What Is Information Security (IS)?

Information security is a fancy saying, "protecting your data from hackers." It's a huge deal because if hackers get into your system and steal your stuff, they can do all kinds of nasty things—like make money off it or use it to blackmail you! Information security is the branch of computer security concerned with protecting information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction. Information security has been called a multi-billion-dollar industry that deals with risk management. It is "the process of protecting information from unauthorized access and the consequences of unauthorized disclosure". The term is often used interchangeably with data security or computer security, although those terms more accurately describe sub-domains of information security. In general, information security seeks to protect information from unintended or unwanted access by people who are not authorized to access it. In addition to information systems, this includes physical assets (such as buildings and machinery), networks (including wireless networks), computers, mobile devices like smartphones, and other electronic equipment. Information security is a risk management tool. Anything can be a risk or a threat to the CIA triad or Parkerian hexad. Must keep sensitive information - it cannot be changed, altered or transferred without permission. For example, a message could be modified during transmission by someone intercepting it before it reaches the intended recipient. Good cryptography tools can help mitigate this security threat. In terms of IS, risk management and controls are essential. The CIA triad refers to confidentiality, integrity and availability (C-I-A). These are also known as the "security pillars". A fourth pillar, accountability, was added later to cover regulatory compliance requirements such as Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) in 2002. The Parkers hexad is an expanded set of controls that includes confidentiality, integrity, availability, accountability and audibility (CIA-A).