The Importance Of Information Technology Security Within Any Company

Featured article by Julia Fisher

Information technology has revolutionized the way business is done and how companies operate. And it only continues to grow.

As technology progresses, we are given new ways to process data and information. But there’s a flip side—the darker side of information technology, including malicious attackers looking to steal data or bring down infrastructure.

This is why information technology security is so important. Protecting your technology and data is as vital as protecting your money accounts from thieves.

Companies can protect their data by developing policies and procedures or leaving everything to a cyber security company to ensure their data and technological infrastructure are always protected.

The Four Objectives of Information Technology Security

All cybersecurity has four different objectives. In contrast, a company might focus on one or two objectives more than others, and it’s a good idea to keep all four of them in mind when designing your cybersecurity.

In the end, all cyberattacks will compromise one of these four objectives, and do harm to your business, so cover all of your bases when designing your security policies.

The Company’s Ability to Function

To make money, a company must operate normally. Malware and ransomware, all with other types of cyberattacks, inhibit the company’s ability to function normally.

It can be utterly disastrous for a business, as they’ll lose customer trust and lose face in PR in the wake of vicious malware attacks that leave them crippled.

Sometimes companies cannot undo the damage, and the company must close down in the wake of malware and the close.

The Safe Operation of Applications Within IT Systems

Any business these days certainly has a few applications within its business technology. Whether it’s a custom bookkeeping application, a list that stores customer information, or Microsoft Excel, applications get the job done, wrapped up in a nice little icon.

But some scams and malware target these applications. They can even integrate themselves with the software, such as viruses, and consistently steal information. Worst case scenario, they can use the application to gain access to your entire system.

This is why protecting these applications is just as important as protecting the system itself.

The Protection of Data that is Used and Stored

Data is a valuable asset to any company. A business must protect all the data the company uses and stores, from things as simple as customer preferences to bank accounts and phone numbers.

Data attacks are all too common these days, as cyber-attacks focus on breaching and stealing a company’s data to get money. Indeed, such scenarios are the nightmare of companies that store account information from customers or identity information for employees.

Such attacks can result in millions of dollars in losses, making them crucial to prevent for any company. A company’s data is a valuable asset, and when it’s gone, it is like money being robbed from a bank vault, not to mention the loss of customer trust.

The Protection of the Technology the Company Uses

The technology a company uses is just as valuable as other assets. Indeed, companies that focus on tech can have millions of dollars sunk into their technological infrastructure.

However, some cyberattacks focus on attacking the technology directly, whether it’s the company’s software or the hardware they think is safe in the office.

Sometimes new technology must be brought in altogether, resulting in losses and the inability of the company to function until new technology is found and bought.

The CIA Triad: The Governing Principles of IT Security

The CIA triad has nothing to do with the secretive government department. CIA is an acronym that stands for confidentiality, integrity, and availability, the founding principles upon which all information security policies are founded.

If there is a data breach or other successful cyberattack, someone certainly violated one of these three principles. Whether an employee with a lack of proper training fell for a scam or a bit of code locked customers out from a website, it can be sure that something went wrong with the policies that need to be corrected.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality naturally means that unauthorized users are kept out of important information. It isn’t enough to authorize users for the information they need; companies must keep out unauthorized ones.

Policies on confidentiality focus on keeping information private, like preventing employees from using company data and technology on unprotected and unauthorized devices. Keeping passwords protected and keeping a strict list of who has access and who does not all feed into your business’s confidentiality.

Confidentiality keeps your technology and data safe and secure from malicious cyber attacks by limited who has access and increasing security around protecting information.

Integrity

Integrity is all about preventing data tampering. Data is one of the company’s greatest assets, so keeping it correct is vital to any difference.

It’s especially vital in monetary transactions, where the difference between 1.00 and 1,000,000.00 can be life or death. The best way to keep data integrity is to limit human error and store the information somewhere it won’t be corrupted or easily accessed.

Availability

Availability means that the people who need access to information always have access. Customers should always be able to access their online accounts. IT employees should always have access to the information available to them.

While customers enjoy the convenience, employees who always have access can deal with information and technological concerns as soon as they pop up. Availability means the company can run smoothly and without issues for other employees.

Conclusion

While companies can focus more on one principle than another (i.e., confidentiality is more important for banking institutions than availability), reasonable security policies will keep all three branches of the CIA triad in mind.

The four objectives of information security should be perused and used to target potential breaches and essential protection areas in a business. Employee information, credit card numbers, and bank accounts are all popular targets for cyber attacks.

The importance of information security cannot be understated in this day and age, and every company should have policies and protocols to protect their data and technology. These protocols should include employee training. Fortunately, there’s a plethora of online courses available nowadays – from an Excel training course to cybersecurity training. Therefore, it shouldn’t be hard to find one that caters to your company’s needs.