What Is InfoSec?

Information Security, also known as InfoSec, refers to the practice, processes and tools used to protect sensitive business information and data from unauthorized access and modification. Additionally, infosec helps to ensure your data is protected through the use of cryptography and secure network protocols, as well as through a number of industry standards on data security.

And although infosec goes hand in hand with using the internet, most people have no idea they’re using some form of information security everyday, and that there are hackers that continually try to exploit the data they access and transmit. For example, your mobile phone is continually broadcasting information about what you’re doing on the internet, who you communicate with and so much more, and, without encryption, anyone can see what you’re doing. So infosec and secure network protocols aim to not only protect users from being observed, but also protect the information from being disrupted, stolen or modified. 

But this is just scratching the surface of infosec, so over the coming months we’ll be launching a new series of infosec 101 blog posts that will help you understand the many different facets of information security, and how to keep your sensitive information safe. But first, let’s have a closer look at what infosec involves.

InfoSec vs Cybersecurity: What’s the Difference?

Cybersecurity is a foundational element of the internet as we know it today. However, there is often confusion about the difference between cybersecurity and infosec. Cybersecurity is the broader field that includes systems security, software security, and then information security as one part of the bigger security picture.

And when we talk about infosec, we’re mainly focused on four key objectives that include:

1. Confidentiality – controlling who has access to data, and keeping information private from non-authorized parties

2. Integrity – the ability to detect when an unauthorized party has modified information 

3. Authenticity – the ability for an authorized party to prove its identity in order to access information

4. Availability – ensuring your resources are kept online so they can be accessed to by authorized parties

As Halborn provides cybersecurity services for blockchain companies, infosec is a fundamental part of our process and how we help blockchain organizations keep their data safe. 

If you’re interested in learning more about infosec, be sure to come back to the Halborn blog to read more articles in our InfoSec series. 

For a sneak peak at the series contents, read on below. 

Halborn’s Upcoming InfoSec Series

We have a number of informative and value-packed articles coming that will dive into infosec topics including password management, how to spot ransomware, and how to ensure the information you send over email is secured with proper encryption. 

Password Management 101: How to Keep Your Passwords Safe

Passwords are a foundational element to infosec, yet they often serve as the weak link in organizational data security. In fact, over 60% of breaches involve credential data according to Verizon’s latest Data Breach Investigations Report. So, in this forthcoming article, we’ll be diving into password best practices, password management tools, and much more.

Password Management Tools

According to Dashlane, Only 31% of companies use password managers, with a vast majority of people within organizations using a combination of less reliable mediums such as human memory, sticky notes, and spreadsheets. Password managers help people create and store strong passwords that can be accessed via cloud services and synced across multiple devices for better security. This forthcoming article will take a deeper look at password management tools, what to look for in a password manager, and which of the available options would best fit your needs.

Ransomware 101: What Is Ransomware and How to Spot It on Your Network

Ransomware is malware that hackers use to encrypt the information on a user or organization’s computer and deny them access. From there, the hacker demands a ransom in exchange for the decryption of any information they’ve taken control of. That said, ransomware attacks have been on the rise, and crypto is becoming a part of its narrative, so in this upcoming article we’re going to go through key ways to mitigate the risks of being targeted by ransomware as well as how to spot ransomware on your network.

Encrypted Email 101: How to Encrypt Your Emails and Protect Your Company Data

Transmitting information across email is a business necessity, but it’s also one of the most targeted mediums for hackers. Forbes highlights that email still trumps information exchange tools like Slack for business communication, which is why hackers continually target it. So in this forthcoming article we’ll explore the inner workings of encrypted email, how it works, and best practices to ensure the sensitive information inside your messages is better secured.

We’re extremely excited to bring you this brand new InfoSec series, so stay tuned for the articles and please reach out to halborn@protonmail.com to connect with our cybersecurity experts for any questions you have about better securing your company’s website and data.