What is a Computer Network?

First thing first, what is a computer network? A computer network is a series of connection points (nodes) that
enables us to transmit, receive and share data in the form of different file formats. It helps us to communicate
with each other and share necessary documents virtually.
Let's see the different types of computer networks. Four major types with areas that they cover are given
below:

Types of Networks The range they spread over

Local Area Network (LAN) Spreads over a building or office area
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) Large network of government, individuals, and private
companies
Personal Area Network (PAN) Has a range of 10 meters (Individuals and devices)
Wide Area Network (WAN) Spreads overstate or countries

Applications of computer network

Computer Network has many advantages in a myriad of domains. We have provided you with some of the
popular uses across domains:

E-commerce Buying and selling items online

Communicatio
n Video calls
e-mails
File transfer
Gaming Quiz games
Information on the World Wide Web (www) helps
Education students

Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer Networking

The computer network is defined as a set of interconnected autonomous systems that facilitate distributed
processing of information. It results in better performance with a high speed of processing.
Advantages of Network:
These are the main advantages of Computer Networks:
Central Storage of Data –
Files can be stored on a central node (the file server) that can be shared and made available to each and every
user in an organization.
Anyone can connect to a computer network –
There is a negligible range of abilities required to connect to a modern computer network. The effortlessness of
joining makes it workable for even youthful kids to start exploiting the data.
Ease of accessibility
Modern computer networks are easy to explore. So, even if you are a kid or a person new to technology, you'll
find it easy to connect.
Flexibility
Here, flexibility means that different people will be able to explore different things as per their requirements.
For this purpose, computer networks provide you a wide array of choices to share a particular piece of
information. For example, e-mail or messaging apps like Whatsapp. So, there is flexibility for different users.
Faster Problem-solving –
Since an extensive procedure is disintegrated into a few littler procedures and each is taken care of by all the
associated gadgets, an explicit issue can be settled in lesser time.
Reliability –
Reliability implies backing up information. Due to some reason equipment crashes, and so on, the information
gets undermined or inaccessible on one PC, another duplicate of similar information is accessible on another
workstation for future use, which prompts smooth working and further handling without interruption.
It is highly flexible –
This innovation is known to be truly adaptable, as it offers clients the chance to investigate everything about
fundamental things, for example, programming without influencing their usefulness.
Security through Authorization –
Security and protection of information are additionally settled through the system. As just the system clients are
approved to get to specific records or applications, no other individual can crack the protection or security of
information.
It boosts storage capacity –
Since you will share data, records, and assets with other individuals, you need to guarantee all information and
substance are legitimately put away in the framework. With this systems administration innovation, you can do
the majority of this with no issue, while having all the space you require for capacity.

Disadvantages of Network:
These are the main disadvantages of Computer Networks:
It lacks robustness –
If a PC system’s principal server separates, the whole framework would end up futile. Also, if it has a bridging
device or a central linking server that fails, the entire network would also come to a standstill. To manage these
issues, gigantic systems ought to have a ground-breaking PC to fill in as a document server to influence setting
up and keeping up the system less demanding.
It lacks independence –
PC organizing includes a procedure that is worked utilizing PCs, so individuals will depend on a greater amount
of PC work, rather than applying an exertion for their jobs that needs to be done. Besides this, they will be
subject to the primary document server, which implies that, in the event that it separates, the framework would
end up futile, making clients inactive.
Virus and Malware –
On the off chance that even one PC on a system gets contaminated with an infection, there is a possibility for
alternate frameworks to get tainted as well. Infections can spread on a system effectively, in view of the
availability of different gadgets.
Cost of the network –
The expense of executing the system including cabling and equipment can be expensive.

COMPUTER NETWORK TYPES

A computer network is a group of computers linked to each other that enables the computer to communicate
with another computer and share their resources, data, and applications.
A computer network can be categorized by their size. A computer network is mainly of four types:

o LAN(Local Area Network)

 o PAN(Personal Area Network)
o MAN(Metropolitan Area Network)
o WAN(Wide Area Network)
LAN(Local Area Network)
o Local Area Network is a group of computers connected to each other in a small area such as building,
office.
o LAN is used for connecting two or more personal computers through a communication medium such as
twisted pair, coaxial cable, etc.
o It is less costly as it is built with inexpensive hardware such as hubs, network adapters, and ethernet
cables.
o The data is transferred at an extremely faster rate in Local Area Network.
o Local Area Network provides higher security.

PAN(Personal Area Network)

o Personal Area Network is a network arranged within an individual person, typically within a range of 10
meters.
o Personal Area Network is used for connecting the computer devices of personal use is known as
Personal Area Network.
o Thomas Zimmerman was the first research scientist to bring the idea of the Personal Area Network.
o Personal Area Network covers an area of 30 feet.
o Personal computer devices that are used to develop the personal area network are the laptop, mobile
phones, media player and play stations.

There are two types of Personal Area Network:

o Wired Personal Area Network

o Wireless Personal Area Network

Wireless Personal Area Network: Wireless Personal Area Network is developed by simply using wireless
technologies such as WiFi, Bluetooth. It is a low range network.

MAN(Metropolitan Area Network)

 o A metropolitan area network is a network that covers a larger geographic area by interconnecting a
different LAN to form a larger network.
o Government agencies use MAN to connect to the citizens and private industries.
o In MAN, various LANs are connected to each other through a telephone exchange line.
o The most widely used protocols in MAN are RS-232, Frame Relay, ATM, ISDN, OC-3, ADSL, etc.
o It has a higher range than Local Area Network(LAN).

Uses Of Metropolitan Area Network:

o MAN is used in communication between the banks in a city.
o It can be used in an Airline Reservation.
o It can be used in a college within a city.
o It can also be used for communication in the military.

WAN(Wide Area Network)

o A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large geographical area such as states or
countries.
o A Wide Area Network is quite bigger network than the LAN.
o A Wide Area Network is not limited to a single location, but it spans over a large geographical area
through a telephone line, fibre optic cable or satellite links.
o The internet is one of the biggest WAN in the world.
o A Wide Area Network is widely used in the field of Business, government, and education.

Examples Of Wide Area Network:

o Mobile Broadband: A 4G network is widely used across a region or country.
o Last mile: A telecom company is used to provide the internet services to the customers in hundreds of
cities by connecting their home with fiber.
 o Private network: A bank provides a private network that connects the 44 offices. This network is made
by using the telephone leased line provided by the telecom company.

Advantages Of Wide Area Network:

Following are the advantages of the Wide Area Network:

o Geographical area: A Wide Area Network provides a large geographical area. Suppose if the branch of
our office is in a different city then we can connect with them through WAN. The internet provides a
leased line through which we can connect with another branch.
o Centralized data: In case of WAN network, data is centralized. Therefore, we do not need to buy the
emails, files or back up servers.
o Get updated files: Software companies work on the live server. Therefore, the programmers get the
updated files within seconds.
o Exchange messages: In a WAN network, messages are transmitted fast. The web application like
Facebook, Whatsapp, Skype allows you to communicate with friends.
o Sharing of software and resources: In WAN network, we can share the software and other resources
like a hard drive, RAM.
o Global business: We can do the business over the internet globally.
o High bandwidth: If we use the leased lines for our company then this gives the high bandwidth. The
high bandwidth increases the data transfer rate which in turn increases the productivity of our company.

Disadvantages of Wide Area Network:

The following are the disadvantages of the Wide Area Network:

o Security issue: A WAN network has more security issues as compared to LAN and MAN network as
all the technologies are combined together that creates the security problem.
o Needs Firewall & antivirus software: The data is transferred on the internet which can be changed or
hacked by the hackers, so the firewall needs to be used. Some people can inject the virus in our system
so antivirus is needed to protect from such a virus.
o High Setup cost: An installation cost of the WAN network is high as it involves the purchasing of
routers, switches.
o Troubleshooting problems: It covers a large area so fixing the problem is difficult.

Internetwork
o An internetwork is defined as two or more computer network LANs or WAN or computer network
segments are connected using devices, and they are configured by a local addressing scheme. This
process is known as internetworking.
o An interconnection between public, private, commercial, industrial, or government computer networks
can also be defined as internetworking.
o An internetworking uses the internet protocol.
o The reference model used for internetworking is Open System Interconnection(OSI).

Types Of Internetwork:
1. Extranet: An extranet is a communication network based on the internet protocol such as Transmission
Control protocol and internet protocol. It is used for information sharing. The access to the extranet is
restricted to only those users who have login credentials. An extranet is the lowest level of internetworking. It
can be categorized as MAN, WAN or other computer networks. An extranet cannot have a single LAN, atleast
it must have one connection to the external network.
2. Intranet: An intranet is a private network based on the internet protocol such as Transmission Control
protocol and internet protocol. An intranet belongs to an organization which is only accessible by
the organization's employee or members. The main aim of the intranet is to share the information and
resources among the organization employees. An intranet provides the facility to work in groups and for
teleconferences.
Intranet advantages:
o Communication: It provides a cheap and easy communication. An employee of the organization can
communicate with another employee through email, chat.
o Time-saving: Information on the intranet is shared in real time, so it is time-saving.
o Collaboration: Collaboration is one of the most important advantage of the intranet. The information is
distributed among the employees of the organization and can only be accessed by the authorized user.
o Platform independency: It is a neutral architecture as the computer can be connected to another device
with different architecture.
o Cost effective: People can see the data and documents by using the browser and distributes the duplicate
copies over the intranet. This leads to a reduction in the cost.

WiFi (wireless fidelity): Wi-Fi is a networking technology that uses radio waves to allow high-speed data
transfer over short distances. It is commonly used to provide wireless broadband Internet access for a variety of
devices.
Wi-Fi technology has its origins in a 1985 ruling by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission that
released the bands of the radio spectrum at 900 megahertz (MHz), 2.4 gigahertz (GHz), and 5.8 GHz for
unlicensed use by anyone.
Wi-Fi allows local area networks (LANs) to operate without cables and wiring, making it a popular choice for
home and business networks. Wi-Fi can also be used to provide wireless broadband Internet access for many
modern devices, such as laptops, smartphones, tablet computers, and electronic gaming consoles. Wi-Fi-enabled
devices are able to connect to the Internet when they are near areas that have Wi-Fi access, called “hotspots.”
Hotspots have become common, with many public places such as airports, hotels, bookstores, and coffee shops
offering Wi-Fi access. Some cities have constructed free citywide Wi-Fi networks. A version of Wi-Fi called
Wi-Fi Direct allows connectivity between devices without a LAN.

Sensor Networks assist in connecting humans, computers, and their surroundings through the use of power
devices, as well as wired and wireless network infrastructure.

A sensor network comprises a group of small, powered devices, and a wireless or wired networked
infrastructure. They record conditions in any number of environments including industrial facilities, farms, and
hospitals. The sensor network connects to the internet or computer networks to transfer data for analysis and
use.
Sensor network nodes cooperatively sense and control the environment. They enable interaction between
persons or computers and the surrounding environment.

Wired vs. Wireless Sensor Networks

Sensor networks can be wired or wireless. Wired sensor networks use ethernet cables to connect
sensors. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) use technologies such as Bluetooth, cellular, wifi or near field
communication (NFC) to connect sensors.
WSNs are easier to deploy and maintain and offer better flexibility of devices. With the rapid development of
sensors and wireless technologies, WSNs have become a key technology of the IoT. WSNs don't need the
physical network infrastructure to be modified.
Operation of a Sensor Network
Sensor networks typically include sensor nodes, actuator nodes, gateways, and clients. Sensor nodes group
inside the sensor field and form networks of different topologies. The following process describes how sensor
networks operate:

 A sensor node monitors the data collected by the sensor and transmits this to other sensor nodes.
 During the transmission process, data may be handled by multiple nodes as it reaches a gateway node.
 The data is then transferred to the management node.
 The management node is managed by the user and determines the monitoring required and collects the
monitored data.

Sensor Nodes

There are many nodes in a sensor network. These nodes are the detection stations. There is a sensor/transducer,
microcontroller, transceiver, and power source:

 A sensor senses the physical condition, and if there is any change, it generates electrical signals.
 The signals go to the microcontroller for processing.
 A central processor sends commands to the transceiver and data is transmitted to a computer.

Sensors

The sensor is the bond of a sensor network node. Examples of sensors include temperature sensors,
accelerometers, infrared detectors, proximity sensors, and motion detectors.
Sensor Network Topologies
There are four types of sensor network topologies:

 Point to point network

 Star network
 Tree network
 Mesh network

Vehicular Networks In vehicular networks, a variety of vehicle applications are enabled by communication
between vehicles and infrastructure deployed along roadside (or RSUs). Examples of applications are the
notifications of emergency situations, such as car accidents or bad weather conditions.
 What is 5G? A: 5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G,
3G, and 4G networks. 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and
everything together including machines, objects, and devices.

The 5G networking architecture consists of three different network types that will work together in the future,
but the three tiers of radio signals have different characteristics.
 Low Band 5G. Low band spectrum 5G is best understood as a blanket layer for nationwide coverage. ...
 Mid Band 5G. ...mmWave
 High Band 5G.
What are 5G advantages?
Emerging 5G networks feature lower latency, higher capacity, and increased bandwidth compared to 4G. These
network improvements will have far-reaching impacts on how people live, work, and play all over the world.
Emerging 5G networks feature lower latency, higher capacity, and increased bandwidth compared to 4G.

What is 5G basic concepts?

In this 5G introduction chat, we cover - what is 5G, the 3 key 5G concepts i.e. enhanced mobile broadband
(eMBB), massive machine type communications (mMTC) and ultra reliable low latency communications
(URLLC), high level 5G architecture and key technologies (including those we plan to cover in future 5G
Fireside chat

What is World Wide Web (WWW, W3)?

The World Wide Web -- also known as the web, WWW or W3 -- refers to all the public websites or pages that
users can access on their local computers and other devices through the internet. These pages and documents are
interconnected by means of hyperlinks that users click on for information. This information can be in different
formats, including text, images, audio and video.

The term World Wide Web isn't synonymous with the internet. Rather, the World Wide Web is part of the
internet.

How does the World Wide Web work?

Paving the way for an internet revolution that has transformed the world in only three decades, the World Wide
Web consists of multiple components that enable users to access various resources, documents and web pages
on the internet. Thus, the WWW is like a vast electronic book whose pages are stored or hosted on different
servers worldwide.

These pages are the primary component or building blocks of the WWW and are linked through hyperlinks,
which provide access from one specific spot in a hypertext or hypermedia document to another spot within that
document or a different one. Hyperlinks are another defining concept of the WWW and provide its identity as a
collection of interconnected documents.
Features of WWW:
1. HyperText Information System.
2. Cross-Platform.
3. Distributed.
4. Open Standards and Open Source.
5. Uses Web Browsers to provide a single interface for many services.
6. Dynamic, Interactive and Evolving.
 7. “Web 2.0”
What are the two types of websites?
Websites can be divided into two broad categories—static and interactive. Interactive sites are part of the Web
2.0 community of sites and allow for interactivity between the site owner and site visitors or users. Static sites
serve or capture information but do not allow engagement with the audience or users directly.
What are the 5 basic parts of a website?
1. Image result
2. Basic parts of a website
3. Header & menu. The header is the uppermost part of a website. ...
4. Images. Immediately below the header is some form of image, series of images or sometimes a video. ...
5. Website content. All sites contain content. ...
6. Footer. Simply put, a footer is the bottom most part of any site. ...
7. Logo. ...
8. CTA. ...
9. Blog. ...
10. Forms.

The moment you open the browser and type a URL in the address bar or search something on Google, the
WWW starts working. There are three main technologies involved in transferring information (web pages) from
servers to clients (computers of users). These technologies include Hypertext Markup Language (HTML),
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Web browsers.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML):

HTML is a standard markup language which is used for creating web pages. It describes the structure of web
pages through HTML elements or tags. These tags are used to organize the pieces of content such as 'heading,'
'paragraph,' 'table,' 'Image,' and more. You don't see HTML tags when you open a webpage as browsers don't
display the tags and use them only to render the content of a web page. In simple words, HTML is used to
display text, images, and other resources through a Web browser.

A web browser, which is commonly known as a browser, is a program that displays text, data, pictures, videos,
animation, and more. It provides a software interface that allows you to click hyperlinked resources on the
World Wide Web. When you double click the Browser icon installed on your computer to launch it, you get
connected to the World Wide Web and can search Google or type a URL into the address bar.

In the beginning, browsers were used only for browsing due to their limited potential. Today, they are more
advanced; along with browsing you can use them for e-mailing, transferring multimedia files, using social
media sites, and participating in online discussion groups and more. Some of the commonly used browsers
include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and more.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP):

Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application layer protocol which enables WWW to work smoothly
and effectively. It is based on a client-server model. The client is a web browser which communicates with the
web server which hosts the website. This protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted and
what actions the Web Server and browser should take in response to different commands. When you enter a
URL in the browser, an HTTP command is sent to the Web server, and it transmits the requested Web Page.

When we open a website using a browser, a connection to the web server is opened, and the browser
communicates with the server through HTTP and sends a request. HTTP is carried over TCP/IP to communicate
with the server. The server processes the browser's request and sends a response, and then the connection is
closed. Thus, the browser retrieves content from the server for the user.

Role of HTML, CSS, XML, Tools for web designing:

HTML (the Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) are two of the core technologies for building
Web pages. HTML provides the structure of the page, CSS the (visual and aural) layout, for a variety of devices. Along
with graphics and scripting, HTML and CSS are the basis of building Web pages and Web Applications.

What is HTML?
HTML is the language for describing the structure of Web pages. HTML gives authors the means to:
Publish online documents with headings, text, tables, lists, photos, etc.
Retrieve online information via hypertext links, at the click of a button.
Design forms for conducting transactions with remote services, for use in searching for information, making reservations,
ordering products, etc.
Include spread-sheets, video clips, sound clips, and other applications directly in their documents.
With HTML, authors describe the structure of pages using markup. The elements of the language label pieces of content
such as “paragraph,” “list,” “table,” and so on.

The HyperText Markup Language (HTML) has its roots at the European Laboratory for High-Energy Physics (CERN)
where the World Wide Web project was started in 1990. At that time, HTML served the needs of physicists who needed
to collaborate by sharing scientific articles over the Internet. Although the content of these articles is difficult to read for
most of us, their document structure is quite simple. This is reflected in the small set of general elements in HTML,
including headings, paragraphs, lists and anchors for hyperlinks. The semantics in HTML is sparse, but is known by
millions of Web devices around the world.

HTML was formally specified as an SGML DTD in 1992. This gave the HTML specification a context where further
expansion was possible, but it also conflicted with some sentiments in the early Web community. First, SGML is a
complex technology and implementing a full SGML parser was beyond the interests of early Web application developers.
This resulted in forgiving browsers that accepted non-valid documents, and, as a result, even today few documents on the
Web are valid according to the HTML specification. Secondly, HTML came from the structured documents community
but was also influenced by presentational document formats, including Postscript. HTML still contains elements such as
"B" (for bold) and "I" (for italics) which encode document presentation rather than structure. This breaks with the SGML
principle of separating structure from presentation.

What is XHTML?
XHTML is a variant of HTML that uses the syntax of XML, the Extensible Markup Language. XHTML has all the same
elements (for paragraphs, etc.) as the HTML variant, but the syntax is slightly different. Because XHTML is an XML
application, you can use other XML tools with it (such as XSLT, a language for transforming XML content).

What is CSS?
CSS is the language for describing the presentation of Web pages, including colors, layout, and fonts. It allows one to
adapt the presentation to different types of devices, such as large screens, small screens, or printers. CSS is independent of
HTML and can be used with any XML-based markup language. The separation of HTML from CSS makes it easier to
maintain sites, share style sheets across pages, and tailor pages to different environments. This is referred to as the
separation of structure (or: content) from presentation.

XML
Due to the limited repertoire of HTML elements, content providers cannot easily encode semantics into their
documents. An initiative to regain the advantages of SGML on the Web was started in 1996 when a W3C
working group was formed to identify a subset of SGML suitable for the Web. Later known as the eXtensible
Markup Language (XML), the initiative has gathered support both from the SGML and the Web communities.

XML includes SGML's ability to define new elements. For content providers, this means XML can encode
semantics more gracefully than HTML. In addition, XML removes the burden of having to validate documents
against a DTD; XML documents may refer to a DTD, but are not required to do so. Instead, a document can
claim to be well-formed by following some simple syntactical rules.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml:namespace ns=" " prefix="RDF"?>
<?xml:namespace ns="http://purl.org/RDF/DC/" prefix="DC"?>
<RDF:RDF>
<RDF:Description RDF:HREF="http://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-multipurpose">
<DC:title>Multi-purpose publishing using HTML, XML, and CSS</DC:title>
<DC:language>en</DC:language>
<DC:creator>
<RDF:Bag id="authors">
<RDF:li>Håkon Lie</RDF:li>
<RDF:li>Janne Saarela</RDF:li>
</RDF:Bag>
 </DC:Creator>
</RDF:Description>
</RDF:RDF>
Social media, Online social networks.
While the terms social media and social network seem to be interchangeable, they have distinct differences.
Essentially, social media is a platform for broadcasting information, whereas social networking is a platform for
communicating with one another. Social media is a communications channel, whereas, in social networking, the
communication has a two-way nature. Let's dive deeper into the difference between social media and social
networking.

What is social media?

When we think of the term media, it usually reminds us of traditional outlets, such as newspapers, magazines
and television. Yet, when you add social in front, the term takes on an entirely different vibe. Social media adds
a technology component -- as well as flexibility -- when it comes to how a person consumes, shares and
collaborates with what is being presented. Thus, social media can best be described as an internet-based way to
publish or broadcast digital content that readers can fully interact with.

Anyone can publish social media. Traditional news media outlets, like CNN and Fox News, publish their own
content for digital consumption. Businesses and organizations do so as well. Even your child's local soccer club
can create social media for members to read, watch and interact with.

What is social networking?

Consider social networking in the context of who a user is receiving content from. First, social networking
requires a platform. Common examples of social networking sites or platforms include Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter and LinkedIn. Users join a social network platform and begin connecting -- or networking -- with other
users. This is done so users can choose who they want to receive communications from. In some cases,
communication is one-way, while, in others, it's bidirectional or multidirectional.

There is a clear difference between the two. Social media requires a social network in order to disburse content
to those that wish to consume and interact with it. Thus, the social media network is the underlying technology
and human connections, while social media focuses strictly on what is being published and consumed within the
social networking platform.

Security–information security, cyber security, cyber laws

There are four types of information technology security you should consider or improve upon:

1. Network Security
2. Cloud Security
3. Application Security
4. Internet of Things Security
Network Security
Whether you have a small office space or a large headquarters, your computers and other devices are most
likely tied to a network. (It’s 2023, after all.) This helps your team communicate internally more easily – but it
also opens you up to external threats.
Targeted cyber attacks and malware can slip through your network security if you’re not monitoring your
network and infrastructure. Having the right technology—such as firewalls and antivirus programs—to prevent
these attacks lays a great foundation to your security.
You can also implement a company-wide security program that includes multi-factor authentication, frequently
refreshing passwords, monitored internet access, and other safety measures to get your employees involved. It
can be tedious, but they’ll take some ownership of your company’s security measures. There’s no “i” in “team,”
but there is in IT.
Some of my favorite companies' network devices to work with for Network Security are Cisco for larger
companies and SonicWALL for small businesses. I also like to work with Acronis Cyber Protection for end-
user Malware and ransomware protection.
Cloud Security
When you use cloud-based platforms and data storage programs, you should choose a reputable supplier. For
example, Google Cloud has security tools built into their platform. As more and more businesses use cloud-
based platforms—especially as working from home becomes more popular—businesses should know what their
responsibility is versus the provider’s responsibility.
Using the Google Cloud example, Google would have a safe infrastructure and access to their physical hosts
and network to patch or configure any issues that arise. On the other hand, businesses that use Google Cloud
would have to be aware of who has access to the cloud, ensure that no one could gain unauthorized access, and
secure cloud-based data assets.
When it comes to protecting your cloud systems, we must use tools that function outside of your organization.
We often recommend Acronis Cloud Protect. We also often suggest using tools like the single sign-on
capability of Jump Cloud to provide 2FA across all cloud applications.
Application Security
Cyber threats? There’s an app for that. And that app is … literally any application that you use. App developers
build in security measures during design and development. So it’s important to use apps from trusted brands,
whether you’re accessing them from your network or the cloud.
For example, one of the biggest security threats to businesses is email. Neutralizing and minimizing risks within
email applications are key to having a healthy business. One click on a bad link could Thanos-snap your
company into chaos.
There are ways you can add extra safeguards when using apps within your business. First, take stock of where
you are using apps: on the web, from the cloud, on your phone, etc. Then be sure to add safety measures like
virtual private networks (VPNs), a web application firewall, and cloud access only for those who need it.
Securing applications is just as important as network security. Not sharing user account or passwords is critical.
Implementing multiform authentication helps as does a third-party SSL certificate.
Internet of Things Security
Your laptop that you take to meetings. Your phone that you use for Slack and calling clients. The printer you
sent a memo to. Your Wi-Fi router that needs unplugged and plugged back in every once in a while. These are a
few of the “things” make up the internet of things (IoT). If you’ve tethered a device to your network, it opens a
portal for potential security threats.
Threats can come in at any point in the IoT journey. It is important to conduct a security risk assessment to find
vulnerabilities in your network system and devices. This assessment should look at everything from web code
to policy management and users. There are many layers within IoT, and that amount grows as your business
grows. Don’t wait to ramp up your security.
We partner with and recommend Secureframe. They help us stay up to date to offer PCI, Soc2, and HIPPA
compliance for our customers. It is important to have a partner that can stay up to day with the ever-changing
horizon of cyber security.
What is Cyber Security?
The technique of protecting internet-connected systems such as computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic
systems, networks, and data from malicious attacks is known as cybersecurity. We can divide cybersecurity into
two parts one is cyber, and the other is security. Cyber refers to the technology that includes systems, networks,
programs, and data. And security is concerned with the protection of systems, networks, applications, and
information. In some cases, it is also called electronic information security or information technology security
Some other definitions of cybersecurity are:
"Cyber Security is the body of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect networks, devices,
programs, and data from attack, theft, damage, modification or unauthorized access."
"Cyber Security is the set of principles and practices designed to protect our computing resources and online
information against threats."
Types of Cyber Security
Every organization's assets are the combinations of a variety of different systems. These systems have a strong
cybersecurity posture that requires coordinated efforts across all of its systems. Therefore, we can categorize
cybersecurity in the following sub-domains:
Network Security: It involves implementing the hardware and software to secure a computer network from
unauthorized access, intruders, attacks, disruption, and misuse. This security helps an organization to protect its
assets against external and internal threats.
Application Security: It involves protecting the software and devices from unwanted threats. This protection
can be done by constantly updating the apps to ensure they are secure from attacks. Successful security begins
in the design stage, writing source code, validation, threat modeling, etc., before a program or device is
deployed.
Information or Data Security: It involves implementing a strong data storage mechanism to maintain the
integrity and privacy of data, both in storage and in transit.
Identity management: It deals with the procedure for determining the level of access that each individual has
within an organization.
Operational Security: It involves processing and making decisions on handling and securing data assets.
Mobile Security: It involves securing the organizational and personal data stored on mobile devices such as cell
phones, computers, tablets, and other similar devices against various malicious threats. These threats are
unauthorized access, device loss or theft, malware, etc.
Cloud Security: It involves in protecting the information stored in the digital environment or cloud
architectures for the organization. It uses various cloud service providers such as AWS, Azure, Google, etc., to
ensure security against multiple threats.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning: It deals with the processes, monitoring, alerts, and
plans to how an organization responds when any malicious activity is causing the loss of operations or data. Its
policies dictate resuming the lost operations after any disaster happens to the same operating capacity as before
the event.
User Education: It deals with the processes, monitoring, alerts, and plans to how an organization responds
when any malicious activity is causing the loss of operations or data. Its policies dictate resuming the lost
operations after any disaster happens to the same operating capacity as before the event.
IMPORTANCE OF CYBER SECURITY
Today we live in a digital era where all aspects of our lives depend on the network, computer and other
electronic devices, and software applications. All critical infrastructure such as the banking system, healthcare,
financial institutions, governments, and manufacturing industries use devices connected to the Internet as a core
part of their operations. Some of their information, such as intellectual property, financial data, and personal
data, can be sensitive for unauthorized access or exposure that could have negative consequences. This
information gives intruders and threat actors to infiltrate them for financial gain, extortion, political or social
motives, or just vandalism.
Cyber-attack is now an international concern that hacks the system, and other security attacks could endanger
the global economy. Therefore, it is essential to have an excellent cybersecurity strategy to protect sensitive
information from high-profile security breaches. Furthermore, as the volume of cyber-attacks grows, companies
and organizations, especially those that deal with information related to national security, health, or financial
records, need to use strong cybersecurity measures and processes to protect their sensitive business and personal
information.
CYBER SECURITY GOALS
Cyber Security's main objective is to ensure data protection. The security community provides a triangle of
three related principles to protect the data from cyber-attacks. This principle is called the CIA triad. The CIA
model is designed to guide policies for an organization's information security infrastructure. When any security
breaches are found, one or more of these principles has been violated.
We can break the CIA model into three parts: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. It is actually a security
model that helps people to think about various parts of IT security. Let us discuss each part in detail.

Confidentiality
Confidentiality is equivalent to privacy that avoids unauthorized access of information. It involves ensuring the
data is accessible by those who are allowed to use it and blocking access to others. It prevents essential
information from reaching the wrong people. Data encryption is an excellent example of ensuring
confidentiality.

Integrity
This principle ensures that the data is authentic, accurate, and safeguarded from unauthorized modification by
threat actors or accidental user modification. If any modifications occur, certain measures should be taken to
protect the sensitive data from corruption or loss and speedily recover from such an event. In addition, it
indicates to make the source of information genuine.
Availability
This principle makes the information to be available and useful for its authorized people always. It ensures that
these accesses are not hindered by system malfunction or cyber-attacks.
Types of Cyber Security Threats
A threat in cybersecurity is a malicious activity by an individual or organization to corrupt or steal data, gain
access to a network, or disrupts digital life in general. The cyber community defines the following threats
available today:

Malware
Malware means malicious software, which is the most common cyber attacking tool. It is used by the
cybercriminal or hacker to disrupt or damage a legitimate user's system. The following are the important types
of malware created by the hacker:
Virus: It is a malicious piece of code that spreads from one device to another. It can clean files and
spreads throughout a computer system, infecting files, stoles information, or damage device.
Spyware: It is a software that secretly records information about user activities on their system. For
example, spyware could capture credit card details that can be used by the cybercriminals for
unauthorized shopping, money withdrawing, etc.
 Trojans: It is a type of malware or code that appears as legitimate software or file to fool us into
downloading and running. Its primary purpose is to corrupt or steal data from our device or do other
harmful activities on our network.
Ransomware: It's a piece of software that encrypts a user's files and data on a device, rendering them
unusable or erasing. Then, a monetary ransom is demanded by malicious actors for decryption.
Worms: It is a piece of software that spreads copies of itself from device to device without human
interaction. It does not require them to attach themselves to any program to steal or damage the data.
Adware: It is an advertising software used to spread malware and displays advertisements on our device.
It is an unwanted program that is installed without the user's permission. The main objective of this
program is to generate revenue for its developer by showing the ads on their browser.
Botnets: It is a collection of internet-connected malware-infected devices that allow cybercriminals to
control them. It enables cybercriminals to get credentials leaks, unauthorized access, and data theft
without the user's permission.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cybercrime in which a sender seems to come from a genuine organization like PayPal,
eBay, financial institutions, or friends and co-workers. They contact a target or targets via email, phone, or text
message with a link to persuade them to click on that links. This link will redirect them to fraudulent websites to
provide sensitive data such as personal information, banking and credit card information, social security
numbers, usernames, and passwords. Clicking on the link will also install malware on the target devices that
allow hackers to control devices remotely.
Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack
A man-in-the-middle attack is a type of cyber threat (a form of eavesdropping attack) in which a cybercriminal
intercepts a conversation or data transfer between two individuals. Once the cybercriminal places themselves in
the middle of a two-party communication, they seem like genuine participants and can get sensitive information
and return different responses. The main objective of this type of attack is to gain access to our business or
customer data. For example, a cybercriminal could intercept data passing between the target device and the
network on an unprotected Wi-Fi network.
Distributed denial of service (DDoS)
It is a type of cyber threat or malicious attempt where cybercriminals disrupt targeted servers, services, or
network's regular traffic by fulfilling legitimate requests to the target or its surrounding infrastructure with
Internet traffic. Here the requests come from several IP addresses that can make the system unusable, overload
their servers, slowing down significantly or temporarily taking them offline, or preventing an organization from
carrying out its vital functions.
Brute Force
A brute force attack is a cryptographic hack that uses a trial-and-error method to guess all possible
combinations until the correct information is discovered. Cybercriminals usually use this attack to obtain
personal information about targeted passwords, login info, encryption keys, and Personal Identification
Numbers (PINS).
SQL Injection (SQLI)
SQL injection is a common attack that occurs when cybercriminals use malicious SQL scripts for backend
database manipulation to access sensitive information. Once the attack is successful, the malicious actor can
view, change, or delete sensitive company data, user lists, or private customer details stored in the SQL
database.
Domain Name System (DNS) attack
A DNS attack is a type of cyberattack in which cyber criminals take advantage of flaws in the Domain Name
System to redirect site users to malicious websites (DNS hijacking) and steal data from affected computers. It is
a severe cybersecurity risk because the DNS system is an essential element of the internet infrastructure.
LATEST CYBER THREATS
The following are the latest cyber threats reported by the U.K., U.S., and Australian governments:
Romance Scams
The U.S. government found this cyber threat in February 2020. Cybercriminals used this threat through dating
sites, chat rooms, and apps. They attack people who are seeking a new partner and duping them into giving
away personal data.
Dridex Malware
It is a type of financial Trojan malware identifies by the U.S. in December 2019 that affects the public,
government, infrastructure, and business worldwide. It infects computers through phishing emails or existing
malware to steal sensitive information such as passwords, banking details, and personal data for fraudulent
transactions. The National Cyber Security Centre of the United Kingdom encourages people to make sure their
devices are patched, anti-virus is turned on and up to date, and files are backed up to protect sensitive data
against this attack.
Emotet Malware
Emotet is a type of cyber-attack that steals sensitive data and also installs other malware on our device. The
Australian Cyber Security Centre warned national organizations about this global cyber threat in 2019.
The following are the system that can be affected by security breaches and attacks:
Communication: Cyber attackers can use phone calls, emails, text messages, and messaging apps for
cyberattacks.
Finance: This system deals with the risk of financial information like bank and credit card detail. This
information is naturally a primary target for cyber attackers.
Governments: The cybercriminal generally targets the government institutions to get confidential
public data or private citizen information.
Transportation: In this system, cybercriminals generally target connected cars, traffic control systems,
and smart road infrastructure.
Healthcare: A cybercriminal targets the healthcare system to get the information stored at a local clinic
to critical care systems at a national hospital.
Education: A cybercriminals target educational institutions to get their confidential research data and
information of students and employees.
BENEFITS OF CYBER SECURITY
The following are the benefits of implementing and maintaining cybersecurity:
  Cyberattacks and data breach protection for businesses.
 Data and network security are both protected.
 Unauthorized user access is avoided.
 After a breach, there is a faster recovery time.
 End-user and endpoint device protection.
 Regulatory adherence.
 Continuity of operations.
 Developers, partners, consumers, stakeholders, and workers have more faith in the company's reputation
and trust.
Cyber Safety Tips
Let us see how to protect ourselves when any cyberattacks happen. The following are the popular cyber safety
tips:
Conduct cybersecurity training and awareness: Every organization must train their staffs on cybersecurity,
company policies, and incident reporting for a strong cybersecurity policy to be successful. If the staff does
unintentional or intentional malicious activities, it may fail the best technical safeguards that result in an
expensive security breach. Therefore, it is useful to conduct security training and awareness for staff through
seminars, classes, and online courses that reduce security violations.

Update software and operating system: The most popular safety measure is to update the software and O.S.
to get the benefit of the latest security patches.
Use anti-virus software: It is also useful to use the anti-virus software that will detect and removes unwanted
threats from your device. This software is always updated to get the best level of protection.
Perform periodic security reviews: Every organization ensures periodic security inspections of all software
and networks to identify security risks early in a secure environment. Some popular examples of security
reviews are application and network penetration testing, source code reviews, architecture design reviews, and
red team assessments. In addition, organizations should prioritize and mitigate security vulnerabilities as
quickly as possible after they are discovered.
Use strong passwords: It is recommended to always use long and various combinations of characters and
symbols in the password. It makes the passwords are not easily guessable.
Do not open email attachments from unknown senders: The cyber expert always advises not to open or click the
email attachment getting from unverified senders or unfamiliar websites because it could be infected with
malware.
Avoid using unsecured Wi-Fi networks in public places: It should also be advised not to use insecure
networks because they can leave you vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks.
Backup data: Every organization must periodically take backup of their data to ensure all sensitive data is not
lost or recovered after a security breach. In addition, backups can help maintain data integrity in cyber-attack
such as SQL injections, phishing, and ransomware.