In recent years, the cyber security industry has undergone a massive growth, not only in terms of available workforce, but also in connection with public, corporate and personal concern regarding privacy and safety of data. According to a blogpost by Devon Milkovich published in September 2019, government, retail*, and technology still constitute the top three targets for privacy breaches (Milkovich, 2009). A Clark School study at the University of Maryland, conducted by Michel Cukier, finds that hacking attacks happen every 39 seconds on average.
In recent years, the cyber security industry has undergone a massive growth, not only in terms of available workforce, but also in connection with public, corporate and personal concern regarding privacy and safety of data. According to a blogpost by Devon Milkovich published in September 2019, government, retail, and technology still constitute the top three targets for privacy breaches (Milkovich, 2009). A Clark School study at the University of Maryland, conducted by Michel Cukier, finds that hacking attacks happen every 39 seconds on average.
“Our data provide quantifiable evidence that attacks are happening all the time to computers with Internet connections,” study author Michel Cukier of the University of Maryland said. “The computers in our study were attacked, on average, 2,244 times a day.”
“Our data provide quantifiable evidence that attacks are happening all the time to computers with Internet connections,” study author Michel Cukier of the University of Maryland said. “The computers in our study were attacked, on average, 2,244 times a day.”
In order to understand the full impact cyber security breaches can have, it is worth looking at the two terms cyber and security separately. Cyber, a 1980 abbreviation for Cybernetics, is defined by Oxford Dictionary`s Lexico as “relating to or characteristic of the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality”. Cybernetics has its etymological origin in the Greek word kubernētēs, which can literally be translated as steersman. A more unconstrained usage however allows for equivalents such as pilot, guide or governor. By this linguistic differentiation, it should be evident that cyber not only stands for virtual activity and space. Moreover, it is an attempt to describe the interactive, transcendent role we take on when engaging in and interacting with the cyberworld.
Security on the other hand has multiple semantic levels. First, colloquial speech understands security as “a state free from danger or threat” (Oxford Dictionary). An appropriate example for this would be to state travellers` security when venturing abroad or the security of one`s job, synonymous with safety. Further, it can also be interpreted as the protection or sheltering of a valuable person or good, such as for instance the security of the prime minister or security of the citizens, loosely synonymous with preservation. By the same token, security in an institutional sense denotes the organisation or body that oversees, and warrants said preservation, which would be the presidential or respectively national security in the aforementioned example. In addition, a security in the legal jargon describes a payment, asset or certificate, deposited or pledged, that serves as a guarantee for the fulfilment of binding conditions. An example for this would be to leave a house or car as a security for taking out a loan, or a security deposit when renting a flat. It is synonymous with guarantee or bond. Furthermore, security in a psychological sense indicates one`s confidence in a belief, synonymous with assurance (Collins English Dictionary, 1987).
Lastly, we also understand security as a quality with an inherent, intrinsic value for its own sake, similar to freedom or dignity. This definition is often used in the context of human rights.
How do these individual terms impact our understanding of cyber security? For one, there is a practical component. It is paramount for us to ensure the compliant handling of sensitive data by implementing regulations and standards as well as hiring the right people with extensive knowhow and experience in the field of cyber security. Over and above that, we must conform to the normative ethical guidelines. We are metaphorical steersman in the virtual sea, and it is our duty to show respect and etiquette to our fellow ships, on- and offline.
That said, privacy does not merely connote the protection of our account details and National Insurance Numbers. It must guarantee the safety and guarding of our medical records, purchase habits and social network correspondences – in a professional as well as personal backdrop.
* To assist small business owners in the safe storage of their clients` financial information and ensure their protection from cyberattacks, experts at www.creditcards.com have created a guide outlining the process of obtaining cyber insurance. They emphasise the most important things to consider when choosing a policy – such as which policy aligns best with each type of business or possible legal ramifications. You can read the full article here.