Today marks a new date for World Cybersecurity Day. Beyond being just another day, we can allow ourselves to reflect a little on the subject.
Cybersecurity tends to be a rather abstract concept for most of us, and as a result, it is often relegated to the background, without being given the importance it deserves.Today, information technologies have totally invaded us and as a global collective we are not knowing how to deal with its effects and consequences.
Everything is connected, everything can be handled remotely, the amounts of information that are generated and handled are exorbitant and as a result the world has been transformed into a gigantic network of electronic devices that talk to each other, in many cases, with human beings as mere spectators.in the beginning were computers; but they were controlled, locked up in high-tech laboratories, managed only by an elite of technicians and scientists, who used them for academic, military and research purposes. But that didn't last long; soon after, the use of computers spread to the commercial field, and gradually they invaded different areas. Until two things happened that would change our destinies: the personal computer appeared and some time later, the use of the Internet became widespread.
Fundamentally the latter was the tipping point; the Internet is the amalgamating agent, through which we have achieved this permanent hyper-connectivity between computing devices and also many of the things we use on a daily basis. At the same time, the Internet acts as a gigantic magnifying lens for everything we already did before it existed.
Our capabilities have grown enormously; it is possible to handle extraordinary amounts of data in ridiculously short times; the speed at which news travels has grown to make it almost instantaneous in many cases; searches for information on any subject are trivial, communication is instantaneous regardless of where the parties are, it is possible to do things remotely that previously required physical presence, and so we could go on naming increased capabilities. It is as if our hands, eyes and ears have grown to reach the entire planet, and furthermore, as if our brains have an infinite capacity to memorize, deduce and process information.
Now, up to this point we have only talked about tools. The Internet, information systems and everything else that is interconnected are tools, just as much as a hammer or a shovel. Therefore, we cannot assign them characteristics of good or evil. In fact, within the increased capabilities that these tools give us, there is the ability to steal from a distance, being able to access bank accounts and transfer money, or to access classified documents and learn secrets, there is the ability to deceive and defraud through emails, or to hijack systems and data and then ask for ransom, and like these, so many others. Nothing is new: studying, working, communicating, stealing, swindling and kidnapping.
We human beings have been developing all these activities since time immemorial. It's just that for some time now, we have super-powers, if we compare our current capabilities with those we had until no more than 20 or 30 years ago, and in many cases much less.In the midst of all this, the concept of cyberspace arises. With multiple definitions, and long associated with science fiction, one that seems quite generally accepted, is the one that defines it as the set of interconnected devices and things, the systems that run on them, the communications that link them and the services provided and the processes that run from their availability. Clearly, it arises from the union between digital automatic data processing and telecommunications.
Today, more than just conventional computers make up this universe; many everyday objects have been modified to give them different (often unnecessary) information processing and communication capabilities. From household appliances to automobiles, toys, security cameras and various other household devices, many of these objects now have an "active" presence on the Internet. All this, without considering the element that perhaps has more impact when thinking about explosive growth and security problems: mobile phones, with computing capabilities superior in many cases to large computers of a few decades ago, smartphones have put in the hands of each of us an access point to the great network of networks. From these, we have capabilities similar to those we could have from a conventional computer, with the convenience of portability in a pocket format.
This has only further complicated a scenario that was already quite complicated, in terms of risks to the information of organizations and individuals who are integrated into it. Although there are other reasons, the ability to obtain money easily and in huge amounts for an individual scale, is the main engine that has driven the information security problems that we are and will continue to face.
Cybersecurity is about how we protect our information in cyberspace, while remaining part of it. Technology is a very important component when it comes to defenses, but by itself it is not enough. Let's remember that it is a tool, a very powerful tool, but a tool nonetheless. It is we, human beings, who are responsible for using it properly and thus defending ourselves from those who use it to abuse our rights as citizens of the world.
Author: Hugo Köncke - Security Advisor Uruguay Consulting Manager
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