Information Security at Every Turn

In the past, terms like ‘cyber’ or ‘information security’ made us think of a hacker sitting in a dark room, probably wearing a baseball cap, running endless code to cause people annoyance, simply because they could. Well, all that has changed. For some time now, information security has been a mainstream feature of our lives, and is without a doubt of central importance for businesses, organizations and individuals alike.

Network Security for Businesses

These days, even businesses that are far from the world of technology understand that cyber issues aren’t just aimed at startups and software companies; every business with a website understands that it must protect itself from malicious hackers.

In particular, the current trend of transitioning to the cloud has created exposure to new potential risks for businesses of different sizes. This is especially true where, as often happens, the solution architecture is integrated by developers who have no experience with secure architecture design. As well as risk assessments and penetration testing on company networks and systems, companies that integrate cloud solutions must work with information security experts to ensure that their architecture is secure.

Large organizations with many systems and networks may consider outsourcing their Security Operations Center (SOC) to a company that specializes in SOC services, for round-the-clock asset monitoring that enables them to keep track of exposure to new vulnerabilities.

Information Security for Organizations

Network security is not the only issue for businesses and organizations. Information security may be held in the context of entrance controls and identification systems, which, if compromised, could cause huge damage.

Virtual information security for organizations is no less important and needs to be taken just as seriously. Recently, we have seen headlines about hacked Twitter accounts targeting Twitter ‘celebrities’, where, using ‘social engineering’ tactics, tweets were posted calling on the public to transfer money as a donation—money that was directed to hackers.

A cyber company’s red team can assess vulnerabilities from a hacker’s perspective, and make recommendations for how to close them. Systems can also be implemented to restrict high-level permissions to unauthorized areas, which can mitigate risk. Domain admin privileges, for example, should be reserved for only a small number of people in the organization.

Information Security in our Daily Lives
It’s not just businesses that need to step up their security. In recent years, technology has increasingly permeated our daily lives. As we hold smart devices in our hands, shop online, and spread our data all over the internet, we increasingly need information security in our private lives and spaces too.

The vast expansion in channels that enable hackers to access our data has triggered a spike in attacks on private individuals. From spam messages that inundate our phones, to pop-up ads on the internet tempting us to click and learn more, malicious hackers have all types of ‘in’ that they can use to steal private data – such as credit card information, or block a user’s computer and demand a ransom in digital currency.

We constantly hear and read about tips and tricks to protect ourselves from such attacks, such as not saving credit card information on the websites of virtual stores, despite companies’ ceaseless suggestions that we do so; not buying from websites that offer ‘unbelievable’ deals, like a dishwasher for just NIS 150; and not shopping at unfamiliar online stores in general.  Whether out of laziness or misinformation, we often don’t take these necessary precautions – a mistake we may pay for dearly later. It’s important that people are educated about the importance of information security, and from a young age.

Get Cyber Savvy

Just as in the real world, we proceed with caution—fastening our seatbelts, staying away from fire, locking our front door—so too must we take security precautions in the virtual world, as businesses, as organizations and as individuals.

The fact is that cyberspace is the new battleground. The attack may come from a hacker armed with a keyboard instead of a gun, but that hacker may be backed by a state with unlimited resources, enabling them to do almost anything on the internet. Since they are virtually untraceable, they have nothing to lose by continuously investing in ever more creative ways to cause havoc.

We have already seen the extent of the damage that can be caused – and it is getting worse with each cyberattack.  Recognizing how exposed we are, whether as an organization or a private internet user, is the first step to formulating an effective response.  Once we know what we are dealing with, we must make sure to integrate proper defenses and implement solutions to mitigate against and defeat any cyberattack encountered by a system.