Written By Adesina Ololade Omobolanle
INTRODUCTION
It is an indubitable fact that cyber security has proved to be a solution to the ugly menace of cyber attacks that is rampant in our society today, thereby affecting every sector. As it is known that cyber attack is a chronic social vice inherent in every society and sadly prevalent, the essence of cyber security cannot be overemphasized, as it has been portrayed as a tool, though not able to stop it absolutely, to curb to a reasonable level the rate of crimes committed via the internet, often referred to as cyber crimes.
Before we delve into this discourse, which is outlining the importance of cyber security, it is equally important that we get acquainted with keywords such as "cybersecurity" and "cyber crime."
CYBER SECURITY AS AGAINST CYBER CRIME
We can divide cybersecurity into two parts: one is cyber, and the other is security. Cyber refers to the technology that includes systems, networks, programs, and data. And security is concerned with the protection of systems, networks, applications, and information. In some cases, it is also called electronic information security or information technology security.
In other words, the process of protecting internet-connected systems such as computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks, and data from malicious attacks is known as cybersecurity.
Not dwelling much on the theme "cyber crime or cyber attacks," it can be inferred from the above definition to mean a malicious attack on computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks, and data.
CYBERSECURITY POLICIES
Security policies and technologies
Security policies are prescribed sets of rules that are issued by a corporation to confirm that the users who are authorized to access the company's technology and knowledge assets abide by the rules and guidelines associated with the safety of data. It is written material within the organisation that is responsible for determining a way to protect the organization from threats and how to handle them once they occur.
Some of the most prominent security technologies applied in cybersecurity are described below.
1. Firewall
A firewall could be an electronic network security system designed to forestall unauthorized access to or from a non-public network. It is implemented as hardware, software, or a mix of both. Firewalls are used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet. All messages entering or leaving the intranet are submitted to the firewall. The firewall examines each message and blocks those that don't meet the required security criteria.
FORMS OF FIREWALL
-Application Gateways
It is a firewall proxy that is often installed on a specially dedicated machine to provide network security. This proxy firewall acts as an intermediary between the requester and, therefore, the protected device by filtering incoming node traffic to certain specifications. Examples of these network applications include Telnet, FTP, and Real-Time Streaming Protocol.
- Circuit Gateways
A circuit-level gateway operates at the transport layer and provides UDP (User Datagram Protocol) and TCP connection security, meaning that, it can reassemble, examine, or block all the packets in a UDP connection or TCP connection. This works between an application layer and a transport layer, like the session layer.
Unlike application gateways, it screens TCP data packet handshaking and session fulfillment of firewall rules and policies. It could also act as a VPN over the web by encrypting from firewall to firewall.
- MAC Layer Firewalls
The Media Access Control (MAC) layer firewall is meant to function at the media access control layer of the OSI network model. It is able to assess a selected host computer's identity within the filtering decisions. The MAC addresses of particular host machines are linked to the access control list entries. This entry identifies unique forms of packets that may be forwarded to every host, and every other form of traffic is blocked. It'll also cross-check the address of the requester to determine whether the PC or device being employed is capable of creating the connection and is permitted to access the data or not.
2. Access Control
Access control could be the process of choosing restrictive access to a system. It is an idea in security to reduce the danger of unauthorized access to a business or organization.
Using access control, users are granted access permission and defined privileges to a system and resources in the form of credentials, which they must provide to be granted access to the system. These credentials are available in many forms, like passwords, keycards, biometric readings, etc.
Access control ensures security technology and access control policies to safeguard private data, like customer data.
Access control may be categorised into two types:
Physical and Logical control
Physical Access Control restricts access to physical IT assets, rooms, buildings, and campuses. Whereas, logical access control limits connections to computer networks, system files, and data.
3. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN stands for "virtual private network," and it is a technology that creates a secure and encrypted connection on the net from a host to a network. This kind of connection helps make sure our sensitive data is transmitted safely. It prevents our connection from eavesdropping on network traffic and allows the user to access a personal network securely. This technology is widely utilized in company environments.
A VPN works the same way as a firewall. However, firewalls protect data local to a host, whereas VPNs protect data online to ensure safe communication on the web. Data travels through secure tunnels, and VPN users use an authentication method to gain access to the VPN server.
VPNs are utilized by remote users who must access corporate resources, consumers who want to download files, and business travelers who want to access a site that's geographically restricted.
4 . Intrusion Detection System
An intrusion detection system (IDS) may be a security system that monitors host systems and network traffic. IDS analyzes the traffic for possible aggressive attacks coined by outsiders and also for system misuse or attacks emanating from insiders. A firewall performs the filtering of the incoming traffic from the net, and the IDS, in a very similar way, complements the firewall's security.
Like the firewall protects a corporation's sensitive data from malicious attacks over the net, the intrusion detection system alerts the supervisor in cases when someone tries to intrude within the firewall security and tries to possess access to any network within the trusted side.
IMPORTANCE OR GOALS OF CYBER SECURITY.
1. Availability
Availability is the property wherein information is accessible and amendable in a timely manner by authorised users. It is the guarantee of consistent and continual access to sensitive data by authorised users.
2. Confidentiality
Confidentiality roughly corresponds to privacy and avoids the unauthorized disclosure of knowledge. It involves the protection of knowledge, providing access for people who are allowed to access it while disallowing others from learning anything about its content. It prevents essential information from reaching inapt people while ensuring that the correct people can access it. Encryption may be an ideal example to confirm confidentiality.
3. Integrity
Integrity refers to the methods for ensuring that data is real, correct, and safeguarded from unauthorised user alteration. It’s the property that data has not been altered in an unauthorised way, with a guarantee that the source of the obtained information is genuine.
CONCLUSION
It is advised that individuals, businesses, and organizations embrace cyber security as a means to curb attacks on their cyberspace and ensure total control and enjoyment of their data. Cybersecurity has been a crucial development in evading cyber criminals and attackers, and it still is if embraced and utilized by all that seek its protection.
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