Frequently Asked Questions

Ensuring cyber security requires the coordination of efforts throughout an information system, which includes:

• Application security
• Information security
• Network security
• Disaster recovery/business continuity planning
• Operational security
• End-user education

One of the most problematic elements of cyber security is the constantly evolving nature of security risks. The traditional approach has been to focus resources on crucial system components and protect against the biggest known threats, which meant leaving components undefended and not protecting systems against less dangerous risks.
To deal with the current environment, advisory organizations are promoting a more proactive and adaptive approach. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), for example, recently issued updated guidelines in its risk assessment framework that recommend a shift toward continuous monitoring and real-time assessments.
Version 1.1 of the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure was released in April 2018. The voluntary cyber security framework, developed for use in the banking, communications, defense and energy industries, can be adopted by all sectors, including federal and state governments. President Donald Trump issued an executive order mandating that federal agencies adopt the NIST Cyber security Framework (NIST CSF) in May 2017.
As a result of security risks, investments in cyber security technologies and services are increasing. In 2017, Gartner predicted that worldwide spending on information security products and services would reach $83.4 billion -- a 7% increase from 2016 -- and that it would continue to grow to $93 billion by 2018.

Types of cyber security threats

The process of keeping up with new technologies, security trends and threat intelligence is a challenging task. However, it's necessary in order to protect information and other assets from cyber threats, which take many forms.

• Ransomware is a type of malware that involves an attacker locking the victim's computer system files -- typically through encryption -- and demanding a payment to decrypt and unlock them.
• Malware is any file or program used to harm a computer user, such as worms, computer viruses, Trojan horses and spyware.
• Social engineering is an attack that relies on human interaction to trick users into breaking security procedures in order to gain sensitive information that is typically protected.
• Phishing is a form of fraud where fraudulent emails are sent that resemble emails from reputable sources; however, the intention of these emails is to steal sensitive data, such as credit card or login information.

What cyber security can prevent

The use of cyber security can help prevent cyber attacks, data breaches and identity theft and can aid in risk management.
When an organization has a strong sense of network security and an effective incident response plan, it is better able to prevent and mitigate these attacks. For example, end user protection defends information and guards against loss or theft while also scanning computers for malicious code.