Information protection involves mitigating risks by implementing secure systems that eliminate or limit weaknesses that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to personal and business data. It also includes a variety of technological solutions like firewalls, antivirus and encryption to guard against the harm caused by information theft or loss. This field is commonly referred to as InfoSec and has grown into a highly-specialized discipline that covers everything from network security and infrastructure to auditing and testing.
Whatever the size or nature of a company every business has a substantial amount of confidential information. This can include names of credit cards, account information, Social Security numbers, employee records and other private information. In the wrong hands these details could be used for fraud or identity theft, and can cause irreparable damage to the reputation of a firm.
A strong information security plan is necessary to protect a business from breaches and maintain compliance with the law. It’s crucial to remember that security of information is based on three pillars: confidentiality, availability, and integrity.
Confidentiality is the term used to protect data from disclosure by unauthorized parties and keeping it only accessible to the authorized to do so. This can be accomplished through simple measures, such as using strong passwords that are regularly updated, encrypting information so that it is only accessible to those with the key, or using messaging platforms that encrypt messages. Another aspect of information protection is the ability to ensure that data is always available and can be restored in case of a disaster or system failure. This is accomplished through backups and archiving tools.
