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What it is, why we need Information Security, the risks associated with security breaches and how we can protect our information.
Information security is the practice of ensuring information is only read, heard, changed, broadcast and otherwise used by people who have the right to do so. It requires a range of skills and knowledge and increases in importance as our use of and reliance upon information grows.
All information has value. Sometimes this might be trivial but in many cases value is critical.
Value is measured in different ways, depending on the nature of information. In some cases, there may be a straightforward monetary value associated with given information. For others, emphasis is placed on different aspects of value such as the effects of unauthorised disclosure and loss of confidentiality.
The range of risks associated with breaches of information security is long. It includes:
Information security can be a daunting prospect for the average user. It is often seen as a highly technical discipline that requires expensive equipment and specialist assistance.
While there are many situations that do need this type of approach, the most sensible and effective first steps are based on common sense and sound management practice.
Assessing and understanding the risks for your own organisation will help to establish appropriate risk management. In turn, this will ensure appropriate incident management and recovery when security is compromised. In addition, organisations should have:
