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Cyber security refers to the body of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect networks, devices, programs, and data from attack, damage, or unauthorised access. Cyber security is also known as information technology security.

Cyber security is essential because the government, military, corporate, financial, and medical organisations collect, process, and store unprecedented amounts of data on computers and other devices.

Organisations transmit sensitive data across networks and to other devices in the course of doing businesses, and cyber security describes the discipline dedicated to protecting that information and the systems used to process or store it.

As the volume and sophistication of cyber attacks grow, companies and organisations, especially those that are tasked with safeguarding information relating to national security, health, or financial records, need to take steps to protect their sensitive business and personal information.

For effective cyber security, an organisation needs to coordinate its efforts throughout its entire information system. Elements of cyber security encompass all of the following:

The most difficult challenge in cyber security is the ever-evolving nature of security risks themselves. Traditionally, organisations and the government have focused most of their cyber security resources on perimeter security to protect only their most crucial system components and defend against known threats.

The National Cyber Security Alliance, recommends a top-down approach to cyber security in which corporate management leads the charge in prioritising cyber security management across all business practices.

NCSA advises that companies must be prepared to "respond to the inevitable cyber incident, restore normal operations, and ensure that company assets and the company's reputation are protected."

Cyber risk assessments should also consider any regulations that impact the way your company collects, stores, and secures data.

Combining sound cyber security measures with an educated and security-minded employee base provides the best defence against cyber criminals attempting to gain access to your company's sensitive data.

While it may seem like a daunting task, start small and focus on your most sensitive data, scaling your efforts as your cyber program matures.

Phishing is the practice of sending fraudulent emails that resemble emails from reputable sources. The aim is to steal sensitive data like credit card numbers and login information.

It is the most common type of cyber attack. You can help protect yourself through education or a technology solution that filters malicious emails.

Ransomware is a type of malicious software. It is designed to extort money by blocking access to files or the computer system until the victim paid the ransom.

Paying the ransom does not guarantee that the files will be recovered or the system restored.

Malware is a type of software designed to gain unauthorised access or to cause damage to a computer.

Social engineering is a tactic that adversaries use to trick you into revealing sensitive information. They can solicit a monetary payment or gain access to your confidential data.

Social engineering can be combined with any of the threats listed above to make you more likely to click on the links, download malware, or trust a malicious source.

Cyber security measures should always be implemented to protect the data of small and large organisations and individuals.

Even though significant security breaches are the ones that often get publicised, small organisations still have to concern themselves with their security posture, as they may often be the target of viruses and phishing. The Mandatory Training Group offers FREE cyber security training for all sectors.

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Cyber security helps prevent data breaches, identity theft and ransomware attacks, as well as aiding in risk management. When an organisation has a strong sense of network security and an effective incident response plan, it is better able to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks. The process of keeping up with new technologies, security trends and threat intelligence is a challenging task.

A threat vector is a path or means by which a hacker can gain access to a computer or network server to deliver a payload or malicious outcome. Attack vectors enable hackers to exploit system vulnerabilities, including human operators. Popular attack vectors include the following:

The benefits of implementing cybersecurity initiatives include the following:

To help protect against cyber security attacks, we should:

At its core, cyber security involves protecting information and systems from cyberthreats. Cyberthreats take many forms, such as application attacks, malware, ransomware, phishing and exploit kits. Recent technological advancements have opened up new possibilities for cyber security, but unfortunately, adversaries have benefited from these advancements, as well.

Cybersecurity tools and technologies should incorporate automation, machine learning and shared threat intelligence to help organisations get ahead and stay on the cutting edge to combat advanced threats, such as:

A cyber attack is any offensive action that targets computer information systems, infrastructures, computer networks or personal computer devices, using various methods to steal, alter or destroy data or information systems.

The 10 most common cyber attack types:

Cyber security job postings have exploded. Burning Glass found the number of cyber security job postings has grown 94% in just six years. By comparison, the number of IT jobs, in general, has grown about 30%. That is a 300% increase in demand compared to the overall IT job market. Cyber security jobs now account for 13% of all information technology jobs.

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Here is an overview of some of the most common types of cyber security attacks seen today:

American style tends to favour cybersecurity as one word, while the British method often uses cyber security as two words.

But the definitions do not waver. Cybersecurity and cyber security have the same meaning. And while you might catch "cyber-security" here and there, it means the same and is not a widely-used or preferred derivative.

Below are a few examples of companies that have fallen victim and paid a high price for cyber attacks.

Cybersecurity professionals, like information security analysts, protect businesses, governments, and individuals from criminal activity on the internet. With the explosive growth of the internet in business, education, and personal communication, computer experts with knowledge of online security are in high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for information security analysts will increase by 18% over the next seven years. This means those with the right education and training could have plenty of career opportunities.

New high-profile cyber attacks seem to flood news headlines regularly, so it is no wonder that cyber security experts are becoming such an essential and in-demand position for all types of firms.

While a career in cyber security can be stressful, it is also gratifying. The responsibilities of a cyber security professional may vary, but we can simplify the role into one function: protect a company's data from being compromised by an attack.

There is no one linear path to a successful career in cyber security. Some people enter the security field straight out of college, while others transition from another IT role.

No matter where you start, all cybersecurity careers begin with extensive IT experience. You need to understand how the technology works before you can learn how to secure and protect it.

Entry-level IT jobs that pave the way for a cyber security career include:

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