What is Cyber Security and How Do You Protect Your People?

Cyber security is about protecting the technology where your data lives, like computers, smart devices, routers and networks. It is also about protecting people – those that work for you, those you employ and those who access your data from hackers.

The threat landscape is constantly changing and evolving. Keeping up with those changes and adapting your practices to prevent or combat cyber attacks can be challenging, especially for smaller organizations without the resources of larger enterprises.

While any device or system can be a target for attackers, many attack strategies focus on gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information and assets. For example, bad actors use phishing techniques to trick authorized users into taking actions that open the door for attackers to enter and steal or exfiltrate information. Attackers can also disrupt systems with distributed denial-of-service attacks that flood servers and hosts with messages, connections or packets to slow down or crash the targeted system and prevent legitimate traffic from accessing services and information.

Finally, attackers can sow discord and disruption to damage the reputation of attacked entities or individuals. They can do this to get revenge for acts committed against them or to spread fear and distrust in the communities they target. They can also use these attacks as a form of protest, as is the case with hacktivists that comprise some of the most notorious attacker groups.

It is critical that companies are able to make informed decisions about their cybersecurity investments. Using outcome-driven metrics can help you determine what controls are needed to minimize your risk exposure and achieve specific business goals. SOCaaS