Cybersecurity vs Information Security

Cybersecurity and Information security sound like the same words. But, there is a quite difference between them. Although these terms are relatively used for the purpose of safeguarding the network from data breach and the information breach. Some people like to swap the two terms but few people like to keep the terms as specific. In simple words, Information security and cybersecurity are closely linked, but not the same, though they are usually thought synonyms and often used interchangeably.

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Cybersecurity vs Information Security: Which is Better?

Firstly, let us know, what is data and What is Information?

What is Data?

Not every data can be information. Data can be called as information when it is interpreted in the context and provides meaningful information. For example, 2468 is data and if you find that these are the even numbers, then it can be termed as information. 

What is Information?

Yes, there is a significant difference between information and data. While not all information can be data and not all data can be information. In simple, we can say Information is processed data.  So, then what is Information security?

Now let's see in this Cybersecurity vs Information Security article, Information security defenition

What is Information security?

Information security is about protecting the information, typically considering the aspects of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA). The Center for Cyber and Information security defines that information security is a process of protecting the information and the information systems against unauthorized access, disruption, modification, or use for offering confidentiality, integrity, and availability. 

Confidentiality: It refers to preserving the unauthorized restrictions on access and disclose, including the means for safeguarding the proprietary information.

Integrity: It refers to defending against inappropriate information destruction or modification, including to ensure information authenticity and non-repudiation.

Availability: It refers to ensure reliable and timely access to the use of information.

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is a practice of protecting the networks, devices, programs, and data from cyber threats and also from unauthorized access. It secures the data and also the resources and technologies that are used to store the data. Also deals with protecting the Information and Communication Technology termed as ICT security.

The above image describes the relationship between Information security, Cybersecurity, and ICT security.

The right side of the Venn diagram represents the Cybersecurity that includes the things that are vulnerable through ICT. That means, it includes both forms of information, digital, and physical things such as devices, networks, servers, etc.

The left side of the Venn diagram represents Information security that includes both analog and digital information. Although IT security pertains to the protection of Information Technologies. So, there is no practical difference between ICT  security and IT security. In that case, ICT security can be viewed as IT.

In the above Venn diagram, we can see that Cybersecurity involves everything that can be accessed through cyberspace. So, the information is also present in the cyber area and therefore, the part of the cyber area that has information will come under information security. 

According to ICT security, the alternative definition of Cybersecurity is anything that is not protected by ICT security is managed by Cybersecurity.

Frequency Asked Cyber Security Interview Questions

Difference between Cybersecurity and Information Security

On a clear note, Let’s see the differences between Information security and Cybersecurity in different terms.