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Frequency Asked Questions

Welcome to our General FAQ section! Find quick answers to common questions below.

What Is Information Security?

Information security is the practice that is employed to protect against cyber risk. 

  • Information Security:
    • Information security is the practice of protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.  
    • It encompasses a range of strategies, policies, and technologies designed to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA triad) of data.    
  • Cyber Risk:
    • Cyber risk is the potential for loss or harm related to an organization’s information technology. It stems from threats that exploit vulnerabilities in systems and networks.
    • Information security aims to mitigate these cyber risks by implementing safeguards that reduce the likelihood and impact of cyberattacks.
    • In essence, information security is the set of actions taken to manage and reduce cyber risk.
  • Key Aspects:
    • Cyber risks include threats like malware, ransomware, phishing, and data breaches.
    • Information security addresses these risks through measures such as:
      • Firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
      • Encryption and access controls.
      • Security awareness training.
      • Incident response planning.

Cyber risk is the threat, and information security is the defense.

Protecting your computer from cyber risks requires a multi-layered approach including but not limited to:

  • Software Updates:
    • Regularly update your operating system and applications. These updates often include crucial security patches that fix vulnerabilities.
  • Antivirus/Anti-malware:
    • Install and maintain reputable antivirus and anti-malware software. Ensure it’s always up-to-date to detect the latest threats.
  • Strong Passwords:
    • Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts. Consider a password manager. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible.
  • Email and Web Safety:
    • Be cautious of suspicious emails, attachments, and links. Avoid downloading software from untrusted sources. Verify website URLs before entering sensitive information.
  • Firewall:
    • Enable your computer’s firewall to block unauthorized access.
  • Data Backup:
    • Regularly back up your important data to an external drive or cloud storage. This will help you recover your files in case of a cyberattack.
  • Awareness:
    • Stay informed about common cyber threats like phishing, ransomware, and malware. Educate yourself on safe online practices.

Data management plays a crucial role in cybersecurity, as it involves the processes and practices that ensure data is properly handled throughout its lifecycle. 

Data Management includes: 

  • Protecting Sensitive Information:
    • Effective data management includes implementing security measures to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, modification, or destruction. This involves practices like encryption, access controls, and data masking.
  • Ensuring Data Integrity:
    • Maintaining data integrity is essential for cybersecurity. Data management practices help to ensure that data remains accurate and reliable, reducing the risk of data corruption or manipulation by cybercriminals.
  • Compliance and Regulations:
    • Many regulations, such as GDPR and HIPAA, require organizations to implement robust data management practices to protect sensitive data. Cybersecurity measures are often integrated into data management processes to ensure compliance.
  • Incident Response and Recovery:
    • Proper data management, including regular data backups and disaster recovery plans, is crucial for responding to and recovering from cyberattacks. In the event of a data breach or ransomware attack, organizations can use backups to restore their data and minimize downtime.
  • Access Control:
    • Data management helps to define who has access to which data. Implementing access controls is a key aspect of cybersecurity, and data management provides the framework for establishing and enforcing these controls.
  • Data Lifecycle Management:
    • Understanding the data lifecycle, from creation to deletion, is vital for cybersecurity. Data management practices help organizations to identify and protect sensitive data at every stage of its lifecycle.

Data management provides the foundation for strong cybersecurity posture by ensuring that data is protected, accurate, and accessible only to authorized individuals.

There is no silver bullet to protect data from cyber threats; however, organizations can fortify their data security posture through data security assessments and planning that incorporate a combination of proactive monitoring, threat detection, and rapid response, combined with financial protection.      

  • Proactive Threat Detection:
    • Organizations should incorporate data security software that continuously scans your endpoints for malicious activity, including malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. This proactive approach helps identify and neutralize threats before they can compromise your data.
    • At a minimum, data security software should use advanced algorithms, including machine learning, to detect both known and unknown threats, enhancing an enterprises ability to protect against emerging cyber risks.
  • Real-time Threat Response:
    • Threat detection software should be deployed and be capable of providing near real-time alerts, allowing for immediate action to mitigate the risk.
    • Software should be capable of quarantining malicious software, preventing it from spreading and damaging your data.
  • Endpoint Security:
    • Endpoint security software should be used to protect the devices where data resides. This is crucial, as endpoints are often the first target of cyberattacks.
  • Enhanced Visibility:
    • Detection and endpoint security software should be capable of providing visibility into the security status of all endpoints. This allows for monitoring for potential threats and ensure that data remains protected.
  • Financial Protection:
    • Insurance and/or service level guarantees on all security services and software should be considered in an organization’s overall security posture. This adds multiple layers of financial protection in the event of a breach.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides frameworks, standards, and guidelines that organizations can use to manage cybersecurity risks. Key responsibilities outlined by NIST, particularly within the Cybersecurity Framework, include:

Core Functions of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework:

  • Identify:
    • Organizations must understand their cybersecurity risks. This involves identifying assets (hardware, software, data), vulnerabilities, and potential threats.
    • This includes establishing a strong understanding of the business context, the resources that support critical functions, and the related cybersecurity risks.  
  • Protect:
    • Organizations need to implement safeguards to ensure the delivery of critical infrastructure services.
    • This includes access control, awareness and training, data security, information protection processes and procedures, and protective technology.  
  • Detect:
    • Organizations must develop and implement activities to identify the occurrence of a cybersecurity event.
    • This involves continuous monitoring, detecting anomalies, and establishing detection processes.
  • Respond:
    • Organizations need to develop and implement activities to take action regarding a detected cybersecurity incident.
    • This includes response planning, communications, analysis, mitigation, and improvements.
  • Recover:
    • Organizations must develop and implement activities to maintain plans for resilience and to restore any capabilities or services that were impaired due to a cybersecurity incident.   
    • This involves recovery planning, improvements, and communications.
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