What is Cyber Security? The Different Types of Cyber Security

Cyber security refers to the practice of protecting and defending internet-connected systems of an organization and its employees and assets like computers, servers, data, networks, mobile devices, and electronic systems among others from malicious cyber-attacks and threats.

As hackers, spammers, and cybercriminals become more threatening, common and sophisticated, and corporate networks grow more complex, it has become more important than ever to defend all assets, from computers and smartphones to networks and databases from cyberthreats, and lower the risk of frightening cyber security threats.  As per report published by Cybercrime Magazine, cybercrime will lead to a whopping loss of over $10 trillion annually by 2025 with global cybercrime costs forecasted to grow at an annual average rate of 15% over the next four years.

Common Cyber Threats

• Cyberterrorism—This threat is a politically motivated attack on computers and information technology to cause severe disruption or widespread fear in society.

• Malware— It includes ransomware, spyware, viruses, and worms surreptitiously installed to disrupt, infect, damage, steal data, or gain unauthorized access; leak private information, block access to your computer resources, or steal money or passwords. 

• Trojans—Deriving its name from deceptive Trojan Horse of Greek mythology, it is a type of malicious code or software that conceals its true content and misled users into thinking they’re opening a innocuous file. Once installed, it performs malicious functions.

• Botnets—It involves large-scale cyber attacks conducted by a network of hijacked private computers infected with malicious software intended to carry out various scams and cyber attacks.

In the following paragraphs we look at different types of cyber security challenges, and see how a quality provider of cyber security services can help organizations mitigate the risk of such security challenges and threats.

Network Security

Majority of the cyber-attacks are carried out over the network, and as such the primary task of network security solutions is to identify and stop these attacks emanating from within and outside the organization. These solutions include data and access controls such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP), NGAV (Next-Gen Antivirus), Sandboxing, NAC (Network Access Control), NGFW (Next-Generation Firewall), and automated SOAR (Security Orchestration and Response) solutions designed to protect the network and infrastructure from disturbances, unsanctioned access, and other misuses. enforce safe web use policies.

Cloud Security

As more and more modern organizations adopt cloud computing, securing the cloud has assumed added significance. A cloud security strategy designed to secure cloud architectures and applications include, cyber security solutions, controls, policies, and services intended to protect an organization’s interconnected assets from external threats and targeted attacks in cloud environments. It is not that cloud services providers do not offer cloud security, but it often seen that enterprise-grade security in the cloud is not achieved leaving the onus on organizations to put in place additional security measures to defend themselves from security breaches. 

Web Application Security Solutions

Web applications, as is the norm with applications connected to the internet does not find itself immune from external threats such as injection, broken authentication, and cross-site scripting to mention a few important ones.

Implementation of application security apart from the above-mentioned threats also offers a good defense mechanism against bot attacks, or malicious integration with APIs.

Mobile Application Security Solutions

As mobile devices such as tablets, laptops, and smartphones are used more and more, the threat of stealing corporate and personal data stored on them from threats such as malicious apps, unauthorized access, viruses, zero-day, phishing, and IM (Instant Messaging) attacks becomes more and more real.  Mobile security protects organizational and personal information stored on these devices from malicious threats. Also, incorporation of MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution ensures only compliant mobile devices obtain access to organizational data.

Database Security Solutions

This subdomain covers activities, frameworks, and processes that provides access to an organization’s information systems only after proper authorization and authentication mechanisms. Additionally, it employs authentication protocols, whether two-factor or multi-factor.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Endpoint security, which is a part of the zero-trust security model, deals with creation of micro-segments around data. Endpoint security allows organizations to secure endpoints or entry points of end-user devices such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices from threats such as anti-phishing and anti-ransomware. 

Extended Detection and Response (XDR)

Extended Detection and Response (XDR) is a SaaS-based, vendor-specific cybersecurity technology that consolidates tools and data that delivers end-to-end visibility, detection, investigation, analysis, and automation across networks, clouds, endpoints and applications. XDR is a new approach to threat detection and response that collects and automatically correlates data across multiple security layers to protect against cyberattacks.

Conclusion

As data breaches, hacking, and cybercrime become a norm rather than an exception, companies are increasingly hiring cyber security services provider to keep themselves safe from Phishing, SQL injection, DoS, viruses, malware, worms, spam, hackers and cyber criminals.