One of the large-scale global problems in the field of economics and national data protection is currently the cybersecurity of all instances from viruses, since they affect the storage of information, as well as other aspects of security when connected to the Internet. Malicious programs almost always try to attack insecure resources. But remember that protection is not just a word. It has a more structured character, since it includes information security standards that are regulated at the international and national levels.
What is information security and why are standards important?
The Internet is complex both technologically and politically, because the parties concerned are involved in technical disciplines and national boundaries. One of the peculiarities of the cybersecurity problem is that although cyberspace is large-scale, but one for all, but the people themselves, protected by constitutional rights, differing in cultural norms and legal institutions, are different. Consequently, laws are defined by contractual or geographical boundaries. So, being in a completely different country, hackers may well steal other people's data.
Numerous information security standards have been established to maintain a high level of cybersecurity. Data security is a priority for any state. The fact is that the use of personal data by crackers does serious harm to ordinary citizens.
On a global scale, the problem takes on the most dangerous character, since the interests of the whole country are involved. Therefore, various information security technologies were specially developed to help organizations reduce the risk of hacking using protection. The latter, in turn, meets the legislative and regulatory requirements of the state or the world.
Types of Information Systems
The components that regulate information interact with each other, intersect and often act as a whole. The architecture of information systems, like any other, is easier to consider in a structured way. First of all, it is necessary for grouping a large number of databases, providing a simplified information system consisting of only three components:
- Data management. Information comes here and is divided by type.
- Business logic establishes criteria for sorting data, processing it, and using it later. At the same time, various programming languages are involved.
- The user interface facilitates the task for human perception, because he sees only the final data on the screen: fields, tables, files, etc.
Each of the components interacts with each other, forming a full-fledged architecture that answers a number of direct questions about what the system does, how it interacts and what is divided. It is this knowledge that hackers use, skillfully involving theoretical knowledge during hacking.
International standard
Security technology does not keep pace with the rapid development of IT, making systems, data and users themselves vulnerable to common and innovative security threats. Politically or financially motivated criminals, cybercriminals, or simply careless authorized users are threats to systems and technologies that could adversely affect the entire information space in the future, affecting national economies, healthcare, privacy, and politics.
At the moment, it is impossible to stop all attacks, however, standards in the field of information security help reduce risks, minimizing the success of hacks and reducing the effectiveness of attacks.
Global standards are formed in such a way that all countries take part in them and come to the most effective solution:
- Direct participation. Stakeholders from any organization, industry or country have the opportunity to directly participate in the development of global and open standards for cybersecurity.
- Wide consensus. Development covers a wide range of stakeholders around the world, and no person or organization should have sole authority.
- Transparency. Cybersecurity activities must be globally transparent, accountable and widely recognized.
Information system security standards enhance data protection and help manage risks in a variety of ways. They help to establish the general requirements and opportunities necessary for making decisions in this area.
The two most important standards are ISO 17799, which deals with process safety, and the Common Criteria, which regulates the safety of technical products.
ISO 17799
ISO 17799 is becoming an increasingly popular standard for implementing security policies. It is a comprehensive set of controls that incorporates best practices in cybersecurity. This standard is universal, as it is recognized worldwide.
The increased interest of countries has led to the fact that certification according to ISO 17799, provided by various accredited bodies, has become the goal of many corporations, government agencies and other organizations around the world. ISO 17799 offers a convenient framework that helps people adjust their safety to an international standard.
Most of ISO 17799 focuses on security management elements defined as practices, procedures or mechanisms. They can protect against threats, reduce vulnerability, limit and detect the impact of unwanted intrusions, and facilitate recovery.
Some tools are aimed at exclusive management and protection policy so that information security and information protection remain untouched by crackers. Others are implementing, providing, and correcting identified operational deficiencies. It should be noted that these controls relate to mechanisms and procedures that are used by people, not systems.
Common critery
Common Criteria (ISO 15408) is the only globally recognized safety standard for electronic products. The process of evaluating the Common Criteria has changed significantly and began to take place more strictly: if earlier they turned a blind eye to minor errors, then now any error is immediately sent for revision.
The purpose of the CC specification is to provide greater confidence in the security of IT products through the results of evaluations and operations.
International Standards Development Organizations
The Institute of Standards for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE-SA) develops standards in many areas, including information technology, telecommunications, and electricity generation. For example, IEEE-SA is a committee for standardizing more than 802 local area networks (LANs) and metropolitan areas (MANs).
Various working groups within the committee are developing widely used standards for many types of technology networks: Ethernet, wireless LAN, Bluetooth and WiMAX. These standards include security features embedded in wireless protocols.
National Standard for the Regulation of Information Security Terms
The preferred standard that is responsible for the basic terminology in the field of security is considered to be GOST R 50922-2006. It is he who is endowed with all the necessary definitions that should be used during the execution of official statements and documents. They are used not only in the political and legal sphere, but also in the scientific and educational literature as standard terms.
National Information Security Standards
Unfortunately, Russian cybersecurity is not strictly regulated, covering far from all areas. However, the most effective information security standards of the country should be noted:
- GOST R ISO 17799. Regulates the confidentiality of information, designates the basis for its use, organization for groups of persons responsible for the storage, access and protection of information.
- GOST R ISO 27001. Designates a strict framework, the structure by which the degree of security of a particular technology is evaluated. It should be noted that each of them has its own minimum degree of protection.
- GOST ISO IEC 15408. Helps to conduct a full assessment of the degree of security of a particular technology based on the criteria provided.
Standardization of minimum security is necessary for the full performance of many organizations, as it protects against the risk of introducing malicious viruses and programs.
Standards Difference
Information security standards differ in how they are regulated. Accordingly, standards may be optional and binding.
Optional standards are established on a voluntary basis, created by volunteers, caring residents and are intended for the additional use of regulatory organizations.
Mandatory are those standards whose use is prescribed by the regulatory body or implementing organization. They are usually implemented through laws and regulations.
Interoperability of Security Standards
When technologies, processes and management methods of organizations are combined and intersect with each other, several standards come into play at once. At the same time, information security and information protection of organizations becomes much stronger, since every error is thoroughly studied. However, it should be understood that when using several standards, some may impose requirements that are contrary to others.
Standards interact in several ways:
- Some standards complement each other, support or strengthen the requirements of another. For example, ISO often publishes multi-component standards, where each part is a separately developed volume covering various aspects of security.
- Some standards may conflict with each other. For example, existing inconsistencies or inconsistencies between standards lead to issues such as technological incompatibility or legal inconsistencies.
- Other standards are discrete - they do not have a direct influence on each other.
- There are also gaps in standards. They usually appear due to the progressive development of technologies that do not have time to regulate in time with new standards.
Information Security Technology
Network security. Used to prevent unauthorized users or intruders from entering the network. This type of security is necessary to prevent the hacker from accessing data within the network.
Internet security. It includes protection of information sent and received in browsers, and also deals with network security using web applications. This technology is designed to monitor incoming Internet traffic and view for malware. Protection is used against firewalls, malware and spyware.
The endpoint of security. Provides protection at the level of devices that can be protected by endpoint security (mobile phones, tablets and laptops). Endpoint security prevents devices from accessing malicious networks that pose a threat to the organization.
Cloud security. Applications and data in them are moved to the cloud, where users connect directly to the Internet and are not protected in the traditional way. For security in the cloud, a cloud access security broker (CASB), a secure Internet gateway (SIG), and cloud-based specialized threat management (UTM) are often used.
Application Security Applications are specially encoded during creation to ensure maximum protection, eliminating gaps during development and third-party malicious programs.