IT security
IT security has to do with guaranteeing the security of all information techniques and technologies (IT) used, i.e., all hardware and software systems and all computer and network systems. The primary objective of these techniques is to ensure the security of information processing and communication, which requires the proper hardware operation processes as well as software and program system processes.
As hackers get smarter, the need to protect your digital assets and network devices is even greater. While providing IT security can be expensive, a significant breach can jeopardize the health of a small business. During or after an incident, IT security teams can follow an incident response plan as a risk management tool to gain control of the situation.
What are the threats to IT security?
Threats to IT security can come in different forms. A common threat is malware, or malicious software, which may come in different variations to infect network devices, including:
- Ransomware
- Spyware
- Viruses
- Spam and Phishing
- Botnets
- Advanced Persistent Threats
These threats make it even more important to have reliable security practices in place.
IT security prevents malicious threats and potential security breaches that can have a huge impact on your organization. When you enter your internal company network, IT security helps ensure only authorized users can access and make changes to sensitive information that resides there. IT security works to ensure the confidentiality of your organization’s data.
Types of IT security
Network security
Network security is used to prevent unauthorized or malicious users from getting inside your network. This ensures that usability, reliability, and integrity are uncompromised. This type of security is necessary to prevent a hacker from accessing data inside the network
Network security has become increasingly challenging as businesses increase the number of endpoints and migrate services to public cloud.
Internet security
Internet security involves the protection of information that is sent and received in browsers, as well as network security involving web-based applications. These protections are designed to monitor incoming internet traffic for malware as well as unwanted traffic.
Endpoint security
Endpoint security provides protection at the device level. Devices that may be secured by endpoint security include cell phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Endpoint security will prevent your devices from accessing malicious networks that may be a threat to your organization.
Cloud security
Applications, data, and identities are moving to the cloud, meaning users are connecting directly to the Internet and are not protected by the traditional security stack. Cloud security can help secure the usage of software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications and the public cloud.
Application security
With application security, applications are specifically coded at the time of their creation to be as secure as possible, to help ensure they are not vulnerable to attacks.
How can companies increase their IT security
Awareness
IT security and information security are by no means just a question of technology. The greatest weakness in this construct is, in fact, humans. Cybercriminals exploit ignorance and uncertainty in dealing with IT, for example, by using social engineering or phishing scams to gain access to networks and systems. This is why it is important to train employees and raise awareness of IT risks and IT security.
Security as a Service(SaaS)
This is an outsourcing model in which security management is completely entrusted to an external service provider. The service provider provides the required security applications and takes over the configuration and operation of all security devices and software
Security Appliances
As previously mentioned, there is a huge selection of security solutions such as firewalls, virus and malware scanners, content filters, and intrusion detection systems; they are available in a variety of price ranges and performance classes. There is also a choice between specialized devices and UTM (Unified Thread Management) appliances. The latter combine multiple functions into a single appliance, making them more suitable for small to medium-sized businesses.