Cybersecurity, computer network security, or e-security is basically the protection of networks and computer systems from malicious computer attacks, information theft, or damage of either their hardware software or even electronic data, and the interruption or misdirection of their services. While, it sounds pretty complex, in fact, it’s a fairly simple concept. To put it simply, cybercriminals and hackers attack networks and computers to obtain information or to do some other destructive activity that interferes with the normal use of the system.
Usually, if the network or computer system is unsecured, the cyber-criminals and hackers have no fear of being detected or caught. But if you secure the networks that you use, you can be sure that others will not be able to access your computer systems and those who do have access will not be able to do any harm. To understand cybersecurity, you need to understand what types of attacks and viruses are on the Internet. In general, there are two types of attacks: web-based attacks and software romance threats. Web-based threats come from websites that send out malicious code to your computer, often disguised as emails or Instant Messenger (IM) messages. For software romance threats, typically come from programs that install unknown software on your computer. To guard against these types of cybersecurity threats, you must prevent hackers and others from accessing your networks and computers.
This involves several layers of defense: first, you must take steps to stop unauthorized access to your computer systems; second, you must block malicious codes that arrive on your computer; and third, you must take protective measures such as destroying any devices that are used to transmit confidential information. In most cases, the easiest way to defend yourself against web-based security threats and other types of online threats is to block the websites that send harmful codes.
However, even when you don’t have web blocking software on your devices, you can still protect your computer networks by running firewalls and antivirus software on your systems. Software romance attack is a type of cybercrime that attacks specific individuals via an infected email message. Unlike typical phishing scams, software romance threats often use real names and information to collect personal information from your computer.
Typically, scammers will masquerade as legitimate companies or websites and will use embedded scripts to steal financial or personal information from your systems. While many software programs designed to stop phishing attacks work, they often do so by blocking email attachments, websites, and other types of files that might contain harmful code. Also, many Internet security threats, including software romance attacks, require specific Internet service provider (ISP) patches and other security configurations.
A variety of international and national cybersecurity center initiatives have been developed to help prevent and mitigate these types of online threats. Many state and federal agencies have taken the steps necessary to educate the public about the potential dangers posed by cybercriminals and their methods. For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has released several videos describing the typical online scams used by cybercriminals. Likewise, the Australian Cyber Security Centre has published several videos that explain ways in which a person can protect themselves from these potential hazards. Similarly, news publications such as the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review, and others have published articles that explain what cybersecurity threats are and how people can protect themselves from them.
Ultimately, end-user protection measures offered by companies such as Norton or Mcafee are not sufficient to prevent attackers from accessing your systems. Endpoint security solutions offered by these companies provide comprehensive protection by detecting, preventing, and blocking malware from infecting your computers. These comprehensive products have been designed to work alongside existing security software and can be found online.
