The topic of cybersecurity is more relevant than ever in today’s digital age. With the rising reliance on technology in our personal and professional lives, we must be aware of the potential threats and take steps to protect ourselves and our sensitive information. In digital technology, data is found to be the most important asset. With data in hand, most processes perform on the Internet. As it is the most important asset, the chances of theft are very high. The data transmitted and stored on the Internet and physical devices are highly prone to security attacks that will steal or corrupt the data. The most important reason for this data theft or corruption is to make money or affect the reputation. Cybersecurity is the technology or technique developed to handle the data from various kinds of activities that are harmful. This blog will delve into the details of cybersecurity and why every company needs to invest in it.
History of Cybersecurity
The history of cybersecurity dates back to the early days of computing. The need for secure communication and data protection became increasingly important as computers became more prevalent and interconnected. One of the earliest examples of cybersecurity was the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) development in the late 1970s. AES is a widely used encryption algorithm to secure data transmission over networks.
In the 1980s, the concept of firewall technology was introduced as a way to protect computer networks from unauthorized access. Firewalls act as a barrier between a trusted network, such as a company’s internal network, and an untrusted network, such as the internet.
In the 1990s, the rise of the internet and the increasing use of personal computers led to the emergence of viruses and malware as major cybersecurity threats. In response, antivirus software became widely available to protect against these threats.
In the early 2000s, the increasing use of wireless networks and the growth of online commerce led to the development of more advanced security measures, such as two-factor authentication and secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption.
Cybersecurity continues to evolve as new technologies emerge and cybercriminals find new ways to exploit vulnerabilities. As a result, individuals and organizations need to stay up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity best practices to protect against threats.
In the 1980s, the first computer worm was created, which corrupted the system and blocked the networks causing the internet to crash. Before this, the security of computers and other technologies had slowly become a business. This gave birth to the antivirus software industry and many more programs that can protect the systems from malicious programs.
As of today, a single corrupted file can damage cyberinfrastructure related to individuals and an entire organization within no time. This has made the protection of cyberinfrastructure more important than before.
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is a critical field that involves protecting computers, networks, and devices from digital attacks. These attacks can take many forms, such as malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. Cybersecurity professionals use various tools and techniques to prevent these attacks and secure systems against unauthorized access. This can include installing and maintaining firewalls, implementing strong passwords, and regularly updating software to fix vulnerabilities. Individuals and organizations need to be proactive about cybersecurity, as the consequences of a cyberattack can be severe, including financial losses, damage to reputation, and loss of sensitive information.
Now that we have understood what cybersecurity is, let’s see what is CIA triad and how it relates to cybersecurity.
CIA Triad
The CIA triad, short form for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability, is a model designed to provide companies and organizations guidelines to help them create their security policies.
Cybersecurity protects data and information from unauthorized access, deletion, or modification to provide confidentiality, integrity, and availability. We will discuss these components and some information security measures designed to assure each component’s safety.
Read out the blog and explore the responsibilities of an Information Security Analyst in the organization!
Confidentiality
Confidentiality involves preventing any access of data to unauthorized individuals. It ascertains the identity of authorized personnel involved in sharing and holding data secure, private, and anonymous. Confidentiality can be compromised by hackers who crack poorly encrypted data, incorporate various types of cyber-attacks, and disclose sensitive data.
Integrity
Integrity is usually protecting the information from being altered by unauthorized individuals. It denotes that data and programs can be changed by authorized personnel. Integrity can be compromised, especially by cyber-crimes, when malware is embedded into web pages or when a machine is turned into a “zombie computer.”
Availability
Availability is ensuring that authorized personnel have access to the data or information when needed. Any data is of high value if the concerned individuals have access to it at the required time. Unavailability of information usually occurs when security incidents such as human error, programming errors, DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-service) attacks, or hardware failures.
No matter how small it might be, any cyber-attack can threaten one or more of the three components of the CIA triad. Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability must be incorporated to keep data and information secure. Knowing what the CIA Triad is and how it can be implemented for a quality security policy while understanding the various principles is essential.
What is the Cybersecurity Framework?
A cybersecurity framework is a set of guidelines and best practices for ensuring information confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It provides a common language and a structured approach for organizations to secure their systems and data. A cybersecurity framework aims to help organizations identify and manage their cybersecurity risks effectively and efficiently. Some popular examples of cybersecurity frameworks include the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO 27001, and the COBIT framework.
Cybersecurity Framework Components
There are three components in a cybersecurity framework, which we will discuss now.
Core
The Framework Core consists of a set of desired objectives and outcomes in layman’s terms that is easy to understand. The core provides guidelines to organizations in managing and reducing their cybersecurity risks that work in sync with the organization’s existing cybersecurity infrastructure.
Implementation Tiers
The Framework Implementation Tiers help organizations by providing information on how an organization views cybersecurity risks. The Tiers suggest organizations consider the appropriate level of vigilance for their cybersecurity program. It is also used to forecast risk tolerance and IT budget.
Profiles
The Framework Profiles show us how organizational requirements and objectives align with the core’s desired outcomes. As a result, profiles help to improve cybersecurity at an organization.
Cybersecurity Framework Strategies
Five major strategies are involved in the development of any cybersecurity framework.
Identify
This helps the organizations to establish the existing client IT touchpoints within the environment. This includes IT resources, infrastructure, and all the entities that IT has to offer to the organization.
Protect
This is responsible for data and information access control, security, and maintenance to provide cybersecurity in the business environment. This is a preemptive measure taken toward cybersecurity and data protection.
Detect
This is where an organization detects potential IT security loopholes by continuously monitoring and analyzing the data logs and engaging with any unauthorized intrusion through industry-standard cybersecurity procedures at the network level.
Respond
Once the loophole is detected, the IT department must take care of the response by following standard procedures. This involves understanding the cyberattack, fixing the security weakness, and proceeding with the network and data recovery.
Recover
Network and data recovery include various planning procedures, like backup plans and disaster recovery systems.
Types of Cybersecurity Frameworks
There are different types of cybersecurity frameworks based on implementation and organizational requirements.
NIST Cybersecurity Framework
NIST, abbreviated as the National Institute of Standards and Technology cybersecurity framework, is a predesigned framework to guide organizations in analyzing and enhancing their capabilities to avoid, detect, and respond to cyberattacks and cybercrime. This cybersecurity framework can also be tailored for other organizations based on their requirements, organization size, and structure.
PCI DSS Cybersecurity Framework
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard cybersecurity) framework is majorly used to strengthen online payment accounts’ security by creating strong security for all types of online card payments, including credit cards, debit cards, and other card transactions.
CIS Cybersecurity Framework
CIS, known as the Center for Internet Security cybersecurity framework, delivers necessary guidelines to organizations to establish critical security controls that must be adhered to by the organization to practice safe cybersecurity practices.
CIS includes three sets of critical security controls- basic, foundational, and organizational- accounting for 20 controls. These 20 controls have to be strictly abided by any organization to attain a maximum secured IT environment.
ISO Cybersecurity Framework
International Standards Organizations or ISO cybersecurity frameworks are a set of different industry cybersecurity standards that ascertain the needs of different environments and industries. A few of them include the following:
ISO 9000 handles the cybersecurity framework for manufacturing industries to provide the best cybersecurity within their business environment.
ISO 27799 takes care of the cybersecurity framework for organizations in the healthcare industry.
ISO 27000 is a family of cybersecurity framework standards that are documented to provide complete security guidelines from end to end in an organization where ISO 27001 is the mainstay in this family series that determines the specifications for cybersecurity frameworks.
How to Build a Cybersecurity Strategy?
Building a cybersecurity strategy can be a complex process, but it is important for any organization that wants to protect itself and its assets from cyber threats. Here are a few steps you can follow to build a cybersecurity strategy:
Identify Your Assets
Make a list of all the assets you need to protect, including data, systems, networks, and devices. This will help you prioritize your efforts and focus on the most important assets.
Assess Your Risks
Evaluate the risks your assets face, including external threats such as hackers and malware and internal threats such as employee negligence or insider attacks.
Implement Security Controls
Place appropriate security controls to protect your assets based on your risk assessment. These can include things like firewalls, antivirus software, and access controls.
Train Your Employees
Ensure that your employees know the risks and how to protect themselves and your organization. Provide them with training on cybersecurity best practices and encourage them to report any suspicious activity.
Test Your Defenses
Regularly test your security controls to ensure that they are effective and up-to-date. This can include things like penetration testing and vulnerability assessments.
Respond to Incidents
Have a plan for responding to cybersecurity incidents, including how to contain the breach, assess the damage, and restore your systems.
Review and Update
Regularly review and update your cybersecurity strategy to ensure that it remains effective in the face of changing threats.
Following these steps, you can build a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that will help protect your organization from cyber threats.
Importance of Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is extremely important because it protects individuals, organizations, and governments from cyber-attacks and data breaches. Cyber attacks can have serious consequences, such as theft of sensitive information, financial loss, and damage to an organization’s reputation. Cybersecurity is especially important for organizations that handle large amounts of sensitive data, such as financial institutions, healthcare organizations, and government agencies.
In today’s world, almost everything is connected to the internet somehow, making it easier for cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information. Cybersecurity helps to prevent unauthorized access to this information and ensures that it is kept private and secure. Individuals need to be aware of cybersecurity, as personal information and devices are also at risk of cyber attacks.
Overall, cybersecurity is essential for protecting individuals, organizations, and society. It is a constantly evolving field, and organizations and individuals must stay updated on the latest threats and best practices to protect against them.
The advantages of adopting cybersecurity measures include:
- Protecting businesses against malware, phishing, ransomware, and psychological manipulation
- Data protection and Network protection
- The impedance of unauthorized users
- Improves recovery time following a breach
- End-User Security
- Enhance product trust for developers and customers alike
Common Types of Cyber Attacks
A cyber attack is a malicious activity attempting to destroy or steal the data stored in individuals, business organizations, governments, etc. Therefore, the benefit of such activity is the highly popular data in the cyber market. This need is for data to be sold for money or to smear a person’s reputation or fame. An attacker or a hacker is the person who does such actions. The following are the most common types of cyberattacks on the Internet.
Malware Attack
Malware is a term for malicious software that infiltrates a computer system to destroy data. Examples of malware attacks are viruses, worms, spyware, etc. Moreover, the source of the attacks is dangerous email links or websites containing malware programs.
Ransomware Attack
It is a type of malware attack, but the data system is bankrupt by the attacker demanding the ransom amount to release. So instead, legitimate users hack by using ransomware programs that shoot up using vulnerable points in the network. In addition, the ransomware method involves encrypting or deleting the entire data from the system.
Phishing Attack
One of the most dangerous and popular attacks on the Internet is phishing. It is the technique where fraudulent messages are sent through mail or a text message which looks legitimate. However, once the link clicks, it will act as malware to steal sensitive information or destroy activities.
Denial-of-Service Attack
Denial of Service attacks will flood the computer system so that it cannot respond to the service requests sent to them. As a result, the requests will not process as they deny or delay services. In addition, Denial of Service related to the delayed reception and servicing of the requests from the server and client side.
Man-in-the-middle Attack
A man-in-the-middle attack is otherwise termed an eavesdropping attack. An attack occurs during data transmission from one end to another in the network. Because the client will be stuck here, the attacker or hacker can see the conversation between the server and the client.
SQL Injection Attack
It is abbreviated as a Structured Query Language (SQL) injection attack, where the attacker inserts malicious code into the system with which the data from the database is hacked. The data stored in the database is highly insecure due to SQL injection attacks.
Insider Attack
It is not that attacks are always from outside the organization and the Internet. However, there are chances that attackers will be inside the organization’s premises. In addition, these attackers will inject malicious code and cause serious consequences in the system. Therefore, these attacks are hard to identify as they are inside the organization.
Password Attack
It is an attack where a hacker tries to steal the username and the password stored or typed on a website. Then, they trace with the help of the meddle software built for that particular activity. Moreover, weaker passwords and visiting malicious websites are the reason for password attacks in the systems.
Session Hijacking
Session Hijacking is the attempt to hijack the user session between the server and the client. The cookies will be the source for the attackers performing the session hijacking as the data remains in the cookies. The client may believe they are communicating with the server, but the middleman will perform malicious activities like stealing data.
Zero-Day Exploit
Zero-Day Exploit is an attack that performs once the network vulnerability is announced. Since the vulnerability is not pretense immediately, attackers use this to steal or destroy the network devices and the data they contain. The attackers use a short time to exploit the system to perform malicious activities easily.
How To Implement a Successful Cybersecurity Plan?
Implementing a successful cybersecurity plan involves taking several steps to ensure that your organization’s assets are adequately protected. Here are some tips for implementing a successful cybersecurity plan:
Protecting Customers, Staff, and Suppliers
There are all sorts of ways your clients can fall prey to a security breach if your company suffers it. Of course, at its finest, inadequate protection will allow anyone to log in or knock down a defense without any feedback or intervention from you. But unfortunately, an assault can also happen when you are asleep.
Everything can be downloaded and transferred from an Excel spreadsheet to a complex database. It’s easier to avoid this with the advanced protection that only a well-recruited computer security specialist can have.
However, the dynamics of specific new data security attacks are so that there are unlimited ways to impact consumers. Suppose, for instance, the mailing list infrastructure at your organization is corrupted. In that scenario, a cyber-attacker might send out spam scams posing as your company’s official spokesperson to trick clients into entering their usernames or banking data.
Monitor Networks
Network maintenance, especially network inspection, helps identify components that may slow or crash the system. In addition, a network should collect, store, and distribute knowledge about current operations and results using knowledge tested on smart devices.
If a tracking system senses a suspected interference, it may assign an email alert depending on the kind of movement it has detected. Again, the specification is important here: perimeter reaction can be used to obtain fake positives.
Antivirus software could track traffic and discover indications of malicious behavior. For example, these tools search for noteworthy network traffic trends, such as byte series or login attempts.
In the IT Central Station community, SevOne, Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM), CA Unified Service Management, SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM), and CA Spectrum are among the best network monitoring tools on the market for customers.
Automation
Data/machine intelligence in environments with high-quality data sources that can be of assistance in fields like:
- Correlating data- concentrating on data management, detecting emerging data risks, and anticipating next step charges
- Detecting pathogens is based on making a monitoring portal to evaluate data, identify threats, and develop and enact security defense
- Defense generation-without resource burden
Collaborate with Coworkers and Stakeholders
Even if it’s your expertise and knowledge that has taken you to the CISO or CIO work, be welcoming to feedback and insights from junior workers or clients-they may have found something that you still need to learn or might help with new ideas.
CISOs and CIOs are in plentiful supply, and there are scarcely any holes leftover in your file. Create a close-knit organization to support you and enforce the organization’s security improvements that you intend to see.
They are using your coworkers’ many skills to have instruction to support them. Talent can derive from all context forms. Practically all good projects benefit from productive team activity, where teamwork and coordination are essential.
Jobs in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity experts are in high demand. According to a study conducted by the International Society of Cybersecurity Professionals (ISC)², there are approximately 3.1 million unfilled positions worldwide. Working in cybersecurity also allows you to work in a fast-paced environment where you can constantly learn and grow. If you work in information technology (IT) or want to make a career change, cybersecurity may be something to consider.
There are many different types of jobs in the field of cybersecurity. Some examples include:
- Security Analyst: monitors networks and systems for security breaches and takes corrective action when necessary
- Cybersecurity Engineer: A cybersecurity engineer creates and executes secure network solutions
- Security Engineer: Designs and implements secure systems, networks, and applications
- Security Consultant: Provides expert advice to organizations on securing their systems and networks
- Penetration Tester: Simulates cyber attacks to test an organization’s defenses
- Cybersecurity Manager: Responsible for developing and implementing an organization’s cybersecurity strategy
- Information Security Officer: Oversees an organization’s security policies and procedures
- Network Security Administrator: Responsible for the security of an organization’s computer networks
- Security Software Developer: Creates security software to protect against cyber threats
- Cybercrime Investigator: Investigates and prosecutes cybercriminals
To get a job in cybersecurity, you will typically need a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as computer science or information technology, and you may also need professional certifications.
Case Study on Cybersecurity Framework
With increased complexity and electronics involved, today’s modern vehicles run on millions of lines of code, are equipped with hundreds of different technologies and can have up to hundreds of electronic control units using various operating systems.
Jeep Cherokee is a famous SUV with off-roading capabilities. Unfortunately, a Jeep Cherokee cyberattack in 2015 turned out to be a turning point for the automobile industry.
Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek – two security researchers, remotely hacked the Jeep Cherokee vehicle and took control of its functions, including the air conditioner, radio, wipers, brakes, steering wheel, and accelerator due to a loophole in the car’s infotainment system.
This was the first time a remote cyberattack was done on a vehicle. Jeep Cherokee was selected because of its simple architecture. After this attack, Fiat Chrysler recalled more than 1 million hackable vehicles for security patch updates.
How Did They do it?
They first targeted the multimedia system by hacking the Wi-Fi and compromising the automatic password generation that occurs each time the car starts.
They used hacking techniques to break into the system remotely. The main vulnerability they found was that the Wi-Fi password is created before the actual date and time are set and is based on a default system time, during which the infotainment system starts. This gives approximately 7 million combinations of passwords, which for hackers is a doable task in almost an hour using brute force methods.
They then took over the infotainment system by exploiting the software. By controlling the infotainment system remotely, various cyberattacks, such as changing the air conditioner settings or increasing the fan speed, a sudden change in the radio’s volume, or turning off GPS, were launched. Since the car infotainment system uses a cellular connection to provide access to the internet and other services, they exploited this vulnerability to deliver the attack.
Solution
The infotainment system that was used as a portal for conducting this cyberattack was developed by Harman. After this cyberattack, they decided to develop their cybersecurity product. They bought TowerSec, an Israel-based cybersecurity company, to help it revamp its manufacturing processes and scrutinize third-party supplier software.
Harman appointed security professionals and changed its organizational structure to oversee cybersecurity efforts. These changes helped Harman tackle cybersecurity issues at every stage of the production process by creating a checklist that involves scanning third-party software for errors and bugs, thereby improving Harman’s cybersecurity protection and creating a risk analysis of potential loopholes for every involved component.
If any new feature or component is added to a vehicle, designers must first demonstrate how they would secure the operation from potential cyberattacks.
Until now, only security patch updates were released for any such issues, but since automobiles are being used over a longer period, sustaining the protection by over-the-air updates is a challenge. Tesla is the only automobile manufacturer that regularly releases these over-the-air updates, thus sustaining its products’ cybersecurity.
Conclusion
In summary, it is important to prioritize cybersecurity to protect sensitive information and avoid data breaches. There are various measures that individuals and organizations can take to improve their cybersecurity posture, such as implementing strong passwords, using two-factor authentication, and keeping software and systems up-to-date. It is also important to be aware of the latest cybersecurity threats and educate employees on identifying and avoiding them. By taking these precautions, individuals and organizations can greatly reduce their risk of falling victim to cyber-attacks.
If you want to learn about various cybersecurity methods and how to adopt them, consider pursuing an IT security and governance course from Invensis Learning. Some of the popular IT Security and Governance certification courses that individuals and enterprise teams can take up are:
Glossary
- Cybersecurity: Protecting computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks, and data from digital attacks, theft, and damage.
- Malware: Short for “malicious software,” malware is any software designed to harm or exploit a computer or network. Malware comes in the form of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and ransomware
- Phishing: A type of cyber attack in which an attacker uses email or other forms of communication to trick a person into providing sensitive information, like login credentials or financial information
- Firewall: A network security system that tracks and controls the network traffic based on predetermined security rules and policies
- Encryption: The process of converting plain text into a coded format that someone with the appropriate decryption key can only read.
- Two-factor Authentication (2FA): A security measure that requires a person to provide two forms of identification, such as a password and a fingerprint or a passcode sent to a mobile phone, to access an account or system
- VPN: A virtual private network (VPN) is a technology that permits users to securely connect to a private network and share data over public networks
- Honeypot: A security mechanism designed to detect, deflect, or otherwise counteract the unauthorized use of information systems
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