer needed. Security teams use encryption algorithms such as the advanced encryption standard (AES) or technologies such as blockchain to encrypt information. Encryption algorithms are the most common tool used, as they require less overhead.
Incident Response
This refers to a range of tools and procedures used to identify, investigate, and respond to damaging events and threats. These procedures reduce or eliminate damage caused by system failures, attacks, system failures, natural disasters, or human error and protect against loss or theft of information.
Incident response plans (IRPs) are an important tool for incident response security. They outline the responsibilities and roles about who does what when responding to an incident. They also guide security policy, provide procedures for action, and help make sure that any insight gained is used to shore up protective strategies.
Vulnerabilities Management
A practice used to reduce risks inherent in a system or application, vulnerabilities management works to discover and patch system weaknesses before issues can be exposed or exploited. The fewer weaknesses a system has, the more secure the business’s resources and information is. It uses tools such as testing, scanning, and auditing to find and fix issues.
The processes are usually automated so that they apply a consistent standard, and weaknesses are found quickly. Another important tool is threat hunting, which involves the investigation of systems in real-time to find signs of threat or potential weaknesses.
Disaster Recovery
These strategies protect businesses from damage or loss from unforeseen events such as natural disasters, ransomware, and single points of failure. Disaster recovery is generally a part of a business continuity management plan created to get businesses back up and running with little downtime.
Secure Solutions for Information Security
If you would like to know more about data security services in Florida or are looking for secure solutions for information security, contact Flagler securities today. We work with companies of all sizes in all industries to ensure their information and infrastructure remain secure while remaining in compliance with an increasingly complex regulatory environment.