If computer technology has taken our world by storm in recent years, we realize that it comes with its share of dangers and disadvantages. At the dawn of the digital age, our society has seen a number of companies lose their reputation or credibility, especially with flaws in their computer systems allowing the extraction of personal data that is supposed to be protected by the Web.
More and more, it becomes important, even essential, to protect oneself and to know how to defend oneself against these insidious and more and more ingenious threats. It is therefore necessary to analyze information and communication technologies in addition to potential malicious programs (malware), in order to know how to avoid them. This is where information technology security comes into play.
What is IT security?
IT security is a field of study dedicated to what threatens and hinders computer systems, whether it be phishing, ransomware attacks, cyber attacks, data or file theft, viruses, etc. IT security allows you to know how to protect your data contained online in order to avoid cyber attacks that can lead to:
- More or less important financial losses;
- Breach of privacy;
- Damage to the brand or company image;
- Damage to the reputation of an individual or organization;
- Loss of time, productivity, efficiency;
- The momentary loss of access to your personal files, to your own records.
Basically, IT security consists of all the processes and techniques put in place to prevent you from all these inconveniences! IT security is tools, measures and advice to keep you away from cyber attacks!
What are the best practices in IT security?
There are several IT security best practices to help you avoid these potential cyber attacks! These include:
- The establishment of corporate protocols specialized in IT security;
- Recommendations made to users (follow them!);
- The installation of programs and/or software such as antivirus, firewall or VPN ;
- Effective and relevant control over access and use of certain sensitive data;
- The limitation of access to the network connection;
- Permissions and restrictions on possible actions by non-relevant users;
- A strict and effective security policy;
- The creation of complex passwords that are not related to your private life;
- The regular backup of its data;
- Securing its servers and networks with encrypted passwords;
- Multi-factor authentication, when available.
But most of all… simply educating yourself on how to increase your vigilance and never take the IT security of your data, files, information, records, conversations, etc., for granted. Unfortunately, you are never completely safe from a cyber attack or data leak!
What is the purpose of IT security?
IT security, as you can see, can do a lot of things, while keeping the focus on one specific goal: ensuring the safety of user data and information, in addition to secure access to it. Information technology security identifies possible vulnerabilities in order to prevent any malware intrusion or unintentional data leakage. IT security seeks to circumvent the danger and/or loss of delicate, sensitive and private information. IT security systems work hard at risk management to prevent rather than cure.
In a world where everything is interconnected and where technologies dictate the operations of almost every individual, we must pay more attention to the vulnerabilities of these tools, which are, after all, quite new to us! Hackers, on the other hand, have wasted no time in finding the flaws and loopholes of a globalized system storing privileged information.
What are the basics of IT security?
Information technology security measures are basically used to protect your integrity and your privacy at all costs through your confidential information stored on the Web. As cyber attacks become more and more intelligent and instinctive, they target the greatest vulnerability of digital systems: the user, the human behind the screen. Information technology security, on the other hand, is there to help this user against malware propagated on the Web.
The basis of IT security is really prevention. It is the idea of putting in place and accumulating protection tools, to reduce one’s chances of being attacked and one’s vulnerabilities to malware.
What are the 5 main objectives of IT security?
IT security, as mentioned above, represents all the means put in place to ensure the security of your information stored on the Internet. Therefore, IT security has 5 main objectives that determine its guideline:
1. Confidentiality
Only the people concerned have access to the information and have permission to read or use it. Any other access by a third party not previously authorized is prohibited.
2. Availability
Access to information is regular and the data can be easily consulted by the person for whom it is intended. The user always has access to his information, or at least during the periods determined beforehand by the software.
3. Integrity
The information consulted is as it was left and modified by the person concerned during its last use. It is forbidden to modify, divert or delete it without the consent of the person concerned.
4. Non-repudiation of the origin of documents
Non-repudiation aims at preventing a user from potentially denying that he is the author of various information. It prevents the author from claiming that he is not the originator of his own documents.
5. Authenticity
Access to information by a person for whom it is intended is validated by entering a personalized password known only to the individuals concerned, in addition to being combined with an identifier. Where possible, authentication is two-factor. Identity is proven in order to manage access rights.
In summary, IT security is about implementing techniques to protect your operating systems, computer network, computer systems and workstations from potential attacks or infections. To ensure the security of your information systems, it is necessary to implement several good practices to reduce the risk of breach, even in the weakest link of your IT infrastructure. The key to IT security is to multiply preventive techniques and to remain vigilant, at all times. We always think that it happens to others… Until we finally fall victim to it!
You have more to worry about than just technology mishaps! Develop good management of IT security systems with the help of professionals at DMIB. Our team of expert advisors will help you identify and, above all, eliminate the flaws in your systems, in addition to protecting your privileged information with our remarkable IT security prevention techniques. Contact our specialists!