Cyberspace and cybersecurity

Contents:

• Overview
• The Internet – and the blessing
• The Curse of the Internet
• What is Cyberspace?
• The Difference between Cybersecurity and Information Security
• Why Cyberattacks?
• The Bad and Good Forces
• Cybersecurity as a Profession
• Cybersecurity and Business Objectives
• Objectives of Information Security

Overview

The main purpose of this article is just informational. Furthermore, it is merely to explore the realm of cyberspace in its broadest term. And it is to make sense of cyber security for interested individuals and professionals. Moreover, We will briefly discuss the essence and nature of cybersecurity in its broadest meaning and purpose. That means, we will not spend much effort on dissecting and exploring the dozens of definitions and various perceptions of cybersecurity.

We will rather focus on presenting its disruptive and dynamic nature in the computing realm in particular and our life at large. Furthermore, it is to forward information for aspirants who want to pursue cybersecurity as their career path.

The Internet – and the blessing

It is needless to say that Internet is one of the most disruptive and at the same time most valuable invention of our time. Besides, the most regular and popular avenue most people spend much of their time is the Internet. Moreover, human life is highly interweaved with this famous technology these days and perhaps in the foreseeable future.

People frequent this huge jungle for any sort of information and redemption. This can specifically be for entertainment, gaming, mentoring, academics, business, billing, wellbeing and health, professional growth, teaching, stealing, and praying purposes to name a few. Almost everything is delivered as service through the Internet and this brings huge blessing to users in accessing services anytime and anywhere.

The Curse of the Internet

Web surfers roam around and click their way through millions of hyperlinks and pages stored somewhere in the Internet. In doing so, most surfers never worry about the breadth and depth of the multidimensional distance and space they have gone through the wires.

These all happens in fraction of seconds through communication technologies and satellites orbiting in the outer space. The bad news however is that no one is skeptical and worried about the possible dangers that may occur as a result of their actions. Meaning, Internet users may apply it to propagate their toxic and inhuman behaviors toward others.

In simple phenomenon, for instance, cyberbullying has become a deadly pandemic due to the proliferation of the Internet. This is one simple manifestation of the multifaceted curses of the Internet to mankind. Moreover, the worrisome situation is that most people have already accepted and trusted it wholeheartedly. People trust the Internet more than their closet family members and friends.

What is Cyberspace?

Cyberspace encompasses the interconnection of digital technologies and devices for various purposes. Moreover, anything connected to the Internet is already in the multidimensional cyberspace. Welcome to the huge jungle and we are already in the middle of it without even noticing.

This jungle is still continuously evolving and mainly consists of hardware and software technologies, processes, people, and organizations. In order to be effective and safe, these components demand information security at the heart of their establishments.

The Difference between Cybersecurity and Information Security

People and data are the diamonds in the rough in the Internet. And we have to do ultimately everything at our disposal to protect and safeguard these precious assets. That is where the pivot of cybersecurity rests. And also where the role and responsibility of information security folks come into play.

Some scholars and academicians in their literatures try to differentiate information security and cybersecurity by giving justifications and definitions of their own. Some say cybersecurity (the application) is subset of information security (the science). And they try hard to draw demarcations and reach consensus on the meaning and definition of the two. But, it is irrelevant to draw lines between the concepts.

In my opinion, they are micro-cousins with each other and highly complementary concepts. Either can be the cousin and the nephew/niece or vice versa. Additionally, it doesn’t matter and is not necessary to argue and spend time on the definition as far as we understand the concepts behind. Therefore, information and cyber security concepts are used interchangeably and mean the same thing in this article.

After all, it is not that imperative to waste time on definitions and reaching consensuses. Because, the bad guys are constantly on the horizon lurking to target our valuable data and conspire to disrupt and incapacitate our infrastructures.

Why Cyberattacks?

In short, the whole purpose of cybersecurity is to protect human safety, critical infrastructures and sensitive organizational and personal data. As opposed to ethical professionals, the malicious hackers on the other hand mainly undertake cyberattacks to compromise information and information systems. And the intent of their attacks maybe financial gain, espionage, fame, fun, grudge, religious or political belief and perhaps ultimately to bring havoc and misery to human life.

The Bad and Good Forces

As professionals and aspirants, we have two major roles to play in the fight against cyberattacks. One option is allying oneself with vibrant and ethical cybersecurity professionals and warriors.  These are people who are working hard to defend data and organizations.

The second option will be to join the evil forces and utilize our skillsets and knowledge for criminal purposes. Nonetheless, it would be good choice to join the elite forces of cybersecurity professionals. And thereby apply it to grow professionally, protect society and organizations.

Cybersecurity as a Profession

As pointed out earlier, the aim of the article is to inform aspirants about cybersecurity and recommend possible ways to pursue cybersecurity as their career path. It is one of the most sight-after and dynamic areas with the aiming of safeguarding data and organizations. Moreover, it requires constant learning and coping with plethora of technological changes and upgrades that happens just overnight.

As the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility”, individuals who decide to join cybersecurity should live up to their oaths, and serve societies. There are so many commandments and code of professional ethics to follow and abide with to serve in the domain. Besides to international standards, there are many legal, organizational and regulatory requirements which are available in various jurisdictions and localities.

Cybersecurity and Business Objectives

One very important component that every information security professional and aspirant must understand is the importance of business requirements and objectives. Organizations establish cybersecurity programs to protect their businesses and achieve their business objectives.

IT and cybersecurity programs should align with business objectives at governance, strategic, tactical and operation levels. Moreover, cyber security must be integrated with business objectives to reap the benefits of it and ultimately help organizations flourish to strategically achieve their missions and visions.

Objectives of Information Security

Cybersecurity incorporates people, processes, technologies and organizational components. These are very important components of any businesses in general and information security programs in particular. Moreover, the overarching purpose of cybersecurity is to help organizations achieve their business objectives. But, the ultimate priority of security must always be to protect the safety of people and secondly to protect data.

To achieve these human and data protection objectives, we employ mainly three objectives of information security. These are confidentiality, integrity, availability concepts sometimes known as CIA triads. The compromise of these services may cause grave damage to businesses, people, and organizations. CIA triad is the cornerstone of information security and every activity we do is to achieve these major objectives.