Cybersecurity vs Information Security

On the surface, cybersecurity and information security sound like they may be the same thing. That does make sense, as both cybersecurity and information security are technology-based ideas, both deal with computer information, and (as we will examine below) they overlap in a few different ways. That said, cybersecurity and information security are not the same, and understanding the nuances is very important for:

  • Those interested in learning cybersecurity
  • Those interested in learning information security
  • Businesses who may need information security services and/or cybersecurity services
  • Anyone who wants to use the correct terminology to avoid confusion 

To help us keep things clear, let’s examine cybersecurity and information security one at a time.

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is, at its most simple, a series of processes and strategies put in place to protect against cyber-attacks and data breaches. A company’s cybersecurity plan, ideally, will help them to monitor potential threats, detect actual impending threats, and respond if they occur. 

Builtin.com explains: 

Cybersecurity is the practice of securing networks, systems, and any other digital infrastructure from malicious attacks. With cybercrime damages projected to exceed a staggering $6 trillion by 2021, it’s no wonder banks, tech companies, hospitals, government agencies, and just about every other sector are investing in cybersecurity infrastructure to protect their business practices and the millions of customers that trust them with their data.

To create this infrastructure, organisations and companies of all sizes often enlist the help of dedicated cybersecurity companies and experts.

Cybersecurity is focused on identifying vulnerabilities and building systems and compliances that mitigate those risks. In large part, it’s about predicting, identifying, and preventing threats, and addressing the threats if they occur. Some examples of the types of threats that cybersecurity professionals address include:

What makes cybersecurity so complex is that these threats change, and this list grows, every day. 

Every company with an online presence, or whose business is in any way connected to the internet (including email, cloud storage, e-commerce, internet-based workflow systems, CRM software, and more) could find itself vulnerable to external or internal threats. Cybersecurity exists to help prevent interruptions, delays, theft, or cyber-espionage. 

Why cybersecurity?

There are MANY reasons that cybersecurity matters, but perhaps the clearest reason is financial. 

As we’ve said before on our blog, “Cybercrime is a huge issue in Australia, currently costing the Australian economy around $3.5 billion a year. Globally the cost is set to rise to $2Trillion by the end of the year, up from $400B in 2015. Any business, big or small, is vulnerable to cyber-attacks.”

A dangerous unrecognizable faceless criminal standing in front of grainy urban wall concept

What is Information Security?

Information Security is quite different from cybersecurity. We will explore these differences a bit more thoroughly in a moment, but they will make more sense once we’ve better defined information security itself. 

ITChronicles explains that information security “is concerned with protecting information wherever it is held. It focuses on maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.” As they go on to point out, this makes the scope of information security much broader than cybersecurity. Think about it this way: if you visit a traditional office–a law office, for example–you will see lots of different kinds of “information.” Just a handful of examples include:

  • Email communications
  • Memos
  • Files full of legal briefs
  • Client information (names, addresses, contact information, legal dispositions)
  • Employee information (employment records, vital statistics, sometimes medical information)
  • Confidential files
  • Education records
  • Takeaway menus
  • Financial and billing records
  • And onwards ad infinitum 

All of these bits of information are governed by a massive range of compliance, privacy, and security guidelines. Some of this information, like the takeaway menus, require nearly no information security protocols. But other information, like personal, legal, or medical information is governed by governmental, industrial, or institutional policies for information security. And this is where the law firm’s information security officer (or more likely department) lives.

Information security concerns itself with how and where information is stored, how it is accessed and by whom, how long it is retained, and what happens to the information when it is no longer retained. 

How is Cybersecurity and Information Security Different?

Cybersecurity and Information Security are inherently different, both in scope and in focus. As ITChronicles adroitly summarises, the key difference “is that cybersecurity protects IT systems from unauthorised electronic access, whilst information security protects information assets regardless of whether the information is in physical or digital format.” 

How do Cybersecurity and Information Security Cross Over?

Both cybersecurity and information security are concerned with, as their names imply, security. Both fields involve keeping data safe and secure, even if they do so for fundamentally different reasons. ITGovernance.eu ties all of this work to what they identify as the “three pillars of data security:” 

  • People: Employees handle sensitive information daily, so it’s essential that organisations educate them on the risks and how to stay safe.
  • Processes: Organisations should document the steps that employees must take to stay safe. This should include stating the roles and responsibilities for data protection activities.
  • Technology: There are countless technological defences organisations can implement to tackle threats, such as antivirus software, access control, and data encryption.

These pillars govern both cybersecurity and information security, but the disciplinary relationships between the pillars are different.

Do I need Cybersecurity or Information Security?

Simply put, you need BOTH. You need to secure your data and information, making sure that the information is stable, accessible, and regulated. You need to ensure compliance with governmental and industrial regulations. You need information security. 

You also need to protect your company from a wide and growing range of threats. As StickmanCyber puts it:

As cyber threats and attacks rapidly evolve to maximise business disruption, a robust cybersecurity strategy is a must-have. And it HAS to be treated as a core business issue by all key stakeholders. It cannot be a set-and-forget aspect of your business anymore. Managed cybersecurity with continuous planning, monitoring, and adapting to threats is required to ensure successful safeguards for your business.

Whether managed in-house, or monitored by an expert cybersecurity company, your company’s cybersecurity infrastructure cannot be a set-and-forget aspect of your business. 

To learn more about cybersecurity, or to get started on a new robust cybersecurity strategy, contact StickmanCyber TODAY!

 

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