Information protection is the process of reducing risks by installing secure systems to eliminate or reduce vulnerabilities which could be exploited to gain unauthorised access to sensitive business or personal information. It also incorporates a variety of technology solutions, including firewalls, antivirus and encryption to protect against harm caused by information theft or loss. This area is often referred to as InfoSec and has evolved into a highly-specialized field that covers everything from security of networks and infrastructure to auditing and testing.
Whatever the size or nature of the business, every organization holds a significant amount of sensitive information. This could include names, Social Security Numbers, credit card numbers or other account details. It may also contain employee records, and other private information. In the wrong hands the information could be used to commit identity theft or fraud and can cause irreparable damage to the reputation of a business.
A robust strategy for information protection is essential to protect an organization from breaches and ensure compliance with the law. It is important to remember that information security is based on three fundamentals: confidentiality, availability, and integrity.
Confidentiality means protecting data from unauthorized disclosure and only allowing people who are authorized to access it. This can be accomplished through simple measures like making sure that passwords are secure and regularly modifications, and using encryption to scramble information so it is only accessible to only those who have the key or using messaging platforms that protect your messages. Information protection also includes the ability to ensure that data is always accessible and can be restored in the event that a disaster occurs or an equipment fails. This can be accomplished by backups and archiving solutions.
