Cybersecurity is a set of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect computer systems, networks, applications, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, damage, data breaches, and other digital threats. The term encompasses a broad range of measures applied at the organizational, governmental, and international levels.
Modern cybersecurity is evolving in response to the growing number of connected devices, widespread use of cloud solutions, and increasingly distributed IT infrastructures. At the same time, the threat landscape has become increasingly complex, encompassing phishing and malware, as well as targeted attacks, cyber-espionage, and activities by organized groups or state actors.
Key Areas of Cybersecurity
- Network Security: Perimeter protection, traffic filtering, intrusion prevention (IDS/IPS), and firewall management
- Data Security: Encryption, backup, access control, and data loss prevention (DLP)
- Infrastructure Security: Protecting servers, endpoints, and system software
- Cloud Security: Securing access to applications and data hosted in public or private clouds
- Vulnerability Management: Timely identification and remediation of software vulnerabilities
- Identity and Access Management (IAM): Managing who can access which resources, including multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Cyber Awareness and Employee Training: Reducing human-related risks like phishing and social engineering through education
Common Cybersecurity Threats
- Malware (viruses, trojans, ransomware)
- DDoS attacks targeting and overloading network resources
- Phishing attacks to steal login credentials
- Insider threats (accidental or intentional actions by employees)
- Data breaches or leaks of confidential information
- Exploitation of vulnerabilities in web applications, APIs, and infrastructure
Cybersecurity’s Role in Business
For IT companies, cloud providers, data centers, and telecom operators, cybersecurity is a crucial aspect of service reliability. Breaches can result in financial loss, legal consequences, reputational damage, and business disruption.
Cybersecurity requirements are increasingly defined not only by internal policies but also by international standards (ISO/IEC 27001, NIST, PCI DSS, GDPR) and national legislation. Organizations invest in both technical (monitoring tools, incident response systems, anti-DDoS, SIEM) and organizational measures by appointing specialists such as CISOs, DPOs, or DSOs.
Cybersecurity is not a one-time action, but an ongoing, strategic effort to ensure digital resilience in the face of growing risks and increasing technological complexity.