Information Security: what is it?

Information Security (InfoSec) refers to the set of actions, processes, means and technologies adopted to secure digital information and ensure its effective and efficient use. Information Security is applied to the entire process of information governance: from the data storage , to the transfer of data between two devices, to the storage of data in a protected (physical and virtual) location.

The data in question, owned by organizations and/or individuals, are all the sensitive information (contacts, invoices, contractual documents, etc.) that we store daily on electronic devices, such as computers and laptops, or in virtual clouds. A proper management of the information allows the security in terms of availability, confidentiality and integrity: this means that the data must not be accessible to unauthorized persons (Confidentiality), must be complete and not subject to undesirable changes (Integrity) and must always be available to the user (Availability).

In essence, the main objective of Information Security is to secure a large amount of institutional, corporate and private information through specific prevention and defense mechanisms, such as access control systems, vaults, etc.

Information Security vs Cybersecurity: what are the differences?

Although they are often used as synonyms, Information Security and Cyber Security are actually different concepts. Cyber Security is the sub-category of Information Security that deals with evaluating the resilience, robustness and responsiveness that a technology must possess to overcome risks and threats to its operation. These vulnerabilities, if left undetected, could cause direct or indirect damage to information systems rich in sensitive information, compromising their operation and security.

Therefore, when we talk about Cyber Security we are not only referring to the place (physical and digital) where the data resides, but also to the criminal attack techniques that could compromise its integrity. The risk, inevitably, is higher in situations of poor network protection, such as working from home: the home network, in fact, could be more exposed, as it is not always equipped with adequate protection measures of the terminal.

Information Security: how to defend your confidential information?

Data and confidential information represent one of the most precious assets of companies and thus they need an adequate protection. In fact, a data leak can have highly damaging consequences for a company: we are talking about damage to the reputation and image of the organization, compromise of intellectual property and financial penalties, such as fines.

To protect them, it is advisable to design a multi-layered defense strategy and introduce consistent actions to secure them. This strategy should include assessing, detecting and monitoring the critical and risk areas most susceptible to possible cyber attacks.

In practice, we recommend data back ups, storage in a physical location with fire protection, video surveillance and a sprinkler system, and in secure clouds. For added security, we recommend Tape Vaulting, which allows you to keep a copy of confidential and sensitive information in a highly secure physical location (such as a vault with gas sprinkler system). The more diversified are the protection actions introduced, the higher will be the security level and the mitigation of threats.

OMTRA S.r.l. Benefit Company offers Tape Vaulting and Information Governance services to multinationals, SMEs, Professional Associations and Government Agencies of various countries around the world, present in Italy for over 65 years. Entrust us with your data, we will take care of securing them!