All of us understand the importance of security and try to make sure that we are safe and secured wherever we live, work, study, and entertain. There is a term called cybersecurity that has become very popular these days. You see experts voicing their concerns about improving cybersecurity on television debates. You also read reports in newspapers and on the web about instances of identity theft and breach of cybersecurity in government offices. If you do not understand the terminology related to cyberspace, this article is for you. It aims to serve as a guide on cybersecurity and why it matters so much for all of us.
What is Cybersecurity?
Our lives have become totally dependent upon the internet and all the tools and methods that are used to store and transfer information. People, businesses, and governments are communicating and also carrying out financial transactions over the web. A massive amount of data is being created every second. There is a growing concern to keep this data safe. But the bigger challenge is to ensure the safety and security of this important and sensitive data. All tools, technologies, and methods that are used to ensure the safety and security of digital data are collectively referred to as cybersecurity. Cybersecurity has today become a separate discipline as the world needs more and more cybersecurity experts to look after the safety and security of the data of businesses and organizations.
Cybersecurity includes all efforts made to protect computers, mobile devices, networks, programs, applications, and servers handling sensitive information about individuals and organizations. The objective of any cybersecurity program is to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information and also to foil malicious attacks made by unscrupulous elements.
Why Cybersecurity Matters To All Of Us?
There was a time not so long ago when cybersecurity was considered important only for banks, financial institutions, government agencies, and offices handling sensitive information. Today, when the internet has entered all aspects of the lives of common individuals, cybersecurity has become important for every single individual in the country. The increased incidences of identity theft and breach of security in mega-companies like Twitter and Facebook have forced individuals to think about the cybersecurity of their sensitive data. Data theft has become so common that it has forced common individuals to take interest in cybersecurity and adopt measures to strengthen it.
Today, it is not just businesses that need to safeguard their sensitive data from their competitors. Government agencies, banks, and other financial institutions are always under a serious threat of cyberattacks from hackers and cybercriminals. Even common people share their personal details with social media sites and other websites for making their accounts. Then there are the requirements of divulging one’s bank and credit card details during financial transactions on the web. Because of these reasons, cybersecurity has become extremely important for all people. Cyber security specialists believe that it is important for anyone and everyone who makes use of social media and the internet to carry out financial transactions. Ordinary people make use of antivirus products in their digital devices to ward off attempts of a cybersecurity breach. Another tool that they can use to stay safe in an increasingly dangerous security landscape is to make use of strong passwords.
Why The Risk Of Breach Of Cybersecurity Is Increasing
It is foolish for anyone to think that he or she is safe from cyber-attacks in present times. With the manner in which global connectivity is increasing with each passing day and the increased usage of cloud services for the storage of sensitive data and information, no one is today immune from cyberattacks. Ordinary people are sharing their sensitive information with websites like Facebook and WhatsApp. There are also people storing their passwords and other sensitive information in cloud services like Dropbox and Gmail Cloud service. There is no doubt that these tech giants store the information about their customers safely and securely but there is always a risk of hackers and unauthorized individuals gaining access to this information
The Skills And Innovation Of Cybercriminals Are Improving
While every individual and organization makes efforts to improve cybersecurity, the skills and knowledge of cybercriminals have also gone up considerably. These hackers have developed new tools and methods to attack the security systems deployed by businesses and financial institutions. It is much the same as terrorist organizations planning attacks on installations and innocent people. While security forces foil most of these attempts, these terrorists are able to beat the security experts once in a while. The kind of damage to the economy and the morale of the people caused by these incidents is so high that cybersecurity cannot be taken lightly.
The fact is that the world today is reliant on technology and the internet more than ever in the past. This reliance is only going to increase manifold in the future as more and more connected devices come into the market. More and more economies are becoming digital in nature to facilitate their citizens and also for proper documentation. In such a scenario, it is important for businesses, governments, and common individuals to take their cybersecurity seriously.
Increasing Instances Of Data Breaches And Cyber Crimes
One big reason why governments and businesses around the world have woken up to the requirements of cybersecurity is because of increased instances of data breaches taking place these days. Information or data is the new gold and cybercriminals know they have necks of businesses in their hands if they can breach their security and lay hands on their sensitive information. The average cost of a data breach for an organization has gone up to $13 million for every such incident. It is clear that individuals with a criminal mindset find this easy money on the table within their reach. They are always looking at ways to take advantage of loopholes in the security of organizations.
Today cybersecurity is a subject that concerns everyone. It is not just the government and big businesses that are taking strong internet security measures. Even ordinary citizens need to remain alert while carrying out financial transactions over the internet.