What is Cyber Security and why do businesses and people desperately need Cyber Security Management? Check out Aventis’s MSC courses here.
“Cybersecurity Definition”
Cyber security refers to the body of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect networks, devices, programs, and data from attack, damage, or unauthorized access. Cyber security may also be referred to as information technology security.
The Importance of Cyber Security
“Cyber security is absolutely essential if we are to become a smart nation. You can’t have electronic medical records; you can’t have financial technology; you can’t have large databases with information that could be abused or misused; you can’t afford a breach of privacy. So the way I look at it, cyber security is the flip side of the coin of being a smart nation. ” —Vivian Balakrishnan, Foreign Affairs Minister and Minister-In-Charge of the Smart Nation Initiative
Cyber security is important because government, military, corporate, financial, and medical organisations collect, process, and store unprecedented amounts of data on computers and other devices. A significant portion of that data can be sensitive information, whether that be intellectual property, financial data, personal information, or other types of data for which unauthorized access or exposure could have negative consequences. Organisations transmit sensitive data across networks and to other devices in the course of doing businesses, and cyber security describes the discipline dedicated to protecting that information and the systems used to process or store it. As the volume and sophistication of cyber attacks grow, companies and organisations, especially those that are tasked with safeguarding information relating to national security, health, or financial records, need to take steps to protect their sensitive business and personnel information. As early as March 2013, the nation’s top intelligence officials cautioned that cyber attacks and digital spying are the top threat to national security, eclipsing even terrorism.
What are the Benefits of Cyber Security?
The benefits of implementing and maintaining cybersecurity practices include:
- Business protection against cyberattacks and data breaches.
- Protection for data and networks.
- Prevention of unauthorized user access.
- Improved recovery time after a breach.
- Protection for end users and endpoint devices.
- Regulatory compliance.
- Business continuity.
- Improved confidence in the company’s reputation and trust for developers, partners, customers, stakeholders and employees.
Singapore’s Approach to Cyber Security
As Singapore harnesses digital technology to improve lives and livelihoods for all, cybersecurity has become a necessity and key enabler for Singapore’s digital economy and Singaporeans’ digital way of life. Developed in consultation with ministries, government agencies, industry, and local and overseas academia, the updated strategy – coming five years after the launch of the first strategy in 2016 – seeks to address new and emerging cyber threats in the wake of strategic and technological shifts. These shifts include the opportunities and cyber risks brought about by emerging technologies, such as edge computing and quantum computing, that are potentially disruptive; growing cyber-physical risks as cyber disruptions can spill over to the physical domain; ubiquitous digital connectivity that expands the attack surface; and increasing geopolitical tensions in cyberspace.
The Singapore Cybersecurity Strategy 2021 comprises three strategic pillars and two foundational enablers
• Strategic Pillar 1: Build Resilient Infrastructure
• Strategic Pillar 2: Enable a Safer Cyberspace
• Strategic Pillar 3: Enhance International Cyber Cooperation
• Foundational Enabler 1: Develop a Vibrant Cybersecurity Ecosystem
• Foundational Enabler 2: Grow a Robust Cyber Talent Pipeline
With Singapore’s focus on cyber security, we find that the best way to approach cybersecurity is to be proactive instead of reactive when threats or breaches take place.
Aventis can help you take the first proactive step through our cyber security masters and cyber security course. Find the right programme for you.
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