What is cybersecurity architecture? Cybersecurity architecture is a type of unified system which seeks to address the potential threats and risks or necessities which exist in a particular scenario or environment. The system design of cybersecurity architecture is also used to specify when and where to install security controls. In this world of technology and computers, the internet has become part of our day-to-day life. Various activities ranging from online banking, online shopping, sending and receiving emails, social networking, downloading stuff, online businesses, and many more are all done on the internet. This leaves us with a question of whether it is secure to do all these things on the internet, which is not regulated, and that one can get into or out of very easily without a trace. Using the internet involves many risks and threats to our daily activities and even lives. This raises the alarm about how one can protect himself/herself from these risks. There are many risks involved when it comes to cyber security, and these include hacking, phishing, malware attacks, pharming, botnets, spam and fraud, worms, Trojan horses, viruses, and spoofing, among many others.
Cybersecurity has been an issue of paramount interest over the course of some years up to date. Companies all over the world are affected by the issue of cybersecurity as everyone is prone to attack by cybercriminals. Large companies face the largest threat of a cyber-attack mainly because they deal with huge amounts of money. This does not necessarily mean that small companies and individuals cannot be pursued by cyber criminals. Cybercriminals may attack small businesses mostly because managers do not think that their companies are worth much to be corrupted by cyber criminals. This is the loophole that cybercriminals use to mostly attack small companies and entities. One thing is for sure, that cybercrime is not ending soon but will advance and become more sophisticated and hence the need to install security controls that will help protect businesses. The risks and vulnerabilities involved put the companies’ financial situations in a compromising position yet still endangering the future of these companies.
The risks and threats involved in cybersecurity architecture are many. These risks are explained in the following lines. One of the most vicious risks is hacking. Hacking is a process where a malicious person tries to attain unauthorized access to another person’s computer. Hacking may be successful or not, depending on how strong a person’s computer is. The stronger the combination, the longer it might take to crack that combination. Phishing is the use of fake emails, texts, and websites that look like those from authentic companies. These fake websites are used to collect personal details and passwords, which help criminals steal financial and personal details about someone or a company.
Malware is an attack carried out by a cybercriminal to try and expose a system’s weaknesses. It can be in terms of computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, and such. A malware attack is meant to infect a computer’s functioning system by deleting files or carrying out commands from a cybercriminal. Spam is a form of unsolicited texts, emails, pornography pictures, and all the other junk that is unwanted. They are used to share links useful in phishing or spoofing or even share malware that threatens the privacy of an individual. Another risk that faces companies and most firms is the risk of internal human attack. Employees can aid an attack most likely because they can easily be intimidated or enticed. Managers, therefore, need to be on high alert about the issue of employees facilitating cybercrime in the company.
With all these risks and threats, managers of companies and individuals require to take caution and protect themselves and their companies from external or internal attacks. Installing stronger passwords and avoiding clicking unknown links and files can help promote security control over one’s data.
