You won’t probably argue that your company’s data is a valuable asset. Without proper security, you leave this asset freely available. Sounds risky, right? That’s why cyber security goals are so important. They keep your intelligence from prying eyes and sticky fingers. Let’s take a closer look at how it all works.
What Are Cyber Security Goals and Objectives?
So what is the purpose of cyber security? Well, put simply, cybersecurity goals and objectives are your roadmap to a safer digital environment. You normally get a cybersecurity company to define these for you and set the standards for what you want to achieve. The goals ensure that everyone in the company is working towards a common aim. The objectives help with the practical side of things. Thus, some cyber security objectives examples may include identifying
- what needs protection,
- how to protect it,
- and how to respond if something goes wrong.
Now, why should businesses care? Because cyber threats are real and can cause significant harm. Imagine losing all your customer data in a breach. The damage to your reputation and the financial loss could be immense. And with clear cybersecurity objectives, you can create a robust defense mechanism against such threats.
What are the Three Main Cyber Security Pillars?
Cybersecurity is a multi-component concept. To be truly secure, you need to take care of every component. The three main pillars of it are confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Let’s see what they are.
- Confidentiality
Confidentiality is about keeping your data secret. Your business likely has information like customer details, financial records, or strategic plans. If this information falls into the wrong hands, it could be disastrous. Confidentiality ensures that only authorized people can access it. This is achieved through encryption, access controls, and user authentication.
- Integrity
Integrity means maintaining the accuracy and completeness of your data. Picture a scenario where an attacker alters your financial records. You don’t want this to happen, right? The objective of cyber security integrity is to ensure your data remains unaltered. This involves using checksums, hash functions, and data validation processes.
- Availability
Availability is about ensuring that your data and systems are accessible when needed. Imagine your website going down during a big sale. You’d lose sales and your customers would lose trust in your reliability. Availability ensures your systems are up and running, especially during critical times. This is achieved through redundancy, failover mechanisms, and regular maintenance.
Tips for Achieving Cyber Security Goals
When it comes to achieving the goals of cyber security, there are proven methods to take care of each pillar. Let’s break them down.
Confidentiality
To keep your data secret, you need robust methods like encryption, access controls, and user authentication.
- Encryption
Encryption converts your data into a coded format only authorized parties can decode. Even if cybercriminals intercept your data, they can’t read it.
- Access Controls
Access controls are about defining who can access what within your system. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.
- User Authentication
User authentication verifies the identity of anyone trying to access your systems. Methods like multi-factor authentication (MFA) require users to provide two or more verification factors — such as a password and a fingerprint. If one factor is compromised, unauthorized access is still prevented.
Integrity
Maintaining the accuracy and completeness of your data involves using checksums, hash functions, and data validation processes.
- Checksums
Checksums are algorithms that verify data integrity by producing a unique value based on the data content. When data is transmitted or stored, a new checksum is generated and compared to the original. If they match, the data is intact. If not, it indicates possible corruption.
- Hash Functions
Hash functions create a fixed-size hash value from your data. Any change in the data will result in a completely different hash value. This helps in quickly detecting alterations.
- Data Validation Processes
Data validation processes check the accuracy and quality of data before it’s processed or stored. This involves verifying that the data meets specific criteria and formats.
Availability
Last but not least, to ensure your data is accessible when needed, you can turn to redundancy, failover mechanisms, and regular maintenance.
- Redundancy
Redundancy involves duplicating critical components or systems so that if one fails, another can take over. This can include backup servers, power supplies, and network connections.
- Failover Mechanisms
Failover mechanisms automatically switch to a backup system when the primary one fails. This ensures that users experience little to no disruption.
- Regular Maintenance
Regular maintenance involves routine checks and updates to your systems. This includes applying security patches, updating software, and monitoring system performance.
Final Thoughts
All in all, when it comes to cybersecurity, it’s crucial to stay proactive. Setting clear goals of network security and understanding its key pillars can help a lot. Just keep in mind that it’s an ongoing process. You should stay vigilant and informed to keep your data locked tight.