Cyber Strategy
Cyber Secure
Cyber Operations
Cyber Response
Cyber ResilienceIn today’s world, organizations are under a bombardment of cyberattacks from hackers bent on stealing data, accessing sensitive information and wreaking havoc. As the attack surface has become more complex and resources more accessible, IT departments have been forced to situate security procedures in the same spaces where they have access to other critical assets.
This has created an IT Security vs Information Security dichotomy that is preventing organizations from achieving effective risk management and compliance with laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
This article will explain the differences between these terms, outline possible solutions to bridge this divide, and provide insight into how your organization can begin implementing collaborative measures.
In today’s world, organizations are under a bombardment of cyberattacks from hackers bent on stealing data, accessing sensitive information and wreaking havoc. As the attack surface has become more complex and resources more accessible, IT departments have been forced to situate security procedures in the same spaces where they have access to other critical assets.
This has created an IT Security vs Information Security dichotomy that is preventing organizations from achieving effective risk management and compliance with laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
This article will explain the differences between these terms, outline possible solutions to bridge this divide, and provide insight into how your organization can begin implementing collaborative measures.
What is IT Security?
Information technology (IT) security refers to the methods, tools, and people used to protect an organization’s digital assets. IT security protects computer systems, data, and network infrastructure from unauthorized access or use. IT security encompasses a wide range of disciplines that focus on defending against threats and vulnerabilities to ensure your organization’s safety. These include hardware, software, network, and user security
The IT security team focuses on threats to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of technology assets within an organization. They prevent and mitigate threats to IT systems using security policies and tools.
The most basic form of IT security is physical security, which refers to protecting your assets from unauthorized access or damage. IT security is logical security, which involves protecting data from unauthorized modification by ensuring that information is stored in a secure location and protected by strong passwords. And finally, there’s operational security, which refers to keeping confidential information between authorized users. This includes making sure employees know not to share sensitive data with outsiders.
What is Information Security?
Information security is the discipline that aims to protect information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. In the broadest terms, information security encompasses a diverse set of activities and concerns that involve ensuring information is well protected, complying with laws and regulations, and avoiding threats and vulnerabilities. It prevents unauthorized access, use, disclosure, interference, alteration, inspection, recording, or destruction of information.
Information security teams focus on ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of information assets outside the organization, typically within the context of an enterprise. It also focuses on breach detection and response, as well as control of access and usage of the assets.
There are many ways to approach information security, but they all have one thing in common: preventing unauthorized access to data. One of the most important aspects of information security is protecting a company’s critical data. This includes protecting data at rest by access control, encryption, etc., protecting data in transit using TLS/SSL encryption; and protecting data in use, such as by limiting access rights to authorized users.
What is IT Security?
Information technology (IT) security refers to the methods, tools, and people used to protect an organization’s digital assets. IT security protects computer systems, data, and network infrastructure from unauthorized access or use. IT security encompasses a wide range of disciplines that focus on defending against threats and vulnerabilities to ensure your organization’s safety.
These include hardware, software, network, and user security
The IT security team focuses on threats to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of technology assets within an organization. They prevent and mitigate threats to IT systems using security policies and tools.
The most basic form of IT security is physical security, which refers to protecting your assets from unauthorized access or damage. IT security is logical security, which involves protecting data from unauthorized modification by ensuring that information is stored in a secure location and protected by strong passwords. And finally, there’s operational security, which refers to keeping confidential information between authorized users. This includes making sure employees know not to share sensitive data with outsiders.
What is Information Security?
Information security is the discipline that aims to protect information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. In the broadest terms, information security encompasses a diverse set of activities and concerns that involve ensuring information is well protected, complying with laws and regulations, and avoiding threats and vulnerabilities. It prevents unauthorized access, use, disclosure, interference, alteration, inspection, recording, or destruction of information.
Information security teams focus on ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of information assets outside the organization, typically within the context of an enterprise. It also focuses on breach detection and response, as well as control of access and usage of the assets.
There are many ways to approach information security, but they all have one thing in common: preventing unauthorized access to data. One of the most important aspects of information security is protecting a company’s critical data. This includes protecting data at rest by access control, encryption, etc., protecting data in transit using TLS/SSL encryption; and protecting data in use, such as by limiting access rights to authorized users.
Commonalities between IT Security and Information Security
Information security and IT security are similar in many ways. Both focus on protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access, modification, or deletion. They also both involve careful planning to protect against the most common security threats, such as insider threats and hacking. But information security has a broad scope, as it covers all aspects of protecting data from loss or theft. IT security, on the other hand, focuses specifically on maintaining proper controls over network systems and platforms.
One significant difference between the two is that information security is often a straightforward process that can be implemented using just a few controls, while IT security is complex and requires more advanced knowledge and skill sets.
Commonalities between IT Security and Information Security
Information security and IT security are similar in many ways. Both focus on protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access, modification, or deletion. They also both involve careful planning to protect against the most common security threats, such as insider threats and hacking. But information security has a broad scope, as it covers all aspects of protecting data from loss or theft. IT security, on the other hand, focuses specifically on maintaining proper controls over network systems and platforms.
One significant difference between the two is that information security is often a straightforward process that can be implemented using just a few controls, while IT security is complex and requires more advanced knowledge and skill sets.
Information security professionals typically focus their work on protecting company data and assets, while IT security professionals focus their work on maintaining the physical and technical infrastructure that keeps the company running smoothly all day long. Both groups of professionals share the similar goal of protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access, modification, or deletion. However, they approach these goals differently depending on the type of data being protected. Information security professionals typically focus on securing databases, email servers, cloud-based storage solutions, social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, financial records (credit card numbers, customer credentials), etc. IT security professionals focus their work on things like wiring networks with firewalls and IDS/IPS devices to block unwanted traffic (e-mail spam) and installing encryption software to secure data at rest.
Tips for bridging the gap between Infosec and IT security
Collaboration between the two departments will go a long way in increasing security at your organization. Collaboration also helps in reducing the time required to detect and fix problems.
When working with the Infosec team, ensure they understand the IT team’s data needs.
Often, IT security teams are unaware of the threats that Infosec teams are trying to address. The result is a disconnect between the two groups. Creating a bridge between the two is key to successful program implementation. An important first step is to educate each team on the importance of the other to achieve the ultimate organization’s cybersecurity goal. Below are some other tips for bridging the gap:
Establish a Transparent Communication Medium
The gap between information security and IT security can largely be attributed to insufficient communication between both departments. In order to bridge the gap between these two groups, organizations must work to understand both sides of the issue by listening to what each side has to say. They should also make sure that both sides are able to share their perspectives freely so that they can understand one another’s concerns and views. By doing this, organizations will be able to build a more unified culture in which all members of the organization feel valued and respected by their colleagues.
Conduct Continuous Audits and Assessments
Organizational culture and cybersecurity threats are constantly changing. Existing initiatives and programs might not have the same impact that they did a few years ago. Therefore, it is important to constantly assess the gap between both cybersecurity teams to decide on what new measures or improvements are needed to foster further collaboration. Also, it is imperative for organizations to align corporate culture with continuous improvement goals and strategies.
Develop an Organizational Cybersecurity Guideline
Develop a security framework or guideline that defines your organizational goals for both information and IT security. Using this central framework will help each team get familiar with the goals of the other.
Create Joint Teams
Cross-departmental teams are best at ensuring collaboration among employees. When working on critical projects, create micro teams that consist of personnel from each team in the organization. This will help them better work together and develop good relationships.
Tips for bridging the gap between Infosec and IT security
Collaboration between the two departments will go a long way in increasing security at your organization. Collaboration also helps in reducing the time required to detect and fix problems.
When working with the Infosec team, ensure they understand the IT team’s data needs.
Often, IT security teams are unaware of the threats that Infosec teams are trying to address. The result is a disconnect between the two groups. Creating a bridge between the two is key to successful program implementation. An important first step is to educate each team on the importance of the other to achieve the ultimate organization’s cybersecurity goal. Below are some other tips for bridging the gap:
Establish a Transparent Communication Medium
The gap between information security and IT security can largely be attributed to insufficient communication between both departments. In order to bridge the gap between these two groups, organizations must work to understand both sides of the issue by listening to what each side has to say. They should also make sure that both sides are able to share their perspectives freely so that they can understand one another’s concerns and views. By doing this, organizations will be able to build a more unified culture in which all members of the organization feel valued and respected by their colleagues.
Conduct Continuous Audits and Assessments
Organizational culture and cybersecurity threats are constantly changing. Existing initiatives and programs might not have the same impact that they did a few years ago. Therefore, it is important to constantly assess the gap between both cybersecurity teams to decide on what new measures or improvements are needed to foster further collaboration. Also, it is imperative for organizations to align corporate culture with continuous improvement goals and strategies.
Develop an Organizational Cybersecurity Guideline
Develop a security framework or guideline that defines your organizational goals for both information and IT security. Using this central framework will help each team get familiar with the goals of the other.
Create Joint Teams
Cross-departmental teams are best at ensuring collaboration among employees. When working on critical projects, create micro teams that consist of personnel from each team in the organization. This will help them better work together and develop good relationships.
Conclusion
IT and information security teams have grown to work separately. Although their domain of cybersecurity is different, their end goal is similar. A smooth collaboration between IT security and information security is crucial to a successful cybersecurity program. By following the tips in this article, you can gradually bridge the divide between IT and information security teams in your organization.
Conclusion
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