Cybersecurity and information security are alike in that they are both essential when it comes to peace of mind for corporations and their customers, yet they are by no means identical. In this article, we will take a few moments to explain some of the more significant differences between the two, and how each one relates to IoT.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity can best be explained as the means that cyber systems through which potentially sensitive data travels are protected. That data might be credit card numbers, social security numbers, addresses, and other identifying or financial information having to do with customers of institutions. Those might be banks, businesses from which you’ve made a purchase, or virtually any other entity to which you might have entrusted your sensitive information at some juncture. Where the data is stored, and the technology that is used to secure it, would also fall under the umbrella heading of cybersecurity.
Information Security
Information security is all about the protection of information and systems from unauthorized use, access, modification, destruction, disclosure, or disruption. It exists to provide the following three things:
- availability, in the event that an approved entity needs access to it
- confidentiality, which means preserving authorized restrictions on disclosure and access
- integrity, which refers to guarding against unauthorized information destruction or modification.
So, What’s the Difference?
In a nutshell, the difference between cybersecurity and information security is that cybersecurity has more to do with security threats taking place within the cyber realm, while information security has to do with the protection of information regardless of the area in which it appears. You might regard information security as a subset of cybersecurity, while cybersecurity is a broader, more overarching term.
What About IoT?
As it relates to these two and IoT, what’s most critical to remember is that as IoT grows more widespread and touches virtually every aspect of our lives, it could become problematic if a cyber attack was to take place on a system where it was being implemented. What if, for instance, there was a dedicated network of transmitters which was to spread information throughout a city during a destructive weather event, and someone decided to change the message that was being sent for the purpose of malicious mischief?
As far as information security, what if there was a smart hub for a big box store that was being used to house the credit card data of all of the customers that had shopped there during the day? If someone was able to hack into that hub, they could steal that information and then sell those credit card numbers on the black market.
As you can see, even though cybersecurity and information security are not precisely the same, each one can tie into IoT, which is why it’s critical to understand the relationship between each one. If you want to know more, Certnexus offers a CyberSAFE course that will teach you how to avoid breaches that could prove devastating to yourself or your company.
Recent Comments