The terms Cyber Security and Information Security are often used interchangeably. As they both are responsible for the security and protecting the computer system from threats and information breaches and often Cybersecurity and information security are so closely linked that they may seem synonymous and unfortunately, they are used synonymously. If we talk about data security it’s all about securing the data from malicious users and threats. Now another question is what is the difference between Data and Information? So one important point is that “not every data can be information” data can be informed if it is interpreted in a context and given meaning. for example “100798” is data and if we know that it’s the date of birth of a person then it is information because it has some meaning. so information means data that has some meaning.
Examples and Inclusion of Cyber Security are as follows:
- Network Security
- Application Security
- Cloud Security
- Critical Infrastructure
Examples and inclusion of Information Security are as follows:
- Procedural Controls
- Access Controls
- Technical Controls
- Compliance Controls
| Parameters | CYBER SECURITY | INFORMATION SECURITY |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Definition | It is the practice of protecting the data from outside the resource on the internet. | It is all about protecting information from unauthorized users, access, and data modification or removal in order to provide confidentiality, integrity, and availability. |
| Protect | It is about the ability to protect the use of cyberspace from cyber attacks. | It deals with the protection of data from any form of threat. |
| Scope | Cybersecurity to protect anything in the cyber realm. | Information security is for information irrespective of the realm. |
| Threat | Cybersecurity deals with the danger in cyberspace. | Information security deals with the protection of data from any form of threat. |
| Attacks | Cybersecurity strikes against Cyber crimes, cyber frauds, and law enforcement. | Information security strikes against unauthorized access, disclosure modification, and disruption. |
| Professionals | Cyber security professionals deal with the prevention of active threats or Advanced Persistent threats (APT). | Information security professionals are the foundation of data security and security professionals associated with it are responsible for policies, processes, and organizational roles and responsibilities that assure confidentiality, integrity, and availability. |
| Deals with | It deals with threats that may or may not exist in the cyber realm such as protecting your social media account, personal information, etc. | It deals with information Assets and integrity, confidentiality, and availability. |
| Defence | Acts as first line of defence. | Comes into play when security is breached. |
| Threats | Primarily deals with digital threats, such as hacking, malware, and phishing | Addresses a wider range of threats, including physical theft, espionage, and human error |
| Goal | Protects against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of digital information | Protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all types of information, regardless of the medium in which it is stored |
| Technologies | Relies on a variety of technologies, such as firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems | Uses a range of technologies, including encryption, access controls, and data loss prevention tools |
| Skills required | Requires specialized knowledge of computer systems and networks, as well as programming and software development skills | Requires knowledge of risk management, compliance, legal and regulatory issues, as well as technical knowledge |
| Focus on data | Emphasizes protecting the data itself, regardless of where it is stored or how it is transmitted | Emphasizes the protection of information assets, which includes data but also other information such as intellectual property, trade secrets, and confidential customer information |
| Threat landscape | Deals with constantly evolving threats, such as new forms of malware and emerging cybercrime techniques | Deals with a wide range of threats, including physical security breaches, insider threats, and social engineering attacks |
Diagrams are given below to represent the difference between Information Security and Cybersecurity.
In the above diagram, ICT refers to Information and communications technology (ICT) which is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that defines the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (basically digital communication security).
