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Introduction
Introduction
Understanding the core objectives of Information Security — Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (C.I.A) is crucial. This post explores what information needs protection and why it’s vital to keep it secure. For a deeper dive into the 'Why,' refer to our previous post, “Why is information security so important?”
Defining What to Protect
Defining What to Protect
Identifying what to secure is the first step in a robust security strategy. Whether it's trade secrets, customer data, or personal information, understanding the value of different data types helps prioritize our protective efforts.
Business Information
Business Information
Protecting business information that enables profitability is crucial. This includes secret recipes, vendor details, contracts, paychecks, employee and customer information, financial reports, budgets, marketing plans, and access details to various resources. Each example spans sub-sectors and involves many computerized systems across the organization.
Personal Information
Personal Information
Personal information to protect includes medical information, financial status, marital status, lifestyles, habits, credentials, access details, locations, private works, sensitive images, and private conversations. These examples clarify what falls under sensitive information that needs protection.
Personal Data & Information by Law
Personal Data & Information by Law
Almost every country has privacy laws defining personal data. The European GDPR is a stringent regulation that includes information related to identified or identifiable individuals, such as names, location, ID numbers, genetic and financial information, and cultural or social identity. It also covers digital information like email addresses and digital identifiers like cookies or IP addresses.
What Information Do We Have to Protect?
What Information Do We Have to Protect?
Sometimes, protecting data is required by law or standards like ISO/IEC 27001. This international standard helps organizations achieve a higher maturity level in Information Security with a dedicated management system and controls, indicating serious commitment to Information Security.
Why Is It Important to Distinguish What Requires Protection?
Why Is It Important to Distinguish What Requires Protection?
Information Security can be challenging, and resources are limited. Early in the process, it’s crucial to understand what information needs protection, as not all information can be protected at the same security level. If your business plan includes retaining personal or sensitive information, prepare accordingly.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Understanding what information we need to protect and why it's crucial sets the foundation for strong cybersecurity practices. As we delve deeper into the 'Where' and 'How' of protecting data in future posts, remember: robust security begins with clear objectives. Stay informed and proactive about your data security.
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