What Is Cyber Security and Why Is It Critical in the Modern Era?
Theses days, people leverage the internet's power for a variety of purposes, including shopping, watching videos, listening to music, and even filing taxes. It's no secret that the rapid expansion of the World Wide Web over the last couple of decades has brought us incredible things and enabled us to manage our errands from the comfort of our own home or office. However, with every great thing comes an equal and opposite, which is not always so great. Cybersecurity is a concept that the majority of people are either unaware of or uninterested in due to its complexity. However, if you are unaware of the critical nature of cybersecurity and fail to take precautionary measures, you are likely to run into problems. And those issues can result in situations that are not only difficult to resolve but also jeopardize your own and others' safety. The best way to understand why we need cybersecurity in the first place is to examine the consequences of cybersecurity failures in the past.
How Is Cyber Security Defined?
Before we delve deeper into the subject, it's probably prudent to define cybersecurity as a broader concept. Cybersecurity's primary objective is to safeguard the user, their data, and any other sensitive information that should remain hidden from prying eyes.
Cybersecurity Levels
There are numerous levels of cybersecurity, ranging from simple single-user protection to massive corporate, political, and business operations requiring top-notch protection. For example, companies like Apple or Google would require the highest levels of cybersecurity due to their responsibility for the safety of data involving hundreds of millions of people. It's no secret that cybersecurity has become an integral part of the digital world, especially given its reliance on billions of people. For instance, we have seen instances where hackers were able to sway political elections by compromising both the network and electronic voting systems. This is just one example, but it demonstrates yet another reason why cybersecurity is critical.
National Cybersecurity Threats
As previously stated, hackers have the ability to sway elections, but that is not the only threat a nation with subpar cybersecurity faces. For instance, the Social Security Administration in the United States maintains a network of multiple devices that are constantly connected to the internet. Individual points of failure and attack vectors are dangerous because they exponentially increase the possibility of breaches and hacks. This means that the SSA must allocate significant resources to cyber security and safeguard the sensitive data of millions of people. Unfortunately, breaches occur at all levels, and some networks are susceptible to and have been victimized by malware, ransomware, and other forms of cyber-attacks. This is primarily due to human error, but also to a lack of adequate cybersecurity measures.
Recent Examples of Large-Scale Hacking
As previously stated, in order to appreciate the critical nature of cybersecurity, we must examine some of the breaches that could have resulted in serious consequences. The user records of Facebook were hacked, exposing over 540 million user records. The social media giant was utilizing Amazon's cloud services when it was hacked, and the resulting damage was most apparent following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Yahoo, another internet behemoth, suffered a breach that compromised over three billion customer accounts. While the enormous cost of the hack exceeded $350 million, it's reasonable to assume that the loss of reputation and credibility cost Yahoo significantly more in the long run. The United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) was temporarily shut down following a simple ransomware attack, which resulted in the cancellation of scheduled operations and brought the NHS to its knees. This attack was particularly humiliating for the UK government, as it could have been prevented with basic security software. The examples above are just the tip of the iceberg; according to some recent studies, there are over 4000 active cyber-attacks occurring daily. It goes without saying that every business or organization that handles sensitive user data should adhere to the highest standards of cybersecurity.
Why Do Hackers Target Businesses?
The majority of people believe that malicious hacker attacks are carried out for the purpose of amusement or clout, but there is much more to it than meets the eye. A sizable portion of cyber-attacks are carried out primarily for financial gain, particularly when large businesses are targeted. For instance, online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and Target are extremely lucrative targets due to their interaction with millions of people and, more importantly, their personal data. Once a breach occurs, the hacker (or, more frequently, a group of hackers) obtains access to sensitive data and is free to do whatever they want with it. They typically sell personal information to third parties, primarily on the Dark Web, which is unregulated and unregulated by the majority of governments. Needless to say, you don't want your address or credit card number to fall into the wrong hands, as protecting yourself against this is nearly impossible. Generally, the best course of action is to cancel your credit card and report the incident to the authorities.
What Can You Do to Defend Yourself?
Unfortunately, if you are a customer of Amazon, Facebook, Google, or another internet giant, there is little you can do to protect yourself from data breaches. However, it's critical to remember that these massive companies employ extremely high levels of cybersecurity, which means the likelihood of them being hacked is low but not zero. On the other hand, your home computer may be an attractive target for ransomware and other cyber-attacks. There are numerous measures you can take in this case to safeguard yourself and prevent malicious entities from gaining access to your home network.
When discussing network management, the first thing that comes to mind is the use of antivirus/malware software. Rather than downloading dubious software from the dark corners of the internet, make sure you use software that has been proven to work and is published by reputable companies. Another thing that the majority of people overlook is the danger lurking behind suspicious links. Many of us have encountered this issue, and it is far from simple to resolve, especially if you come across ransomware that encrypts your data. As a result, the best course of action is to avoid clicking on suspicious links. Curiosity occasionally triumphs, but rest assured that you have not won a million dollars or are the 999,999th visitor. If you're interested in learning more about cybersecurity, ransomware, and how to protect yourself and your data, please read our other articles! We strive to bring internet security closer to our readers so that you are prepared if you come across potential threats in the wild.