Information security refers to all strategies set to protect the integrity, confidentiality and availability of digital as well as non-digital information from threats and people with malicious intentions. It involves making sure that sensitive or confidential information is not disclosed to a party that is unauthorized to receive it.
Information Security also guarantees that all authorized parties are able to access the information every time it becomes necessary. In information security (InfoSec) information is protected regardless of whether it is in storage, being processed or in transit.
CIA Triad
Perhaps you have heard of the CIA Triad? This refers to Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of information security. Large organizations usually employ a chief information security officer who will be the supervising authority to the outsourced InfoSec firm the company has hired.
Typically, the InfoSec firm will be responsible for continuously assessing the threats and vulnerabilities of the company’s information assets so as to accurately manage the existing information security risk. Furthermore, the outsourced IT firm will make sure that the company takes the necessary steps towards deciding on and applying the suitable protective controls.
All business executives know that the value of their enterprises is in their business information. Therefore, this information must be kept safe for the continuity of the business, continued trust between the business and its clients and as a way of retaining credibility at the marketplace.
Security controls
Today, threats to confidential, private and sensitive present themselves in many types of forms including ransomware, malware, identity theft and phishing attacks. Organizations put in place many security controls to mitigate vulnerabilities and deter attackers.
The security controls also act as one of the layers of defense against these threats. Therefore, even when these measures are unsuccessful in stopping an attack, they minimize the impact the attack has on the organization.
The majority of information security firms will create an IRP (incident Response Plan) to make sure that business systems and assets sustain little or no damage when a security breach occurs. IRP also helps to remove whatever caused the security breach and apply up-to-date defense controls.
