Information security - InfoSec - covers all business-related tools and processes to protect data and information, from network and infrastructure security to testing and auditing.
All business-related data, from information on products or services provided, customer and employee data, among other confidential information, is available in the systems used by the business. A simple security breach within the business can result in irreparable damage and huge losses.
Information security is represented by some basic principles with different characteristics such as confidentiality, integrity, and availability relative to the data and information of each business.
Confidentiality, meaning that data and information can only be accessed and updated by employees or authorized persons.
Integrity, in relation to the maintenance and preservation of information and data in a complete, intact and correct manner against any type of fraud, modification or elimination.
Availability, regarding the guarantee of accessibility to the systems responsible for the delivery, storage and processing of data and information, by employees or authorized persons, through any device connected to the company's system, whenever necessary.
Detection of software vulnerabilities
Regular software updates are very important as many of the attacks that arise against companies are due to vulnerabilities in the security of the systems. Through the absence or low frequency of updates, the possibility of access to the systems by hackers or malicious people becomes greater. It is essential that companies have the ability to detect vulnerabilities in all systems used so that the necessary measures can be taken to prevent potential attacks and unauthorized access from occurring.
Backup of data and information
The backup is an indispensable mechanism in case of hardware failure, installation of malware by hackers among other situations that make it impossible to access data and information. One of the important steps regarding backup is the existing storage capacity and how often that data needs to be stored because for some smaller companies a daily backup may be sufficient and in larger companies, with constantly changing data, the backup may need to be performed several times a day.
Access control
Implementing internal measures to control access in businesses can help keep data and information safe. There are physical methods and logical methods that can naturally be combined to increase security. With regard to physical methods, measures can be taken to control access to company premises, such as installing video surveillance, access codes, or biometrics to enter restricted areas.
With regard to logical methods, control can be achieved through authentication as a way to verify the identity of the user through different means such as passwords, tokens, biometrics, security certificates or ACLs (Access control lists).
It is of crucial that businesses have the ability to preserve and safeguard the security of their data and information so that it is never exposed, in order to avoid interruptions in workflow, irreparable damage and losses.