We live in an era where all of us are connected through the Internet and technology. Computers and other devices are used for various purposes in companies, no matter how big or small, by individuals, businesses, health and education systems, etc.
We store all our personal and official data on devices connected through the Internet. It is very important that the data and information that we are storing remains safe and secured, and does fall into the hands of someone who can use that information in a way that could harm us
What is Cyber Security?
Cyber security is the means and technology that we use to protect sensitive information from being leaked. It involves protecting the software and hardware of the devices being connected through the internet from cybercriminals.
Cybercriminals are people who hack into systems to steal information and use it for personal gain. Any crime committed on the Internet is called Cybercrime. It also involves the recovery process after a cybercrime which involves building up the firewalls and other preventive measures and eliminating the threat.
Why Cyber security is important in Modern society?
- Increasing use of the Internet : We all know how important the Internet is in modern society. We cannot imagine our lives without it because it has made our lives so much easier. All of our devices connected through the internet are more at risk of being hacked, and private information being leaked. Thus, it is very important to secure our devices.
- Resources for hacking being easily available : Security measures are not as easily available as hacking tools are. So, even an amateur with the right tools can have access to devices and information. Some of them just do it for fun or personal reasons like revenge, stalking, etc. So, it is very important to have preventive measures so that our private information does not get leaked. Cybersecurity prevents such unauthorized access to our private information.
- Protecting Private Information : There are many ways of gaining access to a person’s device and it is very easy to fall prey to these. Cybercrimes include malware, phishing, ransomware, botnets, viruses, etc. They are especially camouflaged to look real and genuine. One click and a cybercriminal have access to all your information. It could include all our login ids and passwords, credit card information, bank details, personal health information, etc.
- Protecting Companies from Financial loss : Many businesses, companies, and start-ups also fall prey to Cybercrime. The financial loss the company has to bear could be huge. Also, customers or clients lose trust in those companies and their business could suffer a huge loss. If the company is small then they would have to completely shut down their business. Cybersecurity prevents such things from happening and if it does happen, it helps fast recovery which minimizes the loss.
- In Government offices and Organisations : Many Government offices have public records. Information related to the country and its security is stored in highly secured computers and devices. But even they are not completely safe from cyber attacks. Leaking such crucial information could threaten the country’s safety and integrity. Cyber security protects from such potential threats.
Technology is continuously involving and it shows no sign of slowing down. Then interconnectedness of things increases the risk of cybercrimes. The technology used by cybercriminals is also ever-changing. For every new security measure that we develop, they find a new way to attack. Storing information on clouds also makes the information more vulnerable to such attacks. It is very important to educate people about the potential threats that come with their increasing dependency on technology.
Social engineers are a group of individuals who use human psychology to breach a person’s device. Human error is the main cause of cybercrimes. It is impossible to stop crimes from happening. But we can protect and prevent them. Cybercrime is very easy to commit so we need cyber security to prevent these crimes and protect ourselves from the damage that it could do.
