In a world, that is used to having all things readily available at the touch of their fingertips, Internet has become a necessity. Whether it be food or banking, clothing or buying furniture, dating, traveling or learning, you name it and an array of different apps and websites will pop up. People these days are becoming increasingly dependent on the internet even for their regular mundane tasks and hence a new era of a tech-savvy and internet-friendly population has been born.
One would wonder with something as magically efficient and resourceful as the internet and the cyber world, what could go wrong? Well, just like all things, the cyber world too has its drawbacks. The most prominent amongst them is the threat to security. Cybersecurity has henceforth come forward as a point of major concern. To go in-depth about the importance and need for cybersecurity, we first need to understand what exactly is cybercrime.
In simple words, cybercrime is a virtual attack on a personal or corporate body to steal information about individuals, organizations, or government. The information accessed through these databases is put to various illegal and criminal uses. Cybercrime is an umbrella term under which falls a range of illegal activities such as identity theft, blackmailing individuals or corporations based on illegally obtained information, financial fraud, pornography, digital piracy, money laundering, etc.
If we talk about the crime of ‘identity theft’ the simplest way to understand it would be if someone steals your credit card information or passport details virtually and creates a new identity using it. They can then go on opening bank accounts, drawing huge sums of money fraudulently based on the above-acquired information. Speaking of financial fraud, they are one of the most frequent and damaging criminal activities under cybercrime. So much so that the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) as a part of their customer awareness initiative, has even come up with a booklet named ‘Raju and the Forty Thieves’ which explains the various means through which financial frauds occur. It is a means to spread cybersecurity awareness amongst the people. Cyber frauds using ‘phishing links’, compromise credentials, ATM card skimming, etc have also been thoroughly explained to financially educate those who have just started their digital financial journey.
‘Piracy’ is another one of the most popular cybercrimes that almost everyone is already aware of. The literal meaning of the word stands for the illegal copying of videos, songs, tapes, etc. In today’s times most films, television and web series, songs, etc are easily available online in their pirated version and sometimes people prefer watching those as compared to paying for a subscription on a streaming site. Piracy is not just illegal but also hugely damaging for the entertainment industry in general as it directly affects their revenues. Child pornography is another major point of concern where cybercrime is concerned. It means publishing and distributing pornographic material involving children which is a punishable offense. After listing a few of the major cybercrimes which take place in the internet space, we’ve surely realised the importance and need for cybersecurity.
In simple words, cybersecurity is like a defence mechanism against cyber-attacks. It’s the technology of protecting computers, networks, and programs, having all our data against malicious cybersecurity threats. Needless to say, cybersecurity is extremely important for individuals, organizations, and governments as it secures their data. There are various types of cybersecurity. The major ones are -
1. Application Security
2. Network Security
3. Internet of Things Security
4. Infrastructure Security
5. Cloud Security
Application Security - Application Security means the process of developing and testing security measures in applications so that there are no vulnerabilities in cybersecurity and hackers don’t get a chance to hijack data. The app security is constantly tested to find any loopholes and security is strengthened.
Network Security - Network security, as the name itself suggests is the protection of your computer network against exploitation such as unauthorized access, breaches, intrusions, and other threats. Good network security lessens the chances of data loss and sabotage.
Internet of Things (IoT) Security - It is the practice of safeguarding the devices which are connected to the network and are exchanging data with other systems and devices through it. It works to safeguard these connected devices against breaches and hacking of data through constant monitoring and fixing any loose patches.
Infrastructure Security - Infrastructure security refers to protecting the cybersecurity of critical infrastructures such as airports, hospitals, transport hubs, media, seaports, etc. A security breach in any of these infrastructures could potentially cause a lot of damage and leak a lot of vital information.
Cloud Security - Cloud security simply stands for the protection of data stored online through cloud computing. The security aims at keeping the data private and secure and fighting against any leakage, theft, or sabotage.
There are cybersecurity experts readily at your disposal who use their technological expertise and skills to ensures there are no breaches of security of any sensitive data. It is always beneficial to make sure our cybersecurity measures are stringent. They scan networks and make sure that there are no irregularities. Regular audits and constant monitoring are key components of their job profile.
The benefits of cybersecurity are plenty. The first and foremost is the protection of data against unauthorized access, ensures improved information security and re-install belief and confidence in a safe digital world. It also prevents misuse of data and other equally harmful activities.
It is safe to say that we truly are a ‘tech-savvy’ generation and our dependency on technology is only going to increase further in the coming times. While there are a host of benefits that the digital space comes with, cybersecurity takes care of the downside of it, ensuring safety and security. To make the most of our time on the internet, it is best to follow proper cybersecurity protocols and enjoy a safe and sound digital experience for all.
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