Q1: Make one paragraph summary for the
following essay (no more than seven sentences)
The importance of cyber security in modern Internet age
The internet has become the integral part of today’s generation of
people; from communicating through instant messages and emails to
banking, travelling, studying and shopping, internet has touched every
aspect of life. With the growing use of the internet by people, protecting
important information has become a necessity. A computer that is not
having appropriate security controls can be infected with malicious logic and
thus any type of information can be accessed in moments. Number of
infected Web Pages and malicious websites can be seen every day that
infects the computer and allow hackers to gain illegal access to other
computer systems.
Hacking of important data, network outages, computer viruses and other
cyber related threats affect our lives that range from minor inconvenience to
serious incidents. Cyber threats can be caused due to negligence and
vulnerabilities, or unintentional accidents. Nevertheless, they can also be
planned or intentional, like hacking or access by unauthorized users. The
main objectives of such type of system attackers or hackers are to steal
confidential information, to make illegal monetary transactions, to destroy or
to change data and the like. System attackers can be terrorists, crackers or
recreational hackers. They have a variety of tools that can harm or infect the
computer; usually they use malicious logic or virus to gain unauthorized
access to a computer. Opening email attachments that carry the virus,
clicking malicious links or websites or unintentionally downloading a
dangerous program are common ways through which a computer can be
infected and data can be stolen.
As the number of data networks, digital applications, as well as internet
and mobile users are growing, so do the chances of cyber exploitation and
cyber crimes. Even a small mistake in securing data or bad social
networking can prove to be extremely dangerous. If accounts are not
properly secured, it makes easier for hackers or unauthorized users to spread
viruses or social engineered attacks that are designed to steal data and even
money. Such types of issues highlight the need for cyber security as an
essential approach in protecting and preventing data from being used
inappropriately.
In simple language, Cyber Security or Information technology security
means protecting data, networks, programs and other information from
unauthorized or unintended access, destruction or change. It can be also be
defined as all operations and activities that are undertaken to minimize
threats and any kind of vulnerabilities, and enforcing required policies for
prevention, data assurance, recovery and other cyber security related
operations. It encompasses all the mechanisms and processes that protect
digital equipment, information and records from illegal or unintended
access, manipulation or destruction.
In today’s dynamic environment, cyber security has become vital for
individuals and families, as well as organizations (such as military,
government, business houses, educational and financial institutions,
corporations and others) that collect and store a wide range of confidential
data on computers and transmit that to other computers across different
networks. For families, protection of children and family members from
cyber crime has become substantially important. For an individual,
protecting information that could impact social life as well as personal
finance is essential. The internet has provided a wide array of learning
opportunities, but there are risks too. Photos, videos and other personal
information shared by an individual on social networking sites such as
Facebook, Twitter can be inappropriately used by others may lead to serious
and even life-threatening incidents. Social networking sites have become the
most popular medium for sharing information and connecting with other
people. But these sites have created varied opportunities for cyber crimes,
compromised personal identities and information leakage. Therefore, it is
important for individuals to understand how to protect against cyber threats,
and must also comprehend the difference between virtual and real world.
One should learn how to protect computers and personal information from
being hacked and should engage in appropriate online behaviour in order to
eliminate changes of cyber threats and thereby creating a safer online
environment.
Business organizations, mainly small and medium-size face critical
challenges in protecting data. Limited financial and technological resources
make it difficult for them to upgrade security system and to stay updated
with technology. However, better awareness towards cyber security and
proper planning can prove to be very beneficial for such business
organizations in protecting their information and trade secrets from being
disclosed. Many small business organizations are now taking initiatives to
protect their information from being accessed illegally.
Cyber security is equally important for local, state, and central
government as these organizations maintain a huge amount of confidential
data and records concerning the country and its citizens. Yet several
government organizations face difficulty in protecting data because of
inadequate secured infrastructure, limited funding and lack of security
awareness. Stealing of confidential data or sensitive information, digital by
terrorists from government organizations, as well as digital spying can lead
to serious threats on a country. For this reason, cyber security is of
paramount importance for government organizations also and is a vital asset
to the nation
The increasing use of the internet and social media has made cyber
security even more important that it was before. Growing cyber threats such
as data theft, phishing scams and other cyber vulnerabilities demand that
users should remain vigilant about protecting data. It is essential to
understand the varied type of risks and vulnerabilities that exists in the
Internet world. For every user, it is important to think before connecting to
someone using online medium. Users should also think prior to sharing any
information with other users through the internet.
