Cybersecurity
‘Securing your information assets including data and devices’
TODAY the Internet plays a major part in our lives – at home, work, school and at play. Yet this was not the case a mere decade ago. In 2010 you couldn’t do half the things we do online today – well not with any ease. As we become more reliant on e-everything there is a flip side.
There are individuals, organisations and even nation-states that will use this to their advantage – whether for financial gain, commercial/business gain and even political gain. It is therefore essential that we be more aware of cybersecurity at work, at home and especially with our children.
Most of it is common sense but take the time to get some basic cybersecurity awareness education. Just as you ensure your doors and windows are closed and have locks at home do the same with your electronics devices for you and your family.
Cybersecurity is the security of your information assets including data, devices – whether PC, laptop, mobile phone or anything with an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
Nowadays this may include your TV, fridge, car or even watch. We are truly becoming cybernetic organisms. Ask yourself when was the last time you went without your mobile phone for a day or week?
I won’t even ask about month but you get the drift. This is more prevalent in developed countries and I’ve travelled around Asia on trains where every man, woman and child was glued to their mobile device.
No talking, it was eerie and I imagined the day when the devices are implants and we’d be having passengers sitting or standing silently, but online with the network – scary.
The 2020s decade should see some major disruptions in the way we live, work and play and the COVID-19 global pandemic has already altered our lifestyles in indelible fashion - welcoming in the new decade and digitally transforming the way we do business.
This is the new digital future and the recent pandemic has forced many into this direction as social distancing and travel restrictions meant the cancellation of analogue (face-to-face) meetings, workshops, trade shows and even regional/global conferences.
Most if not all were moved to the Digital world of Zoom/Skype/Google Meet/ etc. Working from home or remotely is now no longer an option, but integrated into the modern work space.
This lends itself to a whole new set of issues and I won’t even dwell on the disruption of the work/home life balance.
Man truly is a social creature and “no man is an island”.
Once lock downs were lifted people flooded into gathering places where they were restricted from – to eat, drink, shop and be entertained.
The takeaway message is: Cybersecurity is the protection of confidentiality: unauthorised access to data, integrity; data protected from unauthorised modification or deletion and availability; information or data being accessible when required by authorised users.
As an acronym, CIA so fairly easy to remember.
As the Internet becomes integrated into all aspects of modern human life, so does the importance of cybersecurity for online interaction. It is critical for the protection of basic human rights, our identity as individuals and preserving democracy and freedom of speech.