Cyber Security
Cyber Security vs Data Security: What’s the Difference?
Cyber security safeguards networks, systems, and software from digital breaches, defending against unauthorised access and potential harm to sensitive information. This protection involves various layers of defense within organizations, encompassing technology, processes, and people. It ranges from basic security practices like strong passwords and email caution to advanced measures like next-gen firewalls and malware detection.
What is cyber security?
Cyber security protects networks, systems, and programmes from digital breaches, otherwise known as cyber-attacks. Typically, cyber-attacks are an attempt to destroy, access, or change sensitive information. Cyber security protects the confidentiality and integrity of computer systems, networks, and programs by blocking unauthorised access.
In an organisation, there are multiple layers of protection spread across people, processes, and technology. A successful cyber security approach combines all these elements to build an effective defence against malicious cyber-attacks.
Cyber security is everything from choosing strong passwords and not opening suspicious email links to installing next-generation firewalls and deploying malware protection to detect and respond to threats.
Cyber-attacks can result in identity theft, extortion attempts, and loss of important data. For organisations, cyber-attacks can cause substantial financial loss and reputational harm.
The importance of cyber security continues to grow as our world becomes more and more connected online. In a digital world, even on an individual level, everyone benefits from cyber defence programs.
What is data security?
Data security protects digital data throughout its lifecycle to prevent theft, loss, corruption, and unauthorised access. Whereas cyber security is the protection of devices and services, data security measures safeguard specific and private data.
Robust data security systems protect digital information on hardware, software, storage devices, and user devices in addition to organisation policies and procedures.
Using a variety of tools and techniques, data security enhances the visibility of sensitive data, who is accessing it, and how it is being used. These tools can even effectively combine common types of data security software, including data masking, encryption, and data erasure.
For organisations and individuals, data security keeps information including payment information, hospital records, and identification documents, safe and secure. Additionally, it helps keep an organisation's reputation clean and avoids fines, legal payments, and damage repair costs that accompany a serious sensitive data breach.
Accidental exposure, phishing attacks, insider threats, and ransomware are among the biggest data security risks. As organisations face an increase in security threats from sophisticated attackers, is it more important than ever to deploy effective and efficient data security measures.
What is a data breach in cyber security?
A data breach in cyber security is when confidential, sensitive, or protected information is exposed to a person or party with unauthorised access. Anyone can be a victim of a data breach including individuals, governments, and enterprises.
During a data breach, data may be copied, transmitted, viewed, changed, or stolen. Data breaches may also be referred to as data leaks, information leaks, and data spills. Often, data breaches occur without the knowledge or authorisation of the system owner.
However, not all data breaches are malicious attempts to steal private data. Accidental data breaches are common and can be caused due to human error, for example, an email being sent to the wrong recipient, loss of file, or accidentally uncovering sensitive data.
Do data breaches only occur in a cyber attack?
A data security breach occurs as a result of a cyber-attack. However, a data breach is any incident where authorised access is granted to confidential information. This includes cyber-attacks, as well as carelessness, insider threats, weak or stolen passwords, unpatched applications, and flaws in infrastructure.
Data breaches can be carried out physically by accessing a computer to steal local files or by bypassing security remotely.
At CHG-MERIDIAN, we are dedicated to keeping your private data safe. A way for us to help prevent data breaches is to data wipe assets used in these industries being targeted as they often contain highly sensitive data.
To protect your business operations with the latest IT innovations and keep on top of the latest technologies, get in touch with a member of the CHG-MERIDIAN team today.
Contact Us
We'd love to hear from you! If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch with me directly.
Simon Young
Vice President Sales UK/Ireland
- CHG-MERIDIAN UK Limited
- 65 High Street Egham, Surrey
- TW20 9EY
- +44 1784 470701
- +44 7546 524690
- simon.young@chg-meridian.com
