What’s the difference between cyber security and data security? Should I invest in both or not? - Smart Eye Technology (2024)

• October 27, 2019
• by Smart Eye Technology

Most people often think of cyber security and data security (also known as ‘information security’) as synonymous. These terms are used interchangeably and we have heard of them a lot. In many ways they are related but there are distinct differences between the two. Let’s review some important areas of both so we can distinguish them from each other in the future.

Data Security

Data security is also known as information security. It is mostly concerned with ‘CIA’. Not the agency, ‘CIA’ stands forconfidentiality, integrity and availability. Data security is concerned with the fact that your data should remain confidential, its integrity should not be compromised and it should be available for the people who have the right to view it and no one else. Nowadays, most of the business data of any organization is electronically saved and is kept on servers, laptops, desktops or on a cloud. But just 10 years ago, this was not the case. Most of the data, at that time, was physically stored in cabinets and warehouses. Some confidential data still remains in that form.

Cyber Security

Cyber security is concerned with the data that is found in digital form. It is concerned with the identification of critical data, where is it kept and the security measures and technology needed to keep it safe.

Overlaps between the Two

There are common features between cyber security and data security.

In the time before digital documentation, data was kept in filing cabinets and warehouses. To secure that data, physical security was put in place around the data to prevent someone from coming in and going through or making away with the data. As more and more data is converted into the digital form, the need for physical security becomes less and less, but some form of it still remains. You cannot put a lock on your computers and laptops, but you CAN put locks on your server room. So whether we’re talking about data security or cyber security, it will involve physical security to some extent.

Data is King

If you are going for data security, your major concern is that no one gets access to your company’s data in any unauthorized manner. And if you are trying for cyber security, your major responsibility is to make sure that no one tampers with your electronic data in any unauthorized manner. There’s the tiny distinction to it, but the main focus of both types of security is the data. They both recognize that the data is one of the most essential and vital parts of the organization. If you are a data security specialist, you will find yourself helping out the cyber security specialist on numerous occasions and vice versa.

The Future of Cyber Security and Data Security

As more time passes, the distinctions between cyber security and data security are becoming less and less black and white. The problem arises because most companies have cyber security specialists in their teams but no data security specialists, so the work of both the professionals has to be done by one person. The problem is created as cyber security specialists have the latest information and experience about technology, firewalls and protection systems, but they don’t have the knowledge about data evaluation business.

Change is Coming

Realizing the above problems, many companies are changing the way they see their security. As data security is as important to them as cyber security, both the fields are evolving and fast merging into one big field and all-encompassingdata security systemsare developing at breakneck speed. People are making sure that their data is being completely and properly protected.

Conclusion

Although both these fields started out different, they are merging quickly and becoming more and more advanced. Basically, the questions that both cyber security and data security professionals answer are the same:
• How do we protect our data?
• How do we define critical electronic data and protect it?