why internet security is important essay

Cybersecurity Explained: What It Is & 12 Reasons Cybersecurity is Important

Table of Contents

What is cybersecurity?

Why cybersecurity is important: 12 key benefits, how does cybersecurity work.

• November 02, 2023

Anna Fitzgerald

Senior Content Marketing Manager at Secureframe

Fortuna Gyeltsen

Senior Compliance Manager at Secureframe

Global weekly cyber attacks increased by 8% in the second quarter of 2023, marking the most significant increase in two years.

As the number of cyber attacks rises, so do the costs. The global cost of cybercrime is expected to surge in the next five years, rising from $8.44 trillion in 2022 to $23.84 trillion by 2027 .

Both the frequency and costs of cybercrime are expected to continue to rise as malicious actors use generative AI to create faster-paced, more effective, and larger scale cyber attacks . 

That’s why it’s more important than ever that organizations and individuals understand the importance of cybersecurity. This guide will provide an overview of cybersecurity, including what benefits it offers for organizations and individuals and how it works.

Cybersecurity refers to the efforts made to protect networks, systems, devices, and data from theft, damage, unauthorized access, and criminal use. It encompasses a broad range of measures, technologies, and practices designed to safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information online. 

As cyber threats continue to evolve and become increasingly complex, cybersecurity has become a priority for individuals, organizations, and governments around the world. Let’s take a closer look at why cybersecurity is important below.

Cybersecurity is important for safeguarding data, personal privacy, critical infrastructure, national security, and global security. Below we’ll take a closer look at several of these benefits, broadening the scope from why cybersecurity matters for individuals and the world. 

1. Protecting sensitive data

Many businesses, government agencies, and individuals store vast amounts of sensitive and confidential data electronically, including personal information, health records, intellectual property, trade secrets, and government secrets.

Implementing strong cybersecurity measures can help mitigate the risk of theft, exposure, or manipulation of this data by malicious actors.

2. Protecting personal privacy

Cybersecurity is also important for protecting data privacy. Data privacy is about empowering individuals to control how their personal data is processed, stored, and used by organizations and governments, while data security is about protecting that information from malicious actors. 

A cybersecurity strategy that includes privacy controls and measures can ultimately improve data security by limiting the amount of sensitive information that may be breached or exposed to unauthorized parties.

3. Preventing financial loss

Cyberattacks can lead to significant financial losses for both individuals and businesses. In 2022, an estimated 463 million individuals experienced a cyber crime. Over half of those individuals experienced financial loss as a result, at an average of $193 for US consumers. 

For businesses, the consequences of cyberattacks can be even more costly if they result in significant disruptions to their operations, lost customers and revenue, and regulatory fines. 

Take the 2013 attack on Yahoo, for example. When hackers stole data from three billion users’ accounts, the company had to notify all of its users that their data was compromised. As the biggest known breach of a company’s computer network, it made global news. After disclosing another incident that took place in 2014 and affected 500 million accounts, Yahoo almost lost its acquisition deal altogether with Verizon and ultimately, $350 million was cut from the original offer. Yahoo also suffered additional financial losses in numerous lawsuits, regulatory investigations, and scrutiny from governing authorities that precipitated the breaches. 

Investing in cybersecurity before a breach occurs can help avoid financial consequences like these.

4. Meeting compliance and legal obligations

Numerous laws and regulations, including HIPAA , PCI DSS , GDPR , CCPA , SOX , and FISMA , require organizations to safeguard sensitive data and protect the privacy of individuals. As mentioned above, failure to comply with these laws and regulations can result in penalties and fines. In addition to financial losses, organizations face other risks for failing to comply, including disruptions to their operations.

For example, non-compliance with PCI DSS could lead to the suspension of your ability to accept major credit cards like Visa and Mastercard. If you’re an ecommerce business, this could significantly impact your customers and revenue and even force you to suspend operations. 

Implementing a robust cybersecurity strategy can help organizations meet their compliance and legal obligations and avoid these compliance risks .

5. Ensuring business continuity

Cyberattacks, such as ransomware, can disrupt business operations, causing downtime and financial losses.

For example, a cybersecurity attack in August caused a wide-scale disruption of Clorox's operations, including order processing delays and significant product outages. The company announced that this disruption will likely impact first quarter earnings for 2024, and they expect sales to drop 23% to 28%.

Effective cybersecurity measures help ensure the continuity of operations and reduce the risk of downtime.

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6. Building and maintaining trust

Trust is essential for businesses looking to accelerate growth. A data breach or security incident can erode trust with customers, partners, employees, investors, and other stakeholders and damage the brand’s reputation.

In a landmark study conducted by Ponemon Institute and sponsored by Centrify , 65% of consumers affected by one or more breaches said they lost trust in the breached organization and more than 31% said they discontinued their relationship with the organization as a result. 

This is a huge issue according to both CMOs and IT practitioners and. 61% of CMOs and 49% of IT practitioners in the Ponemon study said the biggest cost of a security incident is the loss of reputation and brand value. 

Implementing strong cybersecurity measures from the start can help you build and maintain trust with customers and other key stakeholders. 

7. Protecting shareholder value

Cybersecurity can also help protect the shareholder value of your company. In that same study by Ponemon Institute, they looked at the stock prices of 113 publicly traded benchmarked companies that experienced a data breach involving the loss of customer or consumer data, and compared what it was 30 days prior to the announcement of the data breach and 90 days following the data breach.

Their analysis showed that the companies’ share price declined soon after the incident was disclosed. However, companies that self-reported their security posture as superior and quickly responded to the breach event were able to recover their stock value after an average of 7 days, whereas companies that had a poor security posture at the time of the data breach and did not respond quickly to the incident experienced a stock price decline that lasted more than 90 days on average. The latter also experienced a 4% greater loss of share price than companies with a high security posture. 

Implementing a robust cybersecurity strategy can help reduce the risk of data breaches and consequent declines in your organization’s stock prices.  

8. Supporting national security

Governments and critical infrastructure are heavily reliant on digital technologies. Cyberattacks on national security systems can have devastating consequences on national security, public safety, and economic prosperity, impacting both public and private sectors. 

If threat actors are able to infiltrate government agencies, they may gain access to sensitive data, which potentially compromises classified information and exposes critical infrastructure. With this access, they may be able to destroy or alter data, impersonate legitimate people, and even degrade or disrupt federal computer networks.

For example, in the 2021 attack on the major US information technology firm SolarWinds, foreign attackers were able to use the hack to spy on US agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and Treasury Department, as well as private companies, including Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, and Deloitte, and other organizations like the California Department of State Hospitals and Kent State University. Intelligence officers fear that these attackers not only gained access to sensitive and confidential information roaming around American computer networks for nine months, but also planted something more destructive for use in the future. 

Because cybersecurity is essential to the basic functioning of economies, the operation of critical infrastructure, the privacy of data and communications, and national defense, federal, state, and local agencies must implement enhanced cybersecurity measures to prevent attacks like the SolarWinds hack.

The Ultimate Guide to Federal Frameworks

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9. Defending critical infrastructure

As mentioned above, critical infrastructure such as factories, power grids, and water treatment facilities rely heavily on digital technologies. A cyberattack on these systems can have severe consequences for public safety and well-being.

A recent Waterfall Security report revealed that attacks that led to physical consequences in the real world impacted over 150 industrial operations in 2022, and that the number of these attacks more than doubled from 2021. Examples of the physical consequences of these attacks include: 

• Outages at widely-known companies, including 14 of a top automobile manufacturing brand’s plants, 23 tire plants of a well-known brand, a major food company, and publishing company
• Flight delays for tens of thousands of air travelers
• Malfunctions of loading and unloading of cargo containers, fuel and bulk oil for half a dozen seaports on three continents

Cybersecurity measures can help protect the availability and resilience of this infrastructure and the essential services it provides.

10. Supporting global security

In today's interconnected world, cyberattacks can have far-reaching and cascading effects. A breach in one organization can impact partners, suppliers, and customers across the globe. 

For example, in 2017, Russian military hackers launched a ransomware attack known as NotPetya with Ukraine as its primary target. However, NotPetya quickly spread to more than 60 countries, destroying the computer systems of thousands of multinational companies, including the global transport and logistics giant Maersk, the pharmaceutical giant Merck, FedEx’s European subsidiary TNT Express, French construction company Saint-Gobain, food producer Mondelēz, and manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser, among others. With the total damage estimated at more than $10 billion , NotPetya is still considered the most destructive and costly cyberattack in history.

Cybersecurity is therefore essential for maintaining the stability of the digital ecosystem globally.

11. Reducing cybercrime

Defined as malicious cyber activity that threatens the public’s safety and national and economic security by the FBI , cybercrime is a global issue that affects individuals and organizations alike. 

As the NotPetya example above indicates, cybercrime is not only damage, destruction, or theft of data or money —  it is also the cascading effects that take place during and after the crime, including lost productivity, embezzlement, fraud, disruptions to the normal course of business, forensic investigation, restoration and deletion of hacked data and systems, reputational harm, and more.

Cybersecurity measures help protect both individuals and organizations from various forms of cybercrime, including identity theft, phishing, ransomware, and fraud.

12. Keeping pace with evolving threats

As technology advances, so do the capabilities of cyber attackers. Most recently, hackers are using generative AI to launch larger volumes of attacks. In a report by Deep Instinct , 75% of security professionals reported an increase in attacks over the past 12 months, with 85% attributing this rise to bad actors using generative AI.

Cyber attacks are not only more frequent but also more sophisticated thanks to AI. For example, hackers are using gen AI to create self-evolving malware, which automatically creates variations with unique techniques, payloads, and polymorphic code to attack a specific target and go undetected by existing security measures.

To stay ahead of malicious actors and new and evolving threats, such as AI-powered attacks, organizations must invest in ongoing cybersecurity measures and innovation.

70+ Cybersecurity Statistics to Inspire Action in 2023

Cybersecurity works by implementing a broad range of measures and safeguards to protect networks, systems, devices, and data. Some of these are detailed below:

• Access control : Access control is the practice of managing who has access to resources, such as data, files, networks, systems, or physical spaces, and what actions they can take with those resources. It is typically implemented through a combination of technical and administrative controls, including passwords, encryption, firewalls, and other security technologies to restrict access to resources and policies, procedures, training, and other measures to limit, control, and/or restrict manage access, monitor usage, and enforce security rules.
• Baseline configurations : Baseline configuration refers to the most secure state a system can be in while meeting operational requirements and constraints like costs. This may include least functionality, segmentation, defense in depth or layers to limit the impact of risks. Developing secure baseline configurations is an important part of configuration management and cybersecurity overall. 
• Security awareness and training : Human error can have serious consequences on cybersecurity. For example, consider that ​​ 73% of data breaches in 2023 involved the human element, either via error, privilege misuse, use of stolen credentials, or social engineering. Educating employees and individuals about security and privacy best practices is therefore essential to minimize the risk of cyber attacks within organizations and in their everyday lives. 
• Security policies : Developing and enforcing security policies is essential for maintaining a strong cybersecurity posture. As mentioned above, these can help employees understand who has access to company systems as well as what other processes are in place to protect the organization and its assets and how they can behave to minimize risks. 
• Incident response : Preparing for and responding to cybersecurity incidents, such as data breaches or malware infections, is a critical part of cybersecurity. Incident response plans outline instructions and procedures to detect, respond to, and limit the consequences of a security incident. 
• Business continuity planning : Business continuity planning can help an organization identify preparations and recovery actions that can assist it in resuming operations and services as quickly as possible during and after a crisis. The document that contains the predetermined set of procedures that describe how an organization will sustain its business operations during and after a significant disruption is known as a business continuity plan .
• Vulnerability management : Vulnerability management is a process organizations use to identify, analyze, and manage vulnerabilities within their operating environment. Vulnerabilities are weaknesses in systems, platforms, infrastructure, or even people and processes that can be exploited by threat actors, rendering an entire organization or any of its parts susceptible to attack. Having a robust vulnerability management process is an important part of an organization's overall security and compliance program.
• Supply chain risk management : Supply chain risk management is a process companies use to manage supply chain risk. This involves identifying and assessing threats throughout the supply chain and developing mitigation strategies to protect the integrity, trustworthiness, and authenticity of products and services within that chain. This is an increasingly important part of cybersecurity as organizations’ supply chains become more global and complex, which means more potential failure points and higher levels of risk. 

How Secureframe can help enhance your organization's cybersecurity measures

The importance of cybersecurity will continue to grow as our reliance on digital technologies deepens. 

Organizations today are challenged to adopt these technologies, while mitigating increasingly complex risks and threats and continuing to meet compliance requirements. 

Secureframe can help by simplifying and automating manual tasks related to security, privacy, and compliance. With Secureframe, you can automate risk assessments and cloud remediation with AI, manage vendor risk, consolidate audit and risk data and information, and conduct continuous monitoring to look for gaps in controls to maintain continuous compliance. Secureframe also makes training your workforce on the latest security and privacy best practices easy and automatic. 

Plus, our in-house compliance team can give personalized advice based on your company’s unique risks and industry requirements. 

To learn more about how Secureframe can play an integral part in enhancing your cybersecurity posture, request a demo today.

What are the 5 benefits of using cybersecurity?

The five major benefits of cybersecurity are:

• Protecting sensitive information
• Meeting compliance and legal requirements
• Protecting brand reputation
• Preventing financial losses, including drop in shareholder value
• Protecting national and global security and critical infrastructure

Why is cybersecurity more important now than ever?

Cybersecurity is important because it helps to protect sensitive information and assets from being compromised by hackers and cybercriminals. This includes personal information, financial data, intellectual property, and confidential business information.

What does cybersecurity protect?

Cybersecurity protects networks, systems, devices, and data from theft, damage, unauthorized access, and criminal use.

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Why is cybersecurity important.

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Cybersecurity is important because it protects all categories of data from theft and damage. This includes sensitive data, personally identifiable information (PII) , protected health information (PHI), personal information, intellectual property, data, and governmental and industry information systems. Without a cybersecurity program, your organization cannot defend itself against data breach campaigns, which makes it an irresistible target for cybercriminals.

Both inherent risk and residual risk are increasing, driven by global connectivity and usage of cloud services, like Amazon Web Services, to store sensitive data and personal information. Widespread poor configuration of cloud services paired with increasingly sophisticated cyber criminals means the risk that your organization suffers from a successful cyber attack or data breach is on the rise .

Business leaders can no longer solely rely on out-of-the-box cybersecurity solutions like antivirus software and firewalls, cybercriminals are getting smarter and their tactics are becoming more resilient to conventional cyber defenses. It's important to cover all the fields of cybersecurity to stay well-protected.

Cyber threats can come from any level of your organization. Workplaces must include cybersecurity awareness training to educate staff about common cyber threats like social engineering scams, phishing , ransomware attacks (think WannaCry ), and other malware designed to steal intellectual property or personal data.

Learn how to respond to the MOVEit Transfer zero-day >

The proliferation of data breaches means that cybersecurity is not just relevant to heavily regulated industries, like healthcare. Even small businesses are at risk of suffering irrecoverable reputational damage following a data breach.

To help you understand the importance of cyber security, we've compiled a post explaining the different elements of cybercrime you may not be aware of. If you're not yet worried about cybersecurity risks, you should be.

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the state or process of protecting and recovering computer systems, networks, devices, and programs from any type of cyber attack . Cyber attacks are an increasingly sophisticated and evolving danger to your sensitive data , as attackers employ new methods powered by social engineering and artificial intelligence (AI) to circumvent traditional data security controls.

The fact of the matter is the world is increasingly reliant on technology and this reliance will continue as we introduce the next generation of new technology that will have access to our connected devices via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

To keep customer data protected while embracing new technology, intelligent cloud security solutions should be implemented alongside strong password policies like multi-factor authentication to mitigate unauthorized access .

Read our full guide on cybersecurity >

The Importance of Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity's importance is on the rise. Fundamentally, our society is more technologically reliant than ever before and there is no sign that this trend will slow. Data leaks that could result in identity theft are now publicly posted on social media accounts. Sensitive information like social security numbers, credit card information and bank account details are now stored in cloud storage services like Dropbox or Google Drive.

Learn how to respond to the Fortigate SSL VPN vulnerability >

The fact of the matter is whether you are an individual, small business, or large multinational, you rely on computer systems every day. Pair this with the rise in cloud services, poor cloud service security , smartphones, and the Internet of Things (IoT) and we have a myriad of potential security vulnerabilities that didn't exist a few decades ago. We need to understand the difference between cybersecurity and information security , even though the skillsets are becoming more similar.

Governments around the world are bringing more attention to cybercrimes. GDPR is a great example. It has increased the reputational damage of data breaches by forcing all organizations that operate in the EU to:

• Communicate data breaches
• Appoint a data protection officer
• Require user consent to process information
• Anonymize data for privacy

The trend toward public disclosure is not limited to Europe. While there are no national laws overseeing data breach disclosure in the United States, there are data breach laws in all 50 states. Commonalities include:

• The requirement to notify those affected as soon as possible
• Let the government know as soon as possible
• Pay some sort of fine

California was the first state to regulate data breach disclosures in 2003, requiring persons or businesses to notify those affected "without reasonable delay" and "immediately following discovery". Victims can sue for up to $750 and companies can be fined up to $7,500 per victim.

This has driven standards boards like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to release frameworks to help organizations understand their security risks, improve cybersecurity measures, and prevent cyber attacks.

Learn why executive reporting is important in cybersecurity >

Why is Cybercrime Increasing?

Information theft is the most expensive and fastest-growing segment of cybercrime. Largely driven by the increasing exposure of identity information to the web via cloud services.

But it's not the only target. Industrial controls that manage power grids and other infrastructure can be disrupted or destroyed. And identity theft isn't the only goal, cyber attacks may aim to compromise data integrity (destroy or change data) to breed distrust in an organization or government.

Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, changing what they target, how they affect organizations, and their methods of attack on different security systems.

Social engineering remains the easiest form of cyber attack with ransomware, phishing , spyware being the easiest form of entry. Third-party and fourth-party vendors who process your data and have poor cybersecurity practices are another common attack vector , making Vendor Risk Management and Third-Party Risk Management all the more important.

According to the Ninth Annual Cost of Cybercrime Study from Accenture and the Ponemon Institute, the average cost of cybercrime for an organization has increased by $1.4 million over the last year to $13.0 million and the average number of data breaches rose by 11 percent to 145. Information risk management has never been more important.

Data breaches can involve financial information like credit card numbers or bank account details, protected health information (PHI) , personally identifiable information (PII), trade secrets, intellectual property, and other targets of industrial espionage . Other terms for data breaches include unintentional information disclosure, data leak, cloud leak , information leakage, or a data spill.

Other factors driving the growth in cybercrime include:

• The distributed nature of the Internet
• The ability of cybercriminals to attack targets outside their jurisdiction makes policing extremely difficult
• Increasing profitability and ease of commerce on the dark web
• The proliferation of mobile devices and the Internet of Things.

What is the Impact of Cybercrime?

There are many factors that contribute to the cost of cybercrime . Each of these factors can be attributed to a poor focus on best cybersecurity practices.

A lack of focus on cybersecurity can damage your business in a range of ways including:

Economic Costs

‍ Theft of intellectual property, corporate information, disruption in trading, and the cost of repairing damaged systems

Reputational Cost

‍ Loss of consumer trust, loss of current and future customers to competitors, and poor media coverage

Regulatory Costs

‍ GDPR and other data breach laws mean that your organization could suffer from regulatory fines or sanctions as a result of cybercrimes.

All businesses, regardless of the size, must ensure all staff understand cybersecurity threats and how to mitigate them. This should include regular training and a framework to work with that aims to reduce the risk of data leaks or data breaches.

Given the nature of cybercrime and how difficult it can be to detect, it is difficult to understand the direct and indirect costs of many security breaches. This doesn't mean the reputational damage of even a small data breach or other security event is not large. If anything, consumers expect increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity measures as time goes on.

Learn more about regulatory risk >

How to Protect your Organization Against Cybercrime

There are simple steps you can take to increase security and reduce the risk of cybercrime:

Educate Staff

Human error was the cause of 90% of data breaches in 2019 . This concerning statistic, however, has a silver lining. If staff are taught how to identify and correctly respond to cyber threats, the majority of data breach incidents could be avoided. Such educational programs could also increase the value of all cybersecurity solution investments because they would prevent staff from unknowingly bypassing expensive security controls to facilitate cybercrime.

The following resources can be used for cyber threat awareness training in the workplace:

• What is a cyber threat?
• What is a data breach?
• What is social engineering ?
• What are phishing attacks?
• What is clickjacking?
• What is typosquatting?
• What is a DDoS attack?
• What is Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS)?
• What is Threat Intelligence ?

Learn how to use ChatGPT deploy phishing resilience training in the workplace >

Protect Your Sensitive Data

Invest in tools that limit information loss, monitor your third-party risk and fourth-party vendor risk , and continuously scan for data exposure and leaked credentials. Data leaks , if left unattended, could help cybercriminals gain access to internal networks and breach sensitive resources. It's important to implement a data leak discovery solution capable of also monitoring leaks throughout the third-party network.

Learn how to use ChatGPT to improve your security posture >

Implement a Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) Solution

Use technology to reduce costs like automatically sending out vendor assessment questionnaires as part of an overall cyber security risk assessment strategy

Companies should no longer be asking why is cybersecurity important, but how can I ensure my organization's cybersecurity practices are sufficient to comply with GDPR and other regulations and to protect my business against sophisticated cyber attacks.

There are also practical strategies that you can take to reduce the cybersecurity risk for your organization.

Examples of Damages to Companies Affected by Cyber Attacks and Data Breaches

The amount of cyber attacks and data breaches in recent years is staggering and it's easy to produce a laundry list of companies that are household names that have been affected.

Here are just a few examples. For the complete list, see our biggest data breaches post .

‍ The Equifax cybercrime identity theft event affected approximately 145.5 million U.S. consumers along with 400,000-44 million British residents and 19,000 Canadian residents. Equifax shares dropped 13% in early trading the day after the breach and numerous lawsuits were filed against Equifax as a result of the breach. Not to mention the reputational damage that Equifax suffered. On July 22, 2019, Equifax agreed to a settlement with the FTC which included a $300 million fund for victim compensation, $175m for states and territories in the agreement, and $100 million in fines.

Learn how to comply with the FTC Safeguards rule >

‍ Between February and March 2014, eBay was the victim of a breach of encrypted passwords , which resulted in asking all of its 145 million users to reset their passwords. Attackers used a small set of employee credentials to access this trove of user data. The stolen information included encrypted passwords and other personal information, including names, e-mail addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth. The breach was disclosed in May 2014, after a month-long investigation by eBay.

Adult Friend Finder

‍ In October 2016, hackers collected 20 years of data on six databases that included names, email addresses, and passwords for The FriendFinder Network. The FriendFinder Network includes websites like Adult Friend Finder, Penthouse.com, Cams.com, iCams.com, and Stripshow.com. Most of the passwords were protected only by the weak SHA-1 hashing algorithm, which meant that 99% of them had been cracked by the time LeakedSource.com published its analysis of the entire data set on November 14.

‍ Yahoo disclosed that a breach in August 2013 by a group of hackers had compromised 1 billion accounts. In this instance, security questions and answers were also compromised, increasing the risk of identity theft. The breach was first reported by Yahoo on December 14, 2016, and forced all affected users to change passwords and to reenter any unencrypted security questions and answers to make them encrypted in the future. However, by October of 2017, Yahoo changed the estimate to 3 billion user accounts. An investigation revealed that users' passwords in clear text, payment card data, and bank information were not stolen. Nonetheless, this remains one of the largest data breaches of this type in history.

While these are a few examples of high-profile data breaches, it's important to remember that there are even more that never made it to the front page.

Is Your Business at Risk of a Data Breach?

UpGuard can protect your business from data breaches and strengthen network security by continuously monitoring the security posture of all your vendors.

UpGuard also offers third-party data leak protection that can be entrusted to a team of cybersecurity professionals to facilitate rapid security program scaling.

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Cybersecurity FAQs

Why is cybersecurity so important.

Cybersecurity protect sensitive data, like customer information and trade secrets against unauthorised access and comprise. Implementing a cybersecurity program is also a mandatory requirement of many regulations and data privacy laws.

Why is cybersecurity important in healthcare?

Implementing cybersecurity controls will protect patient data from compromise and support compliance with mandatory healthcare regulations like HIPAA.

What are the main benefits of investing in cybersecurity?

• Your business is protected against potentially catastrophic disruptions caused by cyberattacks.
• You reduce the risk of violating mandatory security violations.
• The risk of a data breach is significantly decreased.
• The impact of third-party breaches resulting from supply chain attacks is significantly decreased.

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What is Cybersecurity and Why is it Important?

Understanding the Numbers When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors — like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

In recent years, headlines about cybersecurity have become increasingly common. Thieves steal customer social security numbers from corporations’ computer systems. Unscrupulous hackers grab passwords and personal information from social media sites or pluck company secrets from the cloud. For companies of all sizes, keeping information safe is a growing concern.  

What is Cybersecurity? 

Cybersecurity consists of all the technologies and practices that keep computer systems and electronic data safe. And, in a world where more and more of our business and social lives are online, it’s an enormous and growing field with many types of cybersecurity roles  available.

According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ): "Cybersecurity is the art of protecting networks, devices and data from unauthorized access or criminal use and the practice of ensuring confidentiality, integrity and availability of information."

Then What is Information Security? 

Information security refers to the strategies and technologies implemented and utilized to safeguard confidential business data from being altered, interrupted, destroyed or examined, according to CISCO .

Information security and cybersecurity are often confused. According to CISCO, information security is a crucial part of cybersecurity, but is used exclusively to ensure data security.

Everything is connected by computers and the internet, including communication, entertainment, transportation, shopping, medicine and more. A copious amount of personal information is stored among these various services and apps, which is why information security is critical .  

Why is Cybersecurity Increasingly Important? 

Getting hacked isn’t just a direct threat to the confidential data companies need. It can also ruin their relationships with customers and even place them in significant legal jeopardy. With new technology, from self-driving cars to internet-enabled home security systems, the dangers of cybercrime become even more serious.  

So, it’s no wonder that international research and advisory firm Gartner predicts worldwide security spending will hit $188.1 billion in 2023. Gartner also predicts the market will reach $288.5 billion by 2027.

“We’re seeing a tremendous demand for cybersecurity practitioners,” said Jonathan Kamyck , a senior associate dean of STEM programs  at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).* “Most businesses, whether they’re large or small, will have an online presence, for example. Some of the things you would do in the old days with a phone call or face-to-face now happen through email or teleconference, and that introduces lots of complicated questions with regard to information.”

These days, the need to protect confidential information is a pressing concern at the highest levels of government and industry. State secrets can be stolen from the other side of the world. Companies whose whole business models depend on control of customer data can find their databases compromised. In just one high-profile 2017 case, personal information for 147 million people was compromised in a breach of credit reporting company Equifax, according to the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ). 

What are Cyberattacks? 

There are many reasons behind a cyberattack, such as cyber warfare, cyber terrorism and even hacktivists, according to IBM, and these actions fall into three main categories: criminal, political and personal.

Attackers motivated by crime typically seek financial gain through money theft, data theft or business disruption, IBM reported. Similarly, personal attackers include disgruntled current or former employees who will take money or data in an attempt to attack a company's systems. Socio-political motivated attackers desire attention for their cause, resulting in their attacks being known to the public, and this is a form of hacktivism. Other forms of cyberattacks include espionage, spying to gain an unfair advantage over the competition and intellectual challenges, according to IBM.

According to Varonis , ransomware attacks have increased by 13% in the last five years, with an average cost of $1.85 million per incident. In addition, 13% of small and medium businesses reported a ransomware attack in the past year, with 24% of respondents reporting at least one attack ever, according to Datto ( PDF source ).

The Small Business Association ( SBA ) reports that small businesses make attractive targets and are typically attacked due to their lack of security infrastructure. The SBA also reports that a majority of small business owners felt their business was vulnerable to an attack. The SBA said this is because many of these businesses:

• Can't afford professional IT solutions
• Don't know where to begin
• Have limited time to devote to cybersecurity 

What are Some Types of Cyberattacks and Threats? 

Here are some of the most common threats among cyberattacks: 

• Malware : Malware is also known as malicious software, according to CISCO, and it is intrusive software crafted by cybercriminals to illicitly acquire data or to harm computers and their systems. Malware has the capability of exfiltrating massive amounts of data, CISCO reported, and examples of common malware are viruses, worms, trojan viruses, spyware, adware and ransomware.
• Phishing : Phishing attacks are the practice of sending fraudulent communications  while appearing to be a reputable source, according to CISCO. This is typically performed via email or on the phone, CISCO reported, and the goal is to steal sensitive data such as financial or login information — or to install malware onto a target's device. 
• Ransomware : Ransomware is a form of malware designed to encrypt files on a target device, rendering those files and the systems they rely on unusable, according to the CISA. Once the system has been encrypted, actors demand ransom in exchange for decryption, CISA reported.  
• Viruses : A virus is a harmful program intended to spread from computer to computer, as well as other connected devices, according to the SBA. The object of a virus is to give the attacker access to the infected systems, Proofpoint reported, and many viruses pretend to be legitimate applications but then cause damage to the systems, steal data, interrupt services or download additional malware.  

Who is Behind Cyberattacks? 

Attacks against enterprises can come from a variety of sources, such as criminal organizations, state actors and private persons, according to IBM. An easy way to classify these attacks is by outsider versus insider threats. 

Outsider or external threats include organized criminals, professional hackers and amateur hackers (like hacktivists), IBM reported.  

Insider threats are typically those who have authorized access to a company's assets and abuse them deliberately or accidentally, according to IBM, and these threats include employees who are careless of security procedures, disgruntled current or former employees, and business partners or clients with system access.  

Developing Cyber Awareness 

Cybersecurity awareness can mean different things to different people depending on their technical knowledge. Ensuring appropriate training is available to individuals is a great way to motivate lasting behavioral changes, Forbes reported.  

While cybersecurity awareness is the first step, employees and individuals must embrace and proactively use effective practices both professionally and personally for it to truly be effective, according to Forbes.

Getting started with cybersecurity awareness is easy, and many resources are readily available on the CISA government website based on your needs. Whether you need formal training or a monthly email with cybersecurity tips and tricks, any awareness and training can impact behavior and create a positive change in how you view cybersecurity. 

What are the Types of Cybersecurity? 

Here are the some common types of cybersecurity available: 

• Application Security : Application security refers to the measures integrated into applications during their development to safeguard the data or code within them from theft or highjacking, according to VMWare, and these protective mechanisms are designed to shield the application post-development.
• Cloud Security : Cloud security is the amalgamation of technologies and strategies designed to protect data, applications and the associated infrastructure of cloud computing  environments from both internal and external threats, according to Skyhigh Security, aiming to prevent unauthorized access and ensure the overall security of data in the cloud.
• Infrastructure Security : Critical infrastructure security describes the physical and cyber systems that are so vital to society that their incapacity would have a debilitating impact on our physical, economic or public health and safety, according to CISA. 
• Internet of Things (IoT) Security : IoT is the concept of connecting any device to the internet and other connected devices. The IoT is a network of connected things and people, all of which share data about the way they are used and their environments, according to IBM. These devices include appliances, sensors, televisions, routers, printers and countless other home network devices. Securing these devices is important, and according to a study by Bloomberg , security is one of the biggest barriers to widespread IoT adoption. 
• Network Security : Network security is the protection of network infrastructure from unauthorized access, abuse or theft, according to CISCO, and these security systems involve creating a secure infrastructure for devices, applications and users to work together. 

Do You Need a Degree To Be a Cybersecurity Professional? 

A cybersecurity degree provides an opportunity for students to develop skills and a mindset that empowers them to begin a career in securing systems, protecting information assets and managing organizational risks.  

It didn't take long for Petitto to begin exploring his career options. "Even before finishing (my) degree, I … received multiple invites to interview for entry-level positions within the industry and received three job offers," said Petitto. He decided to remain within the Air Force and transfer to a cybersecurity unit as opposed to joining the private sector.

Petitto said his cybersecurity degree opened doors  for him in the field — “a monumental goal for me," he said. "This degree was a critical first step for breaking into the industry."

In 2023, the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity at SNHU became a validated program of study by the National Security Agency (NSA). As a designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), SNHU met the federal government's strict criteria when it comes to excellence in cybersecurity education, Kamyck said.

Your cybersecurity degree program can also connect you with experiential learning opportunities to further your growth as a cybersecurity professional. For example, the annual National Cyber League (NCL) has a competition wherein students from across the U.S. practice real-world cybersecurity tasks and skills. SNHU recently placed 65th out of over 500 colleges participating in the NCL competition.

Starting with a Certificate

If you want to see what a cybersecurity education is like before committing to a degree program, you might consider earning a cybersecurity certificate . The certificate at SNHU, for instance, consists of six courses that introduce you to important cybersecurity principles, computer network foundations, problem-solving using systems thinking  and more. With an 8-week term schedule, this certificate can be completed in well under a year.

Beginning with a certificate means you can earn a credential in the field quickly, and it may even help position you for entry-level jobs. Better yet: Should you want to build on your knowledge, you can transfer your completed certificate credits into SNHU's associate degree in cybersecurity  or bachelor's in cybersecurity, which places you well on your way to a second credential.

Find Your Program

Career opportunity and salary potential in cybersecurity .

As companies, large and small, scramble to respond to the growing threats, jobs in the cybersecurity field are growing fast. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that employment for information security analysts will grow by 32% through 2032.* According to BLS, that’s more than twice as fast as the average computer-related occupation and ten times as fast as all occupations.*

To help fill the need for more professionals in the cybersecurity world, CyberSeek , a project funded by the federal government and supported by industry partners, provides detailed information on the demand for these workers by state. The Cyberseek tool shows that, across the country, there were 572,392 cybersecurity-related job openings in 2023, and for every 100 cybersecurity jobs available between September 2022 and August 2023, only 72 people could fill them.

“There’s a huge shortfall right now in entry-level and mid-level cybersecurity roles,” Kamyck said. “You’re looking at demand across all business sectors, with companies of all sizes."

CyberSeek lists the following entry-, mid- and advanced-level roles available in the field . CyberSeek average salaries are based on job openings posted between May 2022 and April 2023:

Entry-level Cybersecurity Roles

• Cybercrime Analyst : Cybercrime analysts make an average salary of $101,019, and common skills necessary for the role include digital forensics and computer science.*
• Cybersecurity Specialist : Cybersecurity specialists make an average salary of $92,901, and important skills for the role include information systems, vulnerability and risk analysis.*
• Incident and Intrusion Analyst : Incident analysts make an average salary of $97,725, and common skills needed include incident response and management, cyber threat intelligence and Linux.*
• IT Auditor : Information technology auditors make an average salary of $98,805, and common skills for the role include auditing, accounting and internal controls.*

Mid-level Cybersecurity Roles

• Cybersecurity Analyst : Cybersecurity analysts make an average of $107,346, and the top skills required include auditing, incident response and risk analysis.*
• Cybersecurity Consultant : Consultants in cybersecurity make an average salary of $118,610 and need skills in auditing, project management and cybersecurity.*
• Penetration and Vulnerability Tester : Penetration testers make an average salary of $124,424 and need skills in vulnerability assessment and management, penetration testing and Python.*

Advanced-level Cybersecurity Roles

• Cybersecurity Architect : Cybersecurity architects make an average salary of $147,142, and some of the top skills for the role include IT security architecture, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.*
• Cybersecurity Engineer : Cybersecurity engineers make an average of $131,768 a year and benefit from skills in cybersecurity, firewall and automation.*
• Cybersecurity Manager : Managers in this field earn an average salary of $150,943, and top skills include information systems, project management and risk analysis and management.*

What Does a Cybersecurity Professional Do? 

While companies define roles related to information security in a variety of ways, Kamyck said there are some specific tasks that these employees are commonly called on to do. In many cases, they must analyze threats and gather information from a company’s servers, cloud services and employee computers and mobile devices.

“An analyst’s job is to find meaning in all of that data, see what’s concerning,” he said. “Is there a breach? Is someone violating a policy?”

In many cases, Kamyck said, security specialists work with other information technology (IT) professionals to ensure a company’s systems are secure. That involves not just technical know-how but also people-oriented skills.

But breaches don’t just take the form of someone hacking into a server. They can also involve customer lists sent through unencrypted email, a password written on a sticky note in a cubicle or a company laptop stolen from an employee’s car.

Depending on their specific role, cybersecurity professionals must also think strategically. In many industries, companies rely on employees having quick access to highly sensitive data, such as medical records or bank account information.

“The goal is to balance the needs of the company or the organization you’re working for with the need to protect the confidentiality of customer data and trade secrets,” Kamyck said.

Kamyck said people who do well in these jobs tend to be curious, competitive and willing to keep learning to stay up to date with rapidly changing technology. The work draws on multidisciplinary knowledge, and people who continue with the work find there are a variety of directions they can take in their careers.

For example, Kamyck said if you're interested in the business side, you might become a manager  or run audits that let companies know where they need to improve to meet compliance. If you love the adversarial part of the job, you might become a penetration tester, essentially an “ethical hacker” who tests for system vulnerabilities by trying to get through them.

How To Get Into Cybersecurity

If you’re wondering how to get into cybersecurity , it’s clear there are many positions out there. The question is how to make sure you’re a good fit for them. According to BLS , most information security analyst jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science  or another related field. 

Cybersecurity job requirements also sometimes include related work experience, according to BLS. Rather than jumping right into the security side of information technology, you can start as a network or computer systems administrator. Depending on the specific cybersecurity position, employers may have other job requirements. For instance, keeping databases secure might be an ideal job for someone who’s spent time as a database administrator and is also well-versed in security issues.

Aside from work experience and college degrees, some employers also prefer job candidates who have received certifications demonstrating their understanding of best practices in the field. For example, the Certified Information Systems Security Professional ( CISSP ) credential, which is administered by cybersecurity association ISC2, validates a professional’s general knowledge and abilities in information security. There are also more specific certificates, such as an online cybersecurity certificate, which can highlight specialized knowledge of computer architecture, engineering or management.

Whatever path new employees in cybersecurity want to follow, Kamyck said, those who are willing to make an effort to learn the field will find abundant opportunities.

“There’s needs in government. There’s needs in finance. There’s needs in education,” Kamyck said. “There’s a tremendous unfilled need.”*

Discover more about SNHU's online cybersecurity degree : Find out what courses you'll take, skills you'll learn and how to request information about the program.

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.

Nicholas Patterson ’22 is a writer and alumnus of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing. He is currently honing his craft further as he pursues an MFA in Creative Writing from SNHU. Connect with him on LinkedIn .

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• What, exactly, is cybersecurity? And why does it matter?

Cybersecurity focuses on protecting electronic information on websites, networks, or devices from hackers. Through advanced technology and sophisticated processes, cybersecurity professionals help keep data safe and accessible.

Special Feature

Tech security: the next challenges.

Security threats like malware, ransomware and hacking gangs are always evolving. This special report explains what you need to focus on next.

Individuals and businesses alike face cybersecurity threats. In addition, businesses need protection from unauthorized data access — both from inside and outside the organization. Strong cybersecurity reduces the chances that a cyberattack will affect business operations.

Cybersecurity also has political implications. The US Department of Homeland Security designated election infrastructure as "critical" in 2017. This infrastructure includes voter registration databases and the digital technologies used to count, display, and confirm voting results — some of America's most sensitive data. 

And cybersecurity can also affect public safety and health. In one case , hackers attempted to poison the municipal water supplies of cities in Florida and California. The hackers gained access to the technology platforms controlling the water systems. Luckily, officials caught the hacks before anyone got sick. 

Individuals can take simple steps to maintain their cybersecurity, like using a password manager app. But businesses typically require more sophisticated, proactive cybersecurity strategies. 

As a result, the number of people responsible for handling a company's cybersecurity depends on an organization's resources and operational needs. A company might have a large cybersecurity team or just one person with multiple digital duties.

Is cybersecurity considered an IT job?

People who work in cybersecurity often work closely with other IT professionals, like network administrators or in various roles. For this reason, experts and those within the industry often group cybersecurity jobs within the broader sector of IT. 

Despite the need to work together with other technology professionals, cybersecurity employees tend to focus on different issues than IT workers. These issues include preventing and analyzing data security incidents and developing and enforcing security standards to protect digital information.

In most cases, cybersecurity is considered an IT job. However, cybersecurity jobs usually focus on protecting digital information. 

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• These are the biggest cybersecurity threats. Make sure you aren't ignoring them
• Ransomware: Why it's still a big threat, and where the gangs are going next
• These are the cybersecurity threats of tomorrow that you should be thinking about today
• The 7 best cybersecurity certifications: Become a security expert
• Best cybersecurity schools and programs

Some organizations may title these individuals "cybersecurity specialist" or "cybersecurity manager." Related cybersecurity job titles include cybersecurity engineer or cybersecurity administrator. 

5 reasons why cybersecurity is important

Millions of Americans share personal information on the internet every day -- whether while working remotely, making online purchases, or completing financial transactions. That makes cybersecurity more important than ever. 

1. Cybercrimes are rising

In an increasingly digitized and connected world, cybercrime can cause major disruptions. As more workplaces moved to remote work in 2020, the number of cyberattacks skyrocketed. One study found a 400% increase in cybercrime in 2019-2020. 

In addition to a growing number of cybercrimes, the types of attacks have grown. Malware, phishing, and DDoS attacks can take down major corporations and risk the private data of millions of people. 

2. Your data is valuable

Cyberattacks target both individuals and systems. These cybercriminals seek out private data, including financial information. That data is valuable. Stealing someone's Social Security number, for example, makes it easy to take out credit cards in their name and run up debt. So does targeting dates of birth, credit card information, and addresses.

3. Cybercrimes result in economic costs

The economic cost of cybercrimes is staggering. According to one estimate, cyberattacks cost the global economy $1 trillion every year. 

Ransomware attacks can bankrupt companies, disrupt financial markets, and tank people's personal finances. The cost of cybercrimes makes it even more important to implement security systems and increase internet safety.

4. Your devices could be exploited

Every day, hackers come up with new ways to break into systems and exploit devices. Take cryptojacking , for example. Hackers use a target's devices to mine cryptocurrency for the hacker. Add that to a long list of cybercrimes like proxy phishing, password attacks, and malware.

5. Cyberattacks pose real-life threats

Cybercrime might seem like a distant problem that only affects a small number of people. But cyberattacks don't only target information security. They can also compromise infrastructure, which threatens health and safety. 

In late 2020, for example, ransomware attacks targeted U.S. hospitals. These attacks tried to steal data to force hospitals to pay a ransom. And hospitals aren't the only target. Schools, law enforcement agencies, and governments have all been the victims of cyberattacks.

How to protect yourself against hackers and cyberattacks

You can take several simple steps right now to protect your data from hackers and prevent cyberattacks. Here are the best ways to make your data safer. 

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The best password managers for business.

Everyone needs a password manager. It's the only way to maintain unique, hard-to-guess credentials for every secure site you and your team access daily.

Follow password best practices

A strong password keeps hackers from breaching your accounts. Instead of reusing the same password on multiple platforms, create unique, complex passwords, particularly for sites that store private data or credit card information. 

Worried about keeping all those passwords straight? Consider getting a password manager so you'll never forget your password again.

Change your password after a breach

Take a look at current events and there's a good chance you'll hear about a data breach. 

After a breach, you should change your password — but recent research shows that few people actually update their passwords. That leaves your data vulnerable to a cyberattack. The site Have I Been Pwned lets users check whether their accounts may have been compromised.

Learn to spot phishing attempts

Every email inbox receives spam emails. Most of us know not to open emails from Nigerian princes. But every day, people click on phishing emails claiming to offer prizes or asking customers to "verify" details. These phishing attempts trick people into giving up their own personal info. 

Make sure you understand common phishing red flags to dodge cyberattacks. 

Install antivirus software

More on tech security: the next challenges.

Installing antivirus software on your devices — including cell phones — helps protect your data against malware, viruses, and other cyberattacks.

These software programs secure your passwords, block malware, and protect financial data during online transactions. 

Major providers include Norton Antivirus, McAfee Total Protection, and Kaspersky Total Security. 

Before installing or downloading antivirus software, consider your needs and find the right provider to protect your internet safety. 

In conclusion

Cybersecurity matters for everyone, even people who don't think they use technology directly. Nearly every aspect of modern life involves sharing digital information. 

That's why, no matter the industry, cybersecurity is essential. Cybersecurity professionals work to keep personal and business information safe from current — and future — threats.

What cyber threats should we look out for?

The most common cyber attacks to look out for are:

Less-common but still dangerous attacks include:

What is cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the profession of protecting digital information, devices, and networks from unauthorized users. People in this profession also ensure the integrity, security, and accessibility of information for authorized users.

How does cybersecurity protect us?

Cybersecurity protects digital information -- and the people who use networks, computers, and devices -- from unauthorized access or data loss.

How can we prevent cybercrimes?

Information security specialists help prevent cybercrimes by protecting personal data, implementing security systems, and investigating cybercrimes. People can also spot scams and use antivirus software to prevent cybercrimes.

Why is cybersecurity important for students?

Like everyone else, students need to protect their private data. Students can also study cybersecurity to launch careers in a growing tech specialty. 

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Wondering why cyber security is important for a modern-day society?

In today’s digitally connected world, the importance of cyber security cannot be overstated.

With growing reliance on technology and the internet, individuals and organisations face continuous exposure to diverse cyber threats.

Research shows that 60% of small businesses shut down following a cyber attack, highlighting the need for improved prevention strategies.

Understanding why cyber security is important for a modern-day society is crucial in protecting ourselves and our sensitive information from potential harm.

This article explores why cyber security is important for a modern-day society, the potential threats in its absence, the future of cyber security, and how to enhance our own cyber security.

Understanding why cyber security is important for a modern-day society

Before delving deeper into why cyber security is important for a modern-day society, it is important to define what it entails.

Cyber security refers to the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, and data from unauthorised access, theft, or damage.

It encompasses a range of strategies, technologies, and processes aimed at preventing and detecting potential threats.

Defining cyber security

Cyber security extends beyond mere protection; it also encompasses risk management and mitigation.

That is why cyber security is important for a modern-day society.

It involves implementing measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.

This means that cyber security not only safeguards sensitive information from unauthorised access, but also guarantees that the data is accurate and accessible when needed.

The evolution of cyber security

Cyber security has evolved rapidly alongside the advancements in technology.

In the early days of computing, security-focused primarily on the physical protection of machines.

As computing became more interconnected, the focus shifted towards protecting networks and preventing unauthorised access.

With the advent of the internet and the proliferation of digital devices, cyber security became a paramount concern.

The field expanded to encompass not only protection against external threats but also internal vulnerabilities and human error.

The role of cyber security in today’s digital age

In today’s interconnected world, it’s important to understand why cyber security is important for a modern-day society.

Cyber security plays a critical role in safeguarding personal information and business, governmental, and organisational data.

This section explores the importance of cyber security in protecting personal information and the significance of maintaining robust security measures in the corporate and governmental sectors.

Protecting personal information

With the increasing prevalence of online transactions, social media, and cloud storage, individuals often store a substantial amount of personal information online.

This includes sensitive data such as financial details, addresses, and even medical records.

In the absence of adequate cyber security measures, this personal information becomes vulnerable to unauthorised access and misuse.

Identity theft, fraud, and other forms of cybercrime can have profound consequences, both financially and emotionally, for individuals who fall victim to these attacks.

Safeguarding business and governmental data

In addition to personal information, the need for robust cyber security measures extends to businesses and governmental organisations.

The vast amount of data stored within these entities makes them prime targets for cyber criminals.

A successful cyber attack on a business can lead to financial losses, reputational damage, and potential legal consequences.

In the case of governmental organisations, the threat of cyber terrorism and warfare poses a significant risk to national security and public safety.

The potential threats in the absence of cyber security

The absence of effective cyber security measures exposes individuals, businesses, and even governments to a myriad of potential threats.

Two crucial threats that require our attention are identity theft and fraud, as well as cyber terrorism and warfare.

Identity theft and fraud

Identity theft occurs when an individual’s personal information is used without their consent or knowledge to commit fraudulent activities.

This can include accessing bank accounts, opening lines of credit, or even obtaining false identification.

In the absence of cyber security measures, cybercriminals can exploit vulnerabilities in systems to gain access to sensitive information.

With this information in hand, they can assume the identity of unsuspecting individuals, wreaking havoc on their financial and personal lives.

Cyber terrorism and warfare

As our society becomes increasingly reliant on technology, the threat of cyber terrorism and warfare looms large.

Cyber terrorists can target critical infrastructure, disrupting vital services such as power grids, transportation systems, and communication networks.

Cyber warfare, on the other hand, involves nation-states engaging in offensive cyber operations to gain an advantage over their adversaries.

This can encompass anything from spying and surveillance to launching destructive attacks on enemy systems, showcasing why cyber security is important for a modern-day society.

The future of cyber security

As technology continues to evolve, so too must our approach to cyber security.

This section explores emerging trends in the field of cyber security and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing our defences.

Emerging trends in cyber security

Cyber security is a constantly evolving discipline, with new threats emerging regularly.

That alone is a major reason why cyber security is important for a modern-day society.

As cyber criminals continue to develop sophisticated methods to bypass existing defences, it is imperative that we stay one step ahead.

One emerging trend is the increasing adoption of biometric authentication.

Biometrics, such as fingerprint or face recognition, provide an additional layer of security and make it harder for attackers to impersonate individuals.

The role of artificial intelligence in cyber security

Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise the field of cyber security.

AI-powered systems can analyse vast amounts of data and identify anomalies or patterns indicative of a potential cyber attack.

By leveraging AI, organisations can enhance their ability to detect and respond to threats in real time, minimising the impact of an attack.

AI can also assist in the development of proactive defences, intelligently adapting and learning from previous incidents to strengthen security measures.

How to enhance your cyber security

Individuals and organisations alike can take proactive steps to enhance their cyber security and protect themselves from potential threats.

This section explores some best practices for online safety and the role of education in fostering cyber security awareness .

Best practices for online safety

Implementing strong authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication, can add an extra layer of security to your online accounts.

Regularly updating software and operating systems, as well as using strong, unique passwords, can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyber attacks.

Additionally, being cautious while browsing the internet, avoiding suspicious links and downloads, and being aware of phishing attempts can help mitigate the risk of malicious actors gaining access to your sensitive information.

The role of education in cyber security awareness

Educating individuals about the importance of cyber security is crucial in building a more secure digital environment.

Promoting awareness through workshops, training sessions, and educational campaigns can empower individuals to take proactive measures to protect themselves and their organisations.

Moreover, fostering a culture of cyber security within organisations is vital.

This involves educating employees about cyber threats and providing them with the knowledge and tools to identify and respond to potential incidents.

By now, you can understand why cyber security is important for a modern-day society.

Recognising the potential threats in the absence of digital security and embracing emerging technologies are all crucial steps toward a more secure digital future.

By implementing best practices for online safety and investing in cyber security education, we can collectively build a resilient digital landscape that safeguards our personal information, secures our businesses and governments, and protects our society as a whole.

Learn more about why cyber security is important for a modern-day society by exploring the Institute of Data’s Cyber Security program .

Alternatively, if you’d like personalised guidance on your career path in cyber security, don’t hesitate to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss the program.

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Cybersecurity .

What is cybersecurity why is cybersecurity important, cybersecurity definition.

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting networks, systems, hardware and data from digital attacks. This guide walks you through the field of cybersecurity, including types of cyber attacks and its growing global importance in a digital world.

What Is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the practice of securing networks, systems and any other digital infrastructure from malicious attacks. With cybercrime damages costing an estimated $18.7 billion between 2017 and 2021, it’s no wonder banks, tech companies, hospitals, government agencies and just about every other sector are investing in cybersecurity infrastructure to protect their business practices and the millions of customers that trust them with their data.

What’s the best cybersecurity strategy ? A strong security infrastructure includes multiple layers of protection dispersed throughout a company’s computers, programs and networks. With so much at stake, it’s not hyperbolic to think that cybersecurity tools and experts act as the last line of defense between our most vital information and digital chaos.

Cybersecurity Roles

There are cybersecurity professionals working across industries including healthcare, banking and government. They strive to identify vulnerabilities, fortify organizations against potential cyber risks and react to digital threats in real-time to protect critical systems and sensitive data.

Between May 2021 and April 2022, there were more than 1 million people employed in the cybersecurity workforce, according to CyberSeek , which maintains data about the cybersecurity job market. There were also over 700,000 cybersecurity-related job listings posted online during that same period. These were the sector’s top job titles:

• Cybersecurity analyst
• Software developer
• Cybersecurity consultant
• Penetration and vulnerability tester
• Cybersecurity manager
• Network engineer
• Systems engineer
• Senior software developer
• Systems administrator

More on Cybersecurity 47 Cybersecurity Companies You Need to Know

Types of Cyber Attacks

Cyber attacks come in all shapes and sizes. Some may be overt ransomware attacks (hijacking important business products or tools in exchange for money to release them), while some are covert operations by which criminals infiltrate a system to gain valuable data only to be discovered months after-the-fact, if at all. Criminals are getting craftier with their malicious deeds and here are some of the basic types of cyber attacks affecting thousands of people each day.

Types of Cybersecurity Threats

• Social engineering
• Man-in-the-middle attack
• Zero-day attack

Malware is used to describe malicious software, including spyware, ransomware and viruses. It usually breaches networks through a vulnerability, like clicking on suspicious email links or installing a risky application. Once inside a network, malware can obtain sensitive information, further produce more harmful software throughout the system and can even block access to vital business network components (ransomware).    

Phishing is the practice of sending malicious communications, usually emails, designed to appear from reputable, well-known sources. These emails use the same names, logos and wording as a CEO or company to dull suspicions and get victims to click on harmful links. Once a phishing link is clicked, cyber criminals have access to sensitive data like credit cards, social security or login information.

Social Engineering

Social engineering is the process of psychologically manipulating people into divulging personal information. Phishing is a form of social engineering, where criminals take advantage of people’s natural curiosity or trust. An example of more advanced social engineering is with voice manipulation. In this case, cyber criminals take an individual’s voice (from sources like a voicemail or social media post) and manipulate it to call friends or relatives and ask for a credit card number or other personal information.

Man-in-the-Middle Attack

Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks occur when criminals interrupt the traffic between a two-party transaction. For example, criminals can insert themselves between a public Wi-Fi and an individual’s device. Without a protected Wi-Fi connection, cyber criminals can sometimes view all of a victim’s information without ever being caught.

Zero-Day Attack

Zero-day attacks are becoming more and more common. Essentially, these attacks occur between a network vulnerability announcement and a patch solution. In the name of transparency and security, most companies will announce that they found a problem with their network safety, but some criminals will take this opportunity to unleash attacks before the company can come up with a security patch.

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Cybersecurity Basics

A multi-layer cybersecurity approach is the best way to thwart any serious cyber attack. A combination of firewalls, software and a variety of tools will help combat malware that can affect everything from mobile phones to Wi-Fi. Here are some of the ways cybersecurity experts fight the onslaught of digital attacks.

Further Reading White Hat Hackers: Inside the World of Ethical Hacking

Cybersecurity Best Practices

With cyber attacks occurring seemingly nonstop, firewalls, antivirus software, anti-spyware software and password management tools must all work in harmony to outwit surprisingly creative cybercriminals. 

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency recommends individuals and organizations regularly update their software to ensure there are no vulnerabilities for potential attackers to take advantage of, as well as make sure they’re using reputable up-to-date antivirus software. Other protective measures include changing default usernames and passwords, implementing multi-factor authentication, installing a firewall and identifying and avoiding suspicious emails.

• Regularly updating software
• Using reputable, up-to-date antivirus software
• Changing default usernames and passwords
• Implementing multi-factor authentication
• Installing a firewall
• Identifying and avoiding suspicious emails

AI for Cybersecurity

Artificial intelligence is used in cybersecurity to thwart a wide variety of malicious cybercrimes. Security companies are training AI tools to predict data breaches, alert to phishing attempts in real-time and even expose social engineering scams before they become dangerous.

Securing Against Malware

Security against malware is certainly one of the most important issues today, and it will continue to be as malicious software evolves. An anti-virus software package is needed to combat any suspicious activity. These packages usually include tools that do everything from warning against suspicious websites to flagging potentially harmful emails. 

Read More 15 Network Security Companies Keeping Our Information Safe

Mobile Security

Mobile phones are one of the most at-risk devices for cyber attacks and the threat is only growing. Device loss is the top concern among cybersecurity experts. Leaving our phones at a restaurant or in the back of a rideshare can prove dangerous. Luckily, there are tools that lock all use of mobile phones — or enact multi-factor passwords — if this incident occurs. 

Application security is also becoming another major issue. To combat mobile apps that request too many privileges, introduce Trojan viruses or leak personal information, experts turn to cybersecurity tools that will alert or altogether block suspicious activity.

More on Mobile Security 9 Top Mobile Security Companies Safeguarding Our Devices

Web Browser Security and the Cloud

Browser security is the application of protecting internet-connected, networked data from privacy breaches or malware. Anti-virus browser tools include pop-up blockers, which simply alert or block spammy, suspicious links and advertisements. More advanced tactics include two-factor authentication, using security-focused browser plug-ins and using encrypted browsers.

Further Reading 11 Cloud Cybersecurity Companies to Know

Wi-Fi Security

Using public Wi-Fi can leave you vulnerable to a variety of man-in-the-middle cyber attacks. To secure against these attacks, most cybersecurity experts suggest using the most up-to-date software and to avoid password-protected sites that contain personal information, such as banking, social media and email. Arguably, the most secure way to guard against a cyber attack on public Wi-Fi is to use a virtual private network, orVPN. VPNs create a secure network, where all data sent over a Wi-Fi connection is encrypted.

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127 Cyber Security Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

With the increasing reliance on technology, cyber security has become a critical concern for individuals, organizations, and governments worldwide. As cyber threats continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, it is essential to stay informed about the latest trends and issues in this field. If you are tasked with writing an essay on cyber security, here are 127 topic ideas and examples to get your creative juices flowing.

The role of artificial intelligence in enhancing cyber security.

The impact of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure.

The ethical considerations of cyber warfare.

The legal frameworks governing cyber security.

The challenges of securing the Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

The role of encryption in protecting sensitive information.

The effectiveness of password policies in preventing cyber attacks.

The psychology behind social engineering attacks.

The impact of cyber attacks on the global economy.

The future of biometrics in cyber security.

The role of cyber insurance in mitigating cyber risks.

The ethics of hacking for the greater good.

The impact of cyber attacks on healthcare systems.

The role of education in raising cyber security awareness.

The challenges of securing cloud computing environments.

The implications of quantum computing on cyber security.

The importance of international cooperation in combating cyber crime.

The role of cyber security in protecting intellectual property.

The impact of cyber attacks on national security.

The challenges of securing critical data in the cloud.

The role of cybersecurity audits in identifying vulnerabilities.

The impact of cyber attacks on the banking and financial sector.

The ethical implications of government surveillance for cyber security purposes.

The role of cybersecurity professionals in addressing the skills gap.

The challenges of securing personal information in the digital age.

The impact of cyber attacks on elections and democratic processes.

The role of user awareness training in preventing cyber attacks.

The implications of data breaches for consumer trust.

The challenges of securing mobile devices in the workplace.

The role of cyber security in protecting personal privacy.

The impact of cyber attacks on small businesses.

The role of cyber security in safeguarding intellectual property in academia.

The challenges of securing critical infrastructure in developing countries.

The ethical considerations of vulnerability disclosure.

The impact of cyber attacks on the transportation sector.

The role of cyber security in protecting children online.

The challenges of securing Internet of Things (IoT) in smart homes.

The implications of cyber attacks on the aviation industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against ransomware attacks.

The impact of cyber attacks on the entertainment industry.

The challenges of securing e-commerce platforms.

The role of cyber security in preventing identity theft.

The implications of cyber attacks on the energy sector.

The ethical considerations of government backdoor access to encrypted data.

The impact of cyber attacks on the hospitality and tourism industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting sensitive government information.

The challenges of securing online gaming platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the media and journalism.

The role of cyber security in protecting against social media threats.

The impact of cyber attacks on the transportation and logistics industry.

The challenges of securing online banking and financial transactions.

The role of cyber security in protecting against insider threats.

The implications of cyber attacks on the education sector.

The ethical considerations of using cyber weapons in warfare.

The impact of cyber attacks on the retail industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against insider trading.

The challenges of securing online voting systems.

The implications of cyber attacks on the gaming industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against intellectual property theft.

The impact of cyber attacks on the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry.

The challenges of securing social media platforms.

The ethical considerations of cyber security in autonomous vehicles.

The implications of cyber attacks on the hospitality industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against credit card fraud.

The impact of cyber attacks on the manufacturing industry.

The challenges of securing online dating platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the insurance industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against corporate espionage.

The impact of cyber attacks on the food and beverage industry.

The challenges of securing online marketplaces.

The implications of cyber attacks on the pharmaceutical industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against intellectual property infringement.

The impact of cyber attacks on the nonprofit sector.

The challenges of securing online streaming platforms.

The ethical considerations of cyber security in wearable technology.

The implications of cyber attacks on the real estate industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against medical identity theft.

The impact of cyber attacks on the telecommunications industry.

The challenges of securing online job portals.

The implications of cyber attacks on the automotive industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against data breaches in the legal sector.

The impact of cyber attacks on the music industry.

The challenges of securing online auction platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the construction industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against online harassment.

The impact of cyber attacks on the advertising and marketing industry.

The challenges of securing online learning platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the fashion industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against online stalking.

The impact of cyber attacks on the sports industry.

The challenges of securing online travel booking platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the beauty and cosmetics industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against online scams.

The impact of cyber attacks on the hospitality and catering industry.

The challenges of securing online dating applications.

The implications of cyber attacks on the healthcare and wellness industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against online bullying.

The impact of cyber attacks on the entertainment and events industry.

The challenges of securing online food delivery platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the fitness and wellness industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against online fraud.

The impact of cyber attacks on the home services industry.

The challenges of securing online social networking platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the pet care industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against online piracy.

The impact of cyber attacks on the restaurant industry.

The challenges of securing online fashion retail platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the healthcare and fitness industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against online hate speech.

The impact of cyber attacks on the wedding and event planning industry.

The challenges of securing online grocery delivery platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the gaming and entertainment industry.

The impact of cyber attacks on the music and entertainment industry.

The challenges of securing online travel and tourism platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the beauty and wellness industry.

The role of cyber security in protecting against online identity theft.

The impact of cyber attacks on the fashion and retail industry.

The challenges of securing online health and wellness platforms.

The implications of cyber attacks on the food and beverage industry.

These essay topic ideas cover a broad range of industries and sectors, highlighting the pervasive nature of cyber security threats. Whether you choose to explore the implications of cyber attacks on a specific industry, examine the challenges of securing a particular platform, or discuss the ethical considerations of cyber security, there are endless possibilities for research and analysis in this field. Remember to choose a topic that interests you and aligns with your objectives, ensuring a rewarding and engaging essay-writing experience.

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Cyber Security Essay for Students and Children

Cyber security essay.

Cybersecurity means protecting data, networks, programs and other information from unauthorized or unattended access, destruction or change. In today’s world, cybersecurity is very important because of some security threats and cyber-attacks. For data protection, many companies develop software. This software protects the data. Cybersecurity is important because not only it helps to secure information but also our system from virus attack. After the U.S.A. and China, India has the highest number of internet users.

Cyber Threats

It can be further classified into 2 types. Cybercrime – against individuals, corporates, etc.and Cyberwarfare – against a state.

Cyber Crime

Use of cyberspace, i.e. computer, internet, cellphone, other technical devices, etc., to commit a crime by an individual or organized group is called cyber-crime. Cyber attackers use numerous software and codes in cyberspace to commit cybercrime. They exploit the weaknesses in the software and hardware design through the use of malware. Hacking is a common way of piercing the defenses of protected computer systems and interfering with their functioning. Identity theft is also common.

Cybercrimes may occur directly i.e,  targeting the computers directly by spreading computer viruses. Other forms include DoS attack. It is an attempt to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users. It suspends services of a host connected to the internet which may be temporary or permanent.

Malware is a software used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. It usually appears in the form of code, scripts, active content, and other software. ‘Malware’ refers to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software, for example, Trojan Horses, rootkits, worms, adware, etc.

Another way of committing cybercrime is independent of the Computer Network or Device. It includes Economic frauds. It is done to destabilize the economy of a country, attack on banking security and transaction system, extract money through fraud, acquisition of credit/debit card data, financial theft, etc.

Hinder the operations of a website or service through data alteration, data destruction. Others include using obscene content to humiliate girls and harm their reputation, Spreading pornography, threatening e-mail, assuming a fake identity, virtual impersonation. Nowadays misuse of social media in creating intolerance, instigating communal violence and inciting riots is happening a lot.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Cyber Warfare

Snowden revelations have shown that Cyberspace could become the theatre of warfare in the 21st century. Future wars will not be like traditional wars which are fought on land, water or air. when any state initiates the use of internet-based invisible force as an instrument of state policy to fight against another nation, it is called cyberwar’.

It includes hacking of vital information, important webpages, strategic controls, and intelligence. In December 2014 the cyberattack a six-month-long cyberattack on the German parliament for which the Sofacy Group is suspected. Another example 2008 cyberattack on US Military computers. Since these cyber-attacks, the issue of cyber warfare has assumed urgency in the global media.

Inexpensive Cybersecurity Measures

• The simplest thing you can do to up your security and rest easy at night knowing your data is safe is to change your passwords.
• You should use a password manager tool like LastPass, Dashlane, or Sticky Password to keep track of everything for you. These applications help you to use unique, secure passwords for every site you need while also keeping track of all of them for you.
• An easy way for an attacker to gain access to your network is to use old credentials that have fallen by the wayside. Hence delete unused accounts.
• Enabling two-factor authentication to add some extra security to your logins. An extra layer of security that makes it harder for an attacker to get into your accounts.
• Keep your Softwares up to date.

Today due to high internet penetration, cybersecurity is one of the biggest need of the world as cybersecurity threats are very dangerous to the country’s security. Not only the government but also the citizens should spread awareness among the people to always update your system and network security settings and to the use proper anti-virus so that your system and network security settings stay virus and malware-free.

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https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/why-security-and-privacy-matter-digital-world

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Why Security and Privacy Matter in a Digital World

One cannot pick up a newspaper, watch TV, listen to the radio, or scan the news on the internet without some direct or veiled reference to the lack of information security or intrusions into personal privacy. Many intrusions into government and private-sector systems have exposed sensitive mission, business and personal information. Every day it seems that more and more systems are breached and more and more personal information is made available either on the web or, worse, the dark web . Given this backdrop, it is often easy to get lost in the details of cybersecurity and privacy and the seemingly endless discussions about cyber attacks, system breaches, frameworks, requirements, controls, assessments, continuous monitoring and risk management and forget why security and personal privacy matter in an increasingly digital world.

We are witnessing and taking part in the greatest information technology revolution in the history of mankind as our society undergoes the transition from a largely paper-based world to a fully digital world. As part of that transformation, we continue to push computers closer to the edge. The “edge” today is the burgeoning and already vast world of the “Internet of Things,” or IoT. This new world consists of an incredibly diverse set of familiar everyday technologies, including dishwashers, refrigerators, cameras, DVRs, medical devices, satellites, automobiles, televisions, traffic lights, drones, baby monitors, building fire/security systems, smartphones and tablets. It also includes technologies that are perhaps less familiar to the average person but absolutely vital to maintaining and safeguarding the familiar world in which they live: advanced military weapons systems; industrial and process control systems that support power plants and the nationwide electric grid, manufacturing plants and water distribution plants; emergency response systems; banking and financial systems; and transportation systems—in short, our most critical infrastructure. Yes, we have fully embraced this emerging technology and pushed computers, software and devices everywhere to the edge of this new world. And as those technologies, both familiar and critical, become increasingly integrated with IoT, so does information , all kinds of information, including intellectual property and your personal information.

It goes without saying that innovations in information technology and IoT will continue to make us more productive, help us solve difficult and challenging problems, entertain us, allow us to communicate with virtually anyone in the world instantaneously, and provide all kinds of additional, and previously unimaginable, benefits. For instance, who wouldn’t want an app that tells you the optimal time to go to the restroom during the movie you’re about to see at your local theater? These new technologies are not only compelling, but also intoxicating and addicting—leaving us with a huge blind spot that puts us at great risk of losing our property, our privacy, our security and, in some cases, our lives.

We have built an incredibly complex information technology infrastructure consisting of millions of billions of lines of code, hardware platforms with integrated circuits on computer chips, and millions of applications on every type of computing platform from smart watches to mainframes. And right in the middle of all that complexity, your information is being routinely processed, stored and transmitted through global networks of connected systems. From a security and privacy perspective, we are not only concerned about the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data contained in the systems embedded deep in the nation’s critical infrastructure, but also of our personal information.

Recognizing the importance of both security and privacy safeguards for systems, organizations and individuals, NIST recently initiated several groundbreaking projects to bring these concepts closer together—to facilitate the development of stronger, more robust security and privacy programs and provide a unified approach for protecting all types of information, including personal information. The first installment in this new approach occurred with the release of NIST Special Publication 800-53, Revision 5 , which provided, for the first time in the standards community, a consolidated catalog of security and privacy controls—standing side by side with the broad-based safeguards needed to protect systems and personal privacy.

Today, NIST is announcing the second installment of the unified approach to privacy and security by releasing a discussion draft of NIST Special Publication 800-37, Revision 2 . This publication responds to the President’s Executive Order on Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure and the Office of Management and Budget’s Memorandum M-17-25 (implementation guidance for the Executive Order) to develop the next-generation Risk Management Framework (RMF 2.0) for systems, organizations and individuals. RMF 2.0 provides a disciplined, structured and repeatable process for organizations to select, implement, assess and continuously monitor security and privacy controls.

NIST Special Publication 800-37, Revision 2, empowers customers to take charge of their protection needs and provide security and privacy solutions to support organizational missions and business objectives. It includes a new organizational preparation step, instituted to achieve more timely, effective, efficient and cost-effective risk management processes. The organizational preparation step incorporates concepts from the Cybersecurity Framework to facilitate better communication between senior leaders and executives at the enterprise and mission/business process levels and system owners—conveying acceptable limits regarding the implementation of security and privacy controls within the established organizational risk tolerance. The enterprise-wide preparation also facilitates the identification of common controls and the development of organization-wide tailored security and privacy control baselines. This significantly reduces the workload on individual system owners, provides more customized security and privacy solutions, and lowers the overall cost of system development and protection.

And finally, RMF 2.0 helps organizations reduce the complexity of their IT infrastructure by consolidating, standardizing and optimizing systems, applications and services through the application of enterprise architecture concepts and models. Such complexity reduction is critical to identifying, prioritizing and focusing organizational resources on high-value assets that require increased levels of protection—taking steps commensurate with risk such as moving assets to cloud-based systems or shared services, systems and applications.

The transformation to consolidated security and privacy guidelines will help organizations strengthen their foundational security and privacy programs, achieve greater efficiencies in control implementation, promote greater collaboration of security and privacy professionals, and provide an appropriate level of security and privacy protection for systems and individuals.

About the author

Ron Ross is a computer scientist and Fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He specializes in cybersecurity, risk management, and systems security engineering.  Ron is a retired Army officer who, when not defending cyberspace, follows his passion for NASCAR and takes care of his adopted rescue dog, Sophie.

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Good afternoon Mr. Ross, I just want to let you know that I do admire your leadership at NIST with such an incredible publications like the SP-800's and others to keep our beautiful country safe. I did work before supporting and improving the ICD503 and your publications were read and exercise by me in order to do my job. I want to thank you for giving me opportunity to continue reading every day on your new development publications on Cyber Security and Information Assurance that are my passion. Have a wonderful day.

Best Regards Carlos G. Salinas

Thank you for your kind remarks, Mr. Salinas. They are very much appreciated. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to serve our public and private sector customers by providing standards, guidelines, and best practices to help them build robust security and privacy programs.

I only just now received the link to the draft SP 800-37. In my opinion, NIST did a great job on RMF already. Unfortunately, I am familiar with a segment of government that immediately assumes it must have its own variations of anything and everything. This "organization" made a mess of RMF from the start, seemingly only wanting to make it as painless as possible. They failed in that by the way. If I had to pick one overriding issue that I would change If I could, it would be the apparent universality of the term "organization" used in so many controls absent a consistent understanding of who or what part of a large organization is being addressed. When an assessment procedure tells me "organizations" are automatically compliant because <insertAgencyNameHere> has defined the <widget> for me, and this control part is not identified as a tier 1 or common offering, several veins of logic are now varicose. The very next control or part may speak of "organization" as if it is the CCP or the ISO without regard for what precedes or follows. My assumption is that many people worked on controls independently and never came to agreement on a standard definition of "organization."

Beautiful blog author.Thank you for sharing.Keep it up.Good wishes for your work.

Beautiful blog post author.Thank you.

Excellent post & thank you so much for sharing

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Why Is Internet Security Important?

While the Internet has revolutionized communications, its conveniences and uses come at the price of new perils. Without any online defense, you leave yourself open to be a victim of fraud, theft and even property damage. Security and vigilance are vital in keeping yourself safe, and this responsibility isn't just on the individual; everyone is a potential target, including governments and private corporations.

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Without security measures in place, private or confidential information or messages can be viewed, intercepted and even stolen. Depending on the intent of the intrusion, this can range from the innocuous, like market research, to the devastating, like identity theft or other fraud. Governments and companies with sensitive information are also at risk as their own information is often valuable, and they also maintain private information on individuals such as customers or employees.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is a prevalent issue in the information age, as people buy, sell and exchange information online. Without adequate security, online transactions can lead to fraudsters getting a hold of your credit card information, personal information and even Social Security number. With this information, they can make fraudulent charges and purchases, take out loans, apply for government benefits and wreak havoc with your private life. While you can generally get everything sorted out, it takes time, effort and in some cases expense to undo the damage of an identity thief.

Data theft is another issue, wherein sensitive or personal data like videos, documents and photos are stolen digitally. This information may then be resold or distributed for illicit purposes. Companies risk losing important testing data, confidential financial files, trade secrets, product blueprints and more, from data thieves. Governments are at risk of having sensitive materials stolen, including data regarding ongoing research projects, personal correspondence between individuals and lists detailing military placements, strategies and the names of agents abroad.

Computer Damage

Maintaining solid computer security can also protect the computer itself from damage. Some hackers are more interested in disruption and causing damage than stealing information. Computer viruses, trojans and malicious software are all examples of disruptive issues facing many computer users, and these sometimes include data theft as well as rendering a computer inoperable. When focused on larger targets like government or corporate systems, these attacks can disrupt communications and services, leading to any number of secondary problems.

How to Protect Yourself

There are a few steps you can take to protect yourself and your computer online. Download or purchase an anti-virus program to protect your computer against viral threats and Trojans, in addition to a good anti-spyware or anti-malware program to protect your computer from tracking apps, spyware and other unsavory software. A firewall can also be a useful tool, as it can alert you to activity from programs you may not have been aware of. Most important, however, is that you exercise common sense online. Don't share personal information, don't click anything you don't trust and buy and sell only with reputable, secure businesses online.

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• Experts Optimistic About the Next 50 Years of Digital Life
• 4. The internet will continue to make life better

Table of Contents

• 1. Themes about the next 50 years of life online
• 2. Internet pioneers imagine the next 50 years
• 3. Humanity is at a precipice; its future is at stake
• 5. Leading concerns about the future of digital life
• About this canvassing of experts
• Acknowledgments

A large share of respondents predict enormous potential for improved quality of life over the next 50 years for most individuals thanks to internet connectivity, although many said the benefits of a wired world are not likely to be evenly distributed.

Andrew Tutt , an expert in law and author of “An FDA for Algorithms,” said, “We are still only about to enter the era of complex automation. It will revolutionize the world and lead to groundbreaking changes in transportation, industry, communication, education, energy, health care, communication, entertainment, government, warfare and even basic research. Self-driving cars, trains, semi-trucks, ships and airplanes will mean that goods and people can be transported farther, faster and with less energy and with massively fewer vehicles. Automated mining and manufacturing will further reduce the need for human workers to engage in rote work. Machine language translation will finally close the language barrier, while digital tutors, teachers and personal assistants with human qualities will make everything from learning new subjects to booking salon appointments faster and easier. For businesses, automated secretaries, salespeople, waiters, waitress, baristas and customer support personnel will lead to cost savings, efficiency gains and improved customer experiences. Socially, individuals will be able to find AI pets, friends and even therapists who can provide the love and emotional support that many people so desperately want. Entertainment will become far more interactive, as immersive AI experiences come to supplement traditional passive forms of media. Energy generation and health care will vastly improve with the addition of powerful AI tools that can take a systems-level view of operations and locate opportunities to gain efficiencies in design and operation. AI-driven robotics (e.g., drones) will revolutionize warfare. Finally, intelligent AI will contribute immensely to basic research and likely begin to create scientific discoveries of its own.”

Arthur Bushkin , an IT pioneer who worked with the precursors to ARPANET and Verizon, wrote, “Of course, the impact of the internet has been dramatic and largely positive. The devil is in the details and the distribution of the benefits.”

Mícheál Ó Foghlú , engineering director and DevOps Code Pillar at Google, Munich, said, “Despite the negatives I firmly believe that the main benefits have been positive, allowing economies and people to move up the value chain, ideally to more rewarding levels of endeavor.”

Perry Hewitt , a marketing, content and technology executive, wrote, “On an individual basis, we will think about our digital assets as much as our physical ones. Ideally, we will have more transparent control over our data, and the ability to understand where it resides and exchange it for value – negotiating with the platform companies that are now in a winner-take-all position. Some children born today are named with search engine-optimization in mind; we’ll be thinking more comprehensively about a set of rights and responsibilities of personal data that children are born with. Governments will have a higher level of regulation and protection of individual data. On an individual level, there will be greater integration of technology with our physical selves. For example, I can see devices that augment hearing and vision, and that enable greater access to data through our physical selves. Hard for me to picture what that looks like, but 50 years is a lot of time to figure it out. On a societal level, AI will have affected many jobs. Not only the truck drivers and the factory workers, but professions that have been largely unassailable – law, medicine – will have gone through a painful transformation. Overall I am bullish in our ingenuity to find a higher and better use for those humans, but it seems inevitable that we’ll struggle through a murky dip before we get there. By 2069, we’ll likely be out the other end. My biggest concern about the world 50 years out is the physical condition of the planet. It seems entirely reasonable that a great deal of our digital lives will be focused on habitable environments: identifying them, improving them, expanding them.”

David Cake , an active leader with Electronic Frontiers Australia and vice chair of the ICANN GNSO Council, wrote, “Significant, often highly communication and computation technologically driven, advances in day-to-day areas like health care, safety and human services, will continue to have a significant measurable improvement in many lives, often ‘invisible’ as an unnoticed reduction in bad outcomes, will continue to reduce the incidence of human-scale disasters. Advances in opportunities for self-actualisation through education, community and creative work will continue (though monetisation will continue to be problematic).”

Eugene H. Spafford , internet pioneer and professor of computing sciences at Purdue University, founder and executive director emeritus of the Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security, commented, “New uses, information sources and paradigms will improve the lives of many. However, the abuses, dilution of privacy and crime will also make things worse.”

Jeff Jarvis, director of the Tow-Knight Center at City University of New York’s Craig Newmark School of Journalism, commented, “One need be fairly cynical about one’s fellow humans and somewhat hubristic about one’s own exceptional abilities to argue that most people will act against their own self-interest to adopt technologies that will be harmful to them. This is why I am driven nuts by the contentions that we have all become addicted to our devices against our will, that the internet has made us stupid in spite of our education, that social media has made us uncivil no matter our parenting, as if these technologies could, in a mere matter of a few years, change our very nature as human beings. Bull. This dystopian worldview gives people no credit for their agency, their good will, their common sense, their intelligence and their willingness to explore and experiment. We will figure out how to adopt technologies of benefit and reject technologies that harm. Of course, there will be exceptions to that rule – witness America’s inability to come to terms with an invention made a millennium ago: gunpowder. But much of the rest of the civilized world has figured that one out.”

Andrew Odlyzko , professor at the University of Minnesota and former head of its Digital Technology Center and the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, said, “Assuming we avoid giant disasters, such as runaway climate change or huge pandemics, we should be able to overcome many of the problems that plague humanity, in health and freedom from physical wants, and from backbreaking or utterly boring jobs. This will bring in other problems, of course.”

Pedro U. Lima , an associate professor of computer science at Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal, said, “Most of the focus on technology and particularly AI and machine learning developments these days is limited to virtual systems (e.g., apps for travel booking, social networks, search engines, games). I expect this to move, in the next 50 years, into networking people with machines, remotely operating in a myriad of environments, such as homes, hospitals, factories, sport arenas and so on. This will change work as we know it today, as it will change medicine (increasing remote surgery), travel (autonomous and remotely-guided cars, trains, planes), entertainment (games where real robots, instead of virtual agents, evolve in real scenarios). These are just a few ideas/scenarios. Many more, difficult to anticipate today, will appear. They will bring further challenges on privacy, security and safety, which everyone should be closely watching and monitoring. Beyond current discussions on privacy problems concerning ‘virtual world’ apps, we need to consider that ‘real world’ apps may enhance many of those problems, as they interact physically and/or in proximity with humans.”

Timothy Leffel , research scientist, National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, predicted, “Future historians will observe that, in many ways, the rise of the internet over the next few decades will have improved the world, but it hasn’t been without its costs that were sometimes severe and disruptive to entire industries and nations.”

Dave Gusto , co-director of the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes at Arizona State University, commented, “Fifty years is a terrifically long time for forecasting. A lot might be riding on, for example, what happens with the current conflict around net neutrality and the way that public or private interests get to shape the net from now forward. But within either pathway – public-interest dominated or private-interest dominated – the ability of some actors to enjoy the highest-end benefits and many actors to use what they can access or can manage to learn is a likely contour to the overall system. I think that a vast diversity of uses will characterize the future system, focusing on experience, entertainment and education, enhanced by AR and VR.”

A representative for a Middle Eastern telecommunication directorate wrote that online life will continue to be a plus in most individuals’ lives, adding, “As far as technological history is concerned, there has been no single case that the advance of technology and innovation has worsened the lives of individuals. This is similarly valid for AI.”

Living longer and better lives is the shining promise of the digital age

Many respondents to this canvassing agreed that internet advancement is likely to lead to better human-health outcomes, although perhaps not for everyone. As the following comments show, experts foresee new cures for chronic illnesses, rapid advancement in biotechnology and expanded access to care thanks to the development of better telehealth systems.

Steve Crocker , CEO and co-founder of Shinkuro Inc., internet pioneer and Internet Hall of Fame member, responded, “Life will improve in multiple ways. One in particular I think worth mentioning will be improvements in health care in three distinct ways. One is significantly better medical technology related to cancer and other major diseases. The second is significantly reduced cost of health care. The third is much higher and broader availability of high-quality health care, thereby reducing the differences in outcomes between wealthy and poor citizens.”

Susan Etlinger , an industry analyst for Altimeter Group expert in data, analytics and digital strategy, commented, “Many of the technologies we see commercialized today began in government and university research labs. Fifty years ago, computers were the size of walk-in closets, and the notion of personal computers was laughable to most people. Today we’re facing another shift, from personal and mobile to ambient computing. We’re also seeing a huge amount of research in the areas of prosthetics, neuroscience and other technologies intended to translate brain activity into physical form. All discussion of transhumanism aside, there are very real current and future applications for technology ‘implants’ and prosthetics that will be able to aid mobility, memory, even intelligence, and other physical and neurological functions. And, as nearly always happens, the technology is far ahead of our understanding of the human implications. Will these technologies be available to all, or just to a privileged class? What happens to the data? Will it be protected during a person’s lifespan? What happens to it after death? Will it be ‘willed’ as a digital legacy to future generations? What are the ethical (and for some, religious and spiritual) implications of changing the human body with technology? In many ways, these are not new questions. We’ve used technology to augment the physical form since the first caveman picked up a walking stick. But the key here will be to focus as much (or more) on the way we use these technologies as we do on inventing them.”

Bernie Hogan , senior research fellow at Oxford Internet Institute, wrote, “Tech will make life better for individuals but not for societies. Life-saving drugs, genetic medicine, effective talk therapy, better recommender systems will all serve individuals in a satisfying way. I am concerned, however, that these will create increased dependency and passivity. We already have trends toward better-behaved, less-experimental and less-sexually-active youth. The increased sense that one’s entire life is marked from cradle to grave will create a safer and more productive life, but perhaps one that is a little less low-risk and constrained.”

Kenneth Grady , futurist and founding author of The Algorithmic Society blog, responded, “Fifty years from now today’s notions of privacy will feel as out of date as horse and buggy transportation feels to us. Our homes, transportation, appliances, communication devices and even our clothes will be constantly communicating as part of a digital network. We have enough pieces of this today that we can somewhat imagine what it will be like. Through our clothes, doctors can monitor in real time our vital signs, metabolic condition and markers relevant to specific diseases. Parents will have real-time information about young children. The difference in the future will be the constant sharing of information, data updates and responses of all these interconnected devices. The things we create will interact with us to protect us. Our notions of privacy and even liability will be redefined. Lowering the cost and increasing the effectiveness of health care will require sharing information about how our bodies are functioning. Those who opt out may have to accept palliative hospice care over active treatment. Not keeping track of children real-time may be considered a form of child neglect. Digital will do more than connect our things to each other – it will invade our bodies. Advances in prosthetics, replacement organs and implants will turn our bodies into digital devices. This will create a host of new issues, including defining ‘human’ and where the line exists between that human and the digital universe – if people are always connected, always on are humans now part of the internet?”

Martin Geddes , a consultant specializing in telecommunications strategies, said, “I am optimistic that we will find a new harmony with technology, having been in dissonance for a long time. This will not be due to newfound wisdom or virtue, but due to the collapse of longstanding cultures and structures that are psychopathic in nature, including today’s central banking systems and mass-surveillance systems. The digital and nano/biotech renaissance is only just beginning, and it will in particular transform health care. Our ‘satnav for live’ will help us navigate all daily choices that impact well-being.”

Danil Mikhailov , head of data and innovation for Wellcome Trust, responded, “My view is that the internet and related digital tech such as AI 50 years from now will have mostly positive effects, but only if we manage its development wisely. In health, the pervasiveness of powerful algorithms embedded in mobile tech doing things like monitoring our vitals and cross-referencing with our genetic information, will mean longer and healthier lives and the disappearance of many diseases. Similarly, AI embedded in devices or wearables can be applied to predict and ameliorate many mental health illnesses. However, there is potential for there to be huge inequalities in our societies in the ability of individuals to access such technologies, causing both social disruption and new causes for mental health diseases, such as depression and anxiety. On balance, I am an optimist about the ability of human beings to adjust and develop new ethical norms for dealing with such issues.”

Dan Robitzski , a reporter covering science and technology for Futurism.com, commented, “The powers that be are not the powers that should be. Surveillance technology, especially that powered by AI algorithms, is becoming more powerful and all-present than ever before. But to look at that and say that technology won’t help people is absurd. Medical technology, technology to help people with disabilities, technology that will increase our comfort and abilities as humans will continue to appear and develop.”

Emanuele Torti , a research professor in the computer science department at the University of Pavia, Italy, responded, “The digital revolution will bring benefits in particular for health, providing personalized monitoring through Internet of Things and wearable devices. The AI will analyze those data in order to provide personalized medicine solutions.”

João Pedro Taveira , embedded systems researcher and smart grids architect for INOV INESC Inovação, Portugal, wrote, “The most noticeable change for better in the next 50 years will be in health and average life expectancy. At this pace, and, taking into account the developments in digital technologies, I hope that several discoveries will reduce the risk of death, such as cancer or even death by road accident. New drugs could be developed, increasing the active work age and possibility maintaining the sustainability of countries’ social health care and retirement funds.”

José Estabil , director of entrepreneurship and innovation at MIT’s Skoltech Initiative, commented, “AI, like the electric engine, will affect society in ways that are not linearly forecastable. (For example, the unification of villages through electric engines in subways has created what we know as Paris, London, Moscow and Manhattan). Another area AI can have impact is in creating the framework within genomics, epigenomics and metabolomics can be used to keep people healthy and to intervene when we start to deviate from health. Indeed, with AI we may be able to hack the brain and other secreting cells so that we can auto-generate lifesaving medicines, block unwanted biological processes (e.g., cancer), and coupled to understanding the brain, be able to hack at neurological disorders.”

Jay Sanders , president and CEO of the Global Telemedicine Group, responded, “Haptics will afford the ability to touch/feel at a distance so that in the medical space a physician at one location will literally be able to examine a patient at a distance.”

A director of marketing for a major technology platform company commented, “I was an early user of ARPANET at Carnegie Mellon University, and even then we were able to utilize internet technology to solve human health problems to make citizens’ lives better and improve their access to care and services to improve their health outcomes. The benefits of the internet in the health care industry have continued to improve access to care and services, particularly for elderly, disabled or rural citizens. Digital tools will continue to be integrated into daily life to help the most vulnerable and isolated who need services, care and support. With laws supporting these groups, benefits in these areas will continue and expand to include behavioral health and resources for this group and for others. In the area of behavioral health in particular, digital tools will provide far-reaching benefits to citizens who need services but do not access them directly in person. Access to behavioral health will increase significantly in the next 50 years as a result of more enhanced and widely available digital tools made available to practitioners for delivering care to vulnerable populations, and by minimizing the stigma of accessing this type of care in person. It is a more affordable, personalized and continuous way of providing this type of care that is also more likely to attain adherence.”

The cyborg generation: Humans will partner more directly with technology

Many experts foresaw a future where the integration of technology and the human body would lead to a hybridization of humanity and technology.

Barry Chudakov , founder and principal of Sertain Research and author of “Metalifestream,” commented, “In 50 years the internet will not be a place to access through a device; it will be the all-surrounding ether of actions and intentions as machine intelligence and learning merge with human intelligence. This will be a natural evolution of adopting the logic of our tools and adjusting our lives accordingly. Pathways to digital life will be neural pathways inside our bodies and brains. We will eat our technology. What is now external mediated through devices will become neural, mediated through neural triggers along neural pathways. Having gone (and living) inside us, the merger with our tools and devices will continue to accelerate due to advances in machine learning. Human identity will morph into an open question, an ongoing discussion.”

Sam Lehman-Wilzig , associate professor and former chair of the School of Communication, Bar-Ilan University, Israel, wrote, “Given the huge (and completely unpredicted) changes of the ‘internet’ over the past 50 years, this question demands out-of-the-box thinking, which I will do here. Literally. In my estimation, within the next 50 years the internet will mainly become the platform for brain-to-brain communication, i.e., no keyboard, no voice, no screen, no text or pictures – merely ‘neuronic’ communication (thought transmission) at the speed of light, with internet speeds reaching terabytes per second, if not more than that. This also means that the main ‘content’ will be various forms of full-experience VR, fed directly to our brains by professional content providers – and perhaps (a bit science-fictiony at this stage) from our brains to other brains as well. The consequences of such a ‘hive mind’ communication are difficult (if not impossible) to predict, but certainly it will constitute a radical break with past human society.”

Joaquin Vanschoren , assistant professor of machine learning at Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands, responded, “We will be able to interact with each other and the world’s information more directly, without going through web interfaces, maybe using a brain-internet interface. A lot more content will be generated automatically, by AI systems that help us fill in the holes in our knowledge and make it more easily accessible.”

Frank Kaufmann , president of Filial Projects and founder and director of the Values in Knowledge Foundation, said, “Virtually nothing from today’s internet will be recognizable 50 years from now. Connectivity will become ever more ethereal and divorced from devices. Speeds will have exceeded what can any longer be sensed by the human organism. Storage will seem limitless, as it will exceed all possible need. Most connectivity will be integrated into the biological organism.… Tech will enable creative people to create more. It will enable good people to do more good. It will enable lazy people to be more lazy. It will enable bad people to do more bad. It will enable family and social people to be closer and more loving. It will enable lonely and isolated people to become more isolated. It will enable radical advances in all things people do – sports, arts, medicine, science, literature, nature exploration, etc.”

Karen Oates , director of workforce development for La Casea de Esperanza, commented, “At the rate at which technology is evolving, the internet as we currently know it and interact with it will have morphed into something very different. I can see people allowing implants in their bodies so they can connect to whatever the internet becomes – leveraging it as an auxiliary brain. This also, however, opens the door for manipulation and potential control of people. Like anything, technology can be used for good or evil. Much will be dependent on to what extent an individual is willing to sacrifice independence for comfort, security, etc.”

Several other respondents voiced concerns about this future. A law professor based at a U.S. university said, “The book ‘Re-Engineering Humanity’ provides a reasonable description of the slippery, sloped path we’re on and where we seem likely to be heading. The authors’ big concern is that humans will outsource so much of what matters about being human to supposedly smart technical systems that the humans will be little more than satiated automatons.”

David J. Krieger , co-director of the Institute for Communication & Leadership in Lucerne, Switzerland, wrote, “Everything will be ‘personalized’ but not individualized. The European Western paradigm of the free and autonomous individual will no longer be a major cultural force. Network collectivism will be the form in which human existence, now no longer ‘humanist’ will play itself out. There will be no other life than digital life and no one will really have the opportunity to live offline. And if so, then there will probably be a three-class society consisting of the cyborgs, the hybrids and the naturals. This will of course generate new forms of social inequality and conflict.”

Despite the likely drawbacks many respondents see the hybrid future as a strong possibility.

Mike Meyer , a futurist and administrator at Honolulu Community College, commented, “The world in 50 years is likely to be very difficult to imagine or understand in today’s language. The options available will be contingent on many layers of both technology and human adaption that will occur over the next 50 years. This will be true as the steady acceleration of the rate of change continues based loosely on Moore’s Law leading to true quantum computing. Genetic engineering combined with nano components that may also be bioelectronic in nature will allow planetary network communication with implants or, perhaps, full neural lace. The primary distinction will be between those people with full communication plus memory and sensor augmentation versus those who choose not to use artificial components in their bodies. Everyone will use a planetwide network for all communication and process activity whether through augmentation or very small headbands or other options that are not implanted.”

Ray Schroeder , an associate vice chancellor at the University of Illinois, Springfield, wrote, “Connected technologies and applications will become much more seamlessly integrated into people’s lives. Technologies are emerging, such as MIT’s AlterEgo, that point to practical telepathy in which human thought will directly connect with supercomputers – and through those computers with other people. This kind of thought-based communication will become ubiquitous through always-on, omnipresent networks. Personal devices will fade away as direct connectivity becomes ubiquitous. These advances will enable instant virtual ‘learning’ of new ideas and the whole range of literature. One will be able to ‘recall’ a novel or a treatise as if one had studied it for years. Such will be the state of augmented memory. There will be attempts to apply new rules/laws, but technological capability will most often trump artificial restrictions. This will further empower people, by the power of their purchases and choice-to-use to set standards of acceptability and preference.”

David Klann , consultant and software developer at Broadcast Tool & Die, responded, “Further integration of humans and machines is inevitable. More devices will be implanted in us, and more of our minds will be ‘implanted’ in devices. The inevitable ‘Singularity’ will result in changes to humans and will increase the rate of our evolution toward hybrid ‘machines.’ I also believe that new and modified materials will become ‘smart.’ For instance, new materials will be ‘self-aware’ and will be able to communicate problems in order to avoid failure. Ultimately, these materials will become ‘self-healing’ and will be able to harness raw materials to manufacture replacement parts in situ. All these materials, and the things built with them will participate in the connected world. We will see continued blurring of the line between ‘real’ and ‘virtual’ life.”

Anonymous respondents predicted:

• “Artificial general intelligence and quantum computing available in a future version of the cloud connected to individual brain augmentation could make us augmented geniuses, inventing our daily lives in a self-actualization economy as the conscious-technology civilization evolves.”
• “There is a probability of technological singularity. So far all the trends lead to it; it is hard to imagine a future in which this does not happen.”
• “Connective symbiosis – human-human, machine-human, human-machine – will continue to thicken.”
• “Implants in humans that continuously connect them to the web will lead to a loss of privacy and the potential for thought control, decline in autonomy.”

Everyone agrees that the world will be putting AI to work

The technology visionaries surveyed described a much different work environment from the current one. They say remote work arrangements are likely to be the rule, rather than the exception, and virtual assistants will handle many of the mundane and unpleasant tasks currently performed by humans.

Ed Lyell , longtime internet strategist and professor at Adams State University, wrote, “If we can change the governance of technology to focus on common good growth and not a division of winner/loser then we can see people having more control over their lives. Imagine that the tough, hard work, dangerous jobs are done by machines guided by computers and AI. We can see the prototype of these in how the U.S. is now fighting wars. The shooting is done by a drone guided by a smart guy/gal working a 9-to-5 job in an air-conditioned office in a nice town. Garbage could be picked up, sorted, recycled, all by robots with AI. Tedious surgery completed by robots and teaching via YouTube would leave the humans to the interesting and exciting cases, not the redoing of same lessons to yet more patients/students. Humans could live well on a 20-hour work week with many weeks of paid vacation. Having a job/career could become a positive, not just a necessity. With 24/7 learning and just-in-time capacity, people could change areas or careers many times with ease whenever they become bored. This positive outcome is possible if we collectively manage the creation and distribution of the tools and access to the use of new emerging tools.”

Jim Spohrer , director of the Cognitive OpenTech Group at IBM Research-Almaden, commented, “Everyone will have hundreds of digital workers working for them. Our cognitive mediators will know us in some ways better than we know ourselves. Better episodic memories and large numbers of digital workers will allow expanded entrepreneurship, lifelong learning and focus on transformation.”

Kyle Rose , principal architect, Akamai Technologies, wrote, “As telepresence and VR become more than research projects or toys, the already small world will shrink further as remote collaboration becomes the norm, resulting in major social changes, among them allowing the recent concentration of expertise in major cities to relax and reducing the relevance of national borders. Furthermore, deep learning and AI-assisted technologies for software development and verification, combined with more abstract primitives for executing software in the cloud, will enable even those not trained as software engineers to precisely describe and solve complex problems. I strongly suspect there will be other, unpredictable disruptive social changes analogous to the freer movement of capital enabled by cryptocurrencies in the last decade.”

David Schlangen , a professor of applied computational linguistics at Bielefeld University, Germany, said, “Physical presence will matter less, as high-bandwidth transmissions will make telepresence (in medicine, in the workplace, in in-person interactions) more viable.”

Ken Goldberg , distinguished chair in engineering, director of AUTOLAB and CITRIS at the University of California, Berkeley, said, “I believe the question we’re facing is not ‘When will machines surpass human intelligence?’ but instead ‘How can humans work together with machines in new ways?’ Rather than worrying about an impending Singularity, I propose the concept of Multiplicity: where diverse combinations of people and machines work together to solve problems and innovate. In analogy with the 1910 High School Movement that was spurred by advances in farm automation, I propose a ‘Multiplicity Movement’ to evolve the way we learn to emphasize the uniquely human skills that AI and robots cannot replicate: creativity, curiosity, imagination, empathy, human communication, diversity and innovation. AI systems can provide universal access to sophisticated adaptive testing and exercises to discover the unique strengths of each student and to help each student amplify his or her strengths. AI systems could support continuous learning for students of all ages and abilities. Rather than discouraging the human workers of the world with threats of an impending Singularity, let’s focus on Multiplicity where advances in AI and robots can inspire us to think deeply about the kind of work we really want to do, how we can change the way we learn and how we might embrace diversity to create myriad new partnerships.”

Kristin Jenkins , executive director of BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium, said, “Access to information is enormously powerful, and the internet has provided access to people in a way we have never before experienced. This means that people can learn new skills (how to patch your roof or make bread), assess situations and make informed decisions (learn about a political candidate’s voting record, plan a trip), and teach themselves whatever they want to know from knowledgeable sources. Information that was once accessed through print materials that were not available to everyone and often out of date is now much more readily available to many more people. Ensuring access is another huge issue with internet 2.0/AI. Access to these tools is not guaranteed even within the U.S. – presumably one of the best places in the world to be wired. In many cases, access to current technology in developing areas of the world allows populations to skip expensive intermediate steps and use tools in a way that improves their quality of life.  Ensuring that people all over the world have access to tools that can improve their lives is an important social justice issue.”

Rich Ling , a professor of media technology at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, responded, “In the next 50 years there will be significant changes in the way that we work. The disruption of that will play through to the way people identify themselves and can also be turned into political movements. AI is on the point of eliminating a wide variety of jobs and professions (taxi driver, accountant, law clerk, etc.). At the same time a large portion of our identity often comes from an idealized sense of our work. Witness the notion of being a cowboy. This is a real job for a small number of people, but it is an identity for many. In the same way, there is an identity in being a truck driver, an insurance adjuster, etc. It often does not have the same panache as the idealized version of being a cowboy, but it’s nonetheless an identity. If that is taken away from people it can, in the worst case, lead to populist political movements. I answered that the general trend will be positive, but I expect that it is not a simple path to better lives through the application of IT. There are many social and eventually political issues that will be played out.”

Divina Frau-Meigs , professor of media sociology at Sorbonne Nouvelle University, France, and UNESCO chair for sustainable digital development, responded, “The most important trend to follow is the way game/play will become the new work. Convergence of virtual reality and immersive devices will modify the rules determining how we interact with each other and with knowledge and information in the future. These ‘alternative’ realities will enable more simulations of situations in real life and will be necessary in decision-making every step of our daily lives. We will need to be conscious of the distinction between game and play, to allow for leisure time away from rule-bound game-as-the-new-work. This will be particularly necessary for environmental issues to be solved creatively.”

Estee Beck , assistant professor at the University of Texas and author of “A Theory of Persuasive Computer Algorithms for Rhetorical Code Studies,” responded, “Society will shift toward educating the public on reading and writing code at an accelerated rate. Coding literacy will become part of K-12 curricula to prepare citizens for both STEM-related careers and consumer-oriented DIY solutions of tech problems. On the latter, because of the mass coding literacy spread in primary and secondary schooling, the ‘handyman’ will evolve into a tech tinkerer or handyman 2.0. Already acquainted with basic and intermediate home maintenance of basic lighting, plumbing and painting, the handyman 2.0 will fix code in home appliances, run software updates to modify and personalize processes in the home. The handyman 2.0 might run their own server and develop a self-contained smartphone and security system to protect against internet-related attacks. For those unable or uninterested in being a handyman 2.0, they can hire general and specialized contractors from a new industry of handymen 2.0. This industry – with public and private certifications – will employ hundreds of thousands of laborers and enjoy revenues in the billions.”

Hume Winzar , associate professor and director of the business analytics undergraduate program at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, wrote, “Working and study at a distance will be normalized, so lifestyle options will be wider. We won’t need to live/work/study in a major city to enjoy the best of what is available. Done right, it will expand opportunity for many, too.”

Barrack Otieno , general manager at the Africa Top-Level Internet Domains Organization, wrote, “I expect technology to enhance the work environment. The internet will mostly be used to enhance communication, coordination and collaboration.”

Benjamin Kuipers , a professor of computer science at the University of Michigan, wrote, “In the post-World War II era, many people believed that American society was essentially benevolent, providing opportunities for political, economic and social advancement for individuals and families over decades and generations. This was somewhat true for the majority, but dramatically untrue for many minorities. We may have the opportunity to provide this societal benevolence for everyone in our society. The technological, often digital, tools we are creating have the promise of greatly increasing the resources available in society. While it may be possible to automate some current jobs, people have an intrinsic need for meaningful work. If we can use these new resources to support them, many jobs can be created to provide meaningful work for many people, and to improve the environment for everyone in society. Some examples of such jobs are child and elder care, and creation and maintenance of green spaces ranging from urban parks to rural farms to wilderness environments and many others. A national service requirement for young people gets certain kinds of work done, but also provides training in practical skills and practical responsibility, and also exposes individuals to the diversity of our society. Technological change produces resources that allow new things to be done and reduces certain constraints on what can be done. But we need to learn which goals we should pursue.”

Lane Jennings , a recent retiree who served as managing editor for the World Future Review from 2009 to 2015, wrote, “Entire classes of humans (drivers, construction workers, editors, medical technicians, etc.) are likely to be replaced by AI systems within the next 50 years. Whether individual members of such groups feel their lives have been improved or made worse will vary depending on many factors. Suffice it to say that public support of some kind to give displaced workers the means to live in relative security and comfort is essential. Moreover, this support must be provided in a way that preserves self-respect and promotes optimism and ambition. A world of former workers who perceive themselves as having been prematurely retired while machines provide the goods and services they once supplied seems to me highly unstable. To be happy, or at least contented, people need a purpose beyond simply amusing themselves and passing time pleasantly. One of the major functions of the internet in 2069 may be to facilitate contact between people with skills who want to work and jobs that still need doing in spite of high-tech robots and ubiquitous AI.”

Mark Crowley , an assistant professor expert in machine learning and core member of the Institute for Complexity and Innovation at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, wrote, “Technology affects people asymmetrically. Diseases will be cured with machine learning, profits will rise with automation and artists, engineers and scientists will be able to do more with less time and resources than ever before. However, many people will lose the only jobs they’ve ever known, and many others will feel alienated and left behind. Will society take steps to adapt its social standards? Will education adapt to prepare each generation for the reality ahead rather than focusing on the past? Will we allow people to live, with dignity, their own life, even if rapid technological changes leave them without a job that we would traditionally call ‘useful’ or productive? That depends on politics.”

Josh Calder , a partner at the Foresight Alliance, commented, “Changes will be for the better if the wealth generated by automation is spread equitably, and this will likely require significant changes to economic systems. If wealth concentration is accelerated by automation, the average person could be worse off.”

In 2069 the ‘new normal’ will be …

If the future is to change as dramatically and rapidly as many of the survey respondents believe, the world will see seismic shifts in norms and in what might be considered “normal” life.

Cliff Lynch , director of the Coalition for Networked Information, responded, “Over the next 20 to 30 years I expect to see enormous renegotiation of the social, cultural and political norms involving the digital environment.”

Alistair Nolan a senior policy analyst in the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, wrote, “I speculate that individuals’ interaction with digital technologies will become much more pervasive and intimate than it is already. Digital technology will be used to counter some of the stresses created by economic development and a digital culture. Digital avatars, for example, might provide intelligent company for the old and lonely, coaching those subject to psychological disorders, encouraging and guiding the sedentary to adopt healthier lifestyles, and so on. But changes and societal stresses brought by digital technologies may require a fundamental overhaul of the social contract. A new digital social contract will likely be needed, the specifics of which we cannot be sure now, but the contours of which we see suggested today in proposals ranging from universal basic income to institutionally mandated time free from digital distraction. The hope is that political processes allow our social arrangements to adjust at a pace commensurate with broader technological change, and that dysfunction in political processes is not aggravated by digital technologies. It has been commented that when humankind attempts to take astronauts to Mars the primary challenge will not be technological. Instead, it will be social: namely, the ability of unrelated individuals to live in close confinement for long periods of time. At the level of entire polities, in a similar way, our primary challenge may be living together in civil ways, attending to the full range of human needs, while the technology brings opportunities to carry us forward, or carry us off course.”

Betsy Williams , a researcher at the Center for Digital Society and Data Studies at the University of Arizona, wrote, “Free internet-connected devices will be available to the poor in exchange for carrying around a sensor that records traffic speed, environmental quality, detailed usage logs, and video and audio recordings (depending on state law). There will be secure vote-by-internet capabilities, through credit card or passport verification, with other secure kiosks available at public facilities (police stations, libraries, fire stations and post offices, should those continue to exist in their current form). There will be a movement online to require real-name verification to comment on more reputable sites; however, this will skew participation tremendously toward men, and the requirements will be reversed after a woman is assaulted or killed based on what she typed in a public-interest discussion.”

Pamela Rutledge , director of the Media Psychology Center, responded, “Starting with Generation Z and going forward, internet and 24/7 real-time connectivity will no longer be viewed as a ‘thing’ independent from daily life, but integral, like electricity. This has profound psychological implications about what people assume as normal and establishes baseline expectations for access, response times and personalization of functions and information. Contrary to many concerns, as technology becomes more sophisticated, it will ultimately support the primary human drives of social connectedness and agency. As we have seen with social media, first adoption is noncritical – it is a shiny penny for exploration. Then people start making judgments about the value-add based on their own goals and technology companies adapt by designing for more value to the user – we see that now in privacy settings and the concerns about information quality…. Technology is going to change whether we like it or not – expecting it to be worse for individuals means that we look for what’s wrong. Expecting it to be better means we look for the strengths and what works and work toward that goal. Technology gives individuals more control – a fundamental human need and a prerequisite to participatory citizenship and collective agency. The danger is that we are so distracted by technology that we forget that digital life is an extension of the offline world and demands the same critical, moral and ethical thinking.”

Geoff Livingston , author and futurist, commented, “Technology will become a seamless experience for most people. Only the very poor who cannot afford technology and the very rich who can choose to separate themselves from it will be free from connectedness. When I consider the current AI conversation, I often think the real evolution of sentient beings will be a hybrid connectedness between human and machine. Our very existence and day-to-day experience will be through an augmented experience that features faster thinking and more ethereal pleasures. This brings a question of what is human? Since most of us will be living in a machine-enhanced world, the perspective of human reality will always be in doubt. Most will simply move through their existence without a thought, able to change and alter it with new software packages and algorithms, accepting their reality as the new normal. Indeed, perception will become reality. There will be those who decry the movement forward and wish for yesteryear’s unplugged mind. The counter movement against the internet of 2070 will be significant, and yet much like today’s Luddite, it will find itself in the deep minority. For though the cultural implications will be significant, the internet of 2070 offers the world a much more prosperous and easier life. Most will choose comfort over independence from devices.”

Meryl Alper , an assistant professor of communication at Northeastern University and a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, wrote, “Parents will be inundated by non-intuitive, AI-sourced information about their children (e.g., their moods, their behaviors) through the data collected about them in their everyday lives. Parents will face a choice about knowing too much about every single aspect of what their child does and says (be it with them or without them) or not knowing all the details – while being aware that someone else (teachers, doctors, law enforcement) is compiling this information for later determinations of some kind about their child. Parents will ultimately be encouraged to automate this data-intensive parenting, but this itself will create more work for parents (and thus more work for parents to outsource).”

Uta Russmann , professor in the Department of Communication at FHWien der WKW University of Applied Sciences for Management & Communication, warned, “In 50 years every aspect of our life will be connected, organized and hence, partly controlled, as technology platform and applications businesses will take this opportunity. A few global players will dominate the business; smaller companies (startups) will mostly have a chance in the development sector. Many institutions, such as libraries, will disappear – there might be one or two libraries that function as museums to show how it used to be. People who experienced today’s world will definitely value the benefits and amenities they have through technology (human-machine/AI collaboration). If technology becomes part of every aspect of our lives we will have to give up some power and control. People thinking in today’s terms will lose a certain amount of freedom, independency and control over their lives. People born after 2030 will probably just think these technologies produced changes that are mostly for the better. It has always been like this – people have always thought/said ‘in the old days everything was better.’”

Danny Gillane , a netizen from Lafayette, Louisiana, commented, “The content owners will become the platform companies (Disney, Time Warner, etc.), and the platform companies will become the content owners (Comcast, Netflix, etc.). In the U.S., we will give up more privacy to gain more convenience. We will have to choose between paying with our wallets or paying with our personal information in order to keep up with the Joneses. Collaboration and communication will become less personal as more of it will be done through virtual reality and through our devices. The promise of worldwide connection will lessen as Europe places restrictions on tech companies to protect its citizens’ rights, but the U.S. will pass laws to protect shareholders even at the expense of its citizens’ rights. Unless the focus of technology innovation moves away from consumer entertainment and communication products (such as social networks) and more toward medical and scientific advances, we will see fewer people truly benefiting from the internet. The money that fuels America’s politics already fuels its legislative efforts, or lack of, with regard to technology. So, I actually don’t think we’ll see any actual change, unless one considers for-profit companies having an even larger presence in more parts of our lives more often and in more ways.”

Justin Reich , executive director of MIT Teaching Systems Lab and research scientist in the MIT Office of Digital Learning, responded, “The trends toward centralization and monopolization will persist. The free, open internet that represented a set of decentralized connections between idiosyncratic actors will be recognized as an aberration in the history of the internet. Today’s internet giants will probably be the internet giants of 50 years from now. In recent years, they’ve made substantial progress in curtailing innovation through acquisitions and copying. As the industry matures, they will add regulatory capture to their skill sets. For many people around the world, the internet will be a set of narrow portals where they exchange their data for a curtailed set of communication, information and consumer services.”

Michael R. Nelson , a technology policy expert for a leading network services provider who worked as a technology policy aide in the Clinton administration, commented, “We will see more change and disruption in the next 10 years than we have seen in the last 20. If governments and incumbents allow it, we could see twice as much. All we know about 2069 is that data storage, network capacity and tools to turn data into knowledge will be basically unlimited and cost almost nothing. But, we also know that the wisdom needed to use the power of technology will not be available to everyone. And we also know that political forces will try to create scarcity and favor some groups over others. Let us hope that the engineers innovate so fast that consumers have the tools and choices they need to overcome such constraints.”

Guy Levi , chief innovation officer for the Center for Educational Technology, based in Israel, wrote, “Digital tools will be part of our body inside and remotely, and will assist us in decision- making constantly, so it will become second nature. Nonetheless, physical feelings will still be exclusively ‘physical,’ i.e., there will be a significant difference between the ‘sensor-based feelings’ and real body feelings, so human beings will still have some advantages over technology. This, I believe, will last forever. Considering this, physical encounters among people will become more and more important and thus relationships, especially between couples, will prosper. It will be the return of LOVE.”

No need to give it orders – your digital assistant already knows what you want

Many of these experts expect that – despite some people’s worries over privacy issues – digital experiences will be far more personalized in 2069. One likely trend: Instead of having to directly communicate requests to a device, AI-enabled, database-fed digital technologies will anticipate individuals’ needs and provide customized solutions.

Michael Wollowski , associate professor of computer science and software engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, expert in the Internet of Things, diagrammatic systems and artificial intelligence, wrote, “Much of our lives will be automated. Better yet, we will be in control of the degree of automation. Technology will assume the role of a polite personal assistant who will seamlessly bow in and out. Technology based on learned patterns of behavior will arrange many things in our lives and suggest additional options.”

Peter Reiner , professor and co-founder of the National Core for Neuroethics at the University of British Columbia, Canada, commented, “The internet will remain a conduit for information about us as well as a tool for us to access information about the world. Whilst many commentators rightly worry about the degree to which apps can know about us today, we are only at the early stages of corporate and governmental surveillance of our inner lives. In 50 years’ time, apps will be remarkably more sophisticated in terms of their knowledge about us as agents – our wants and desires, our objectives and goals. Using that information, they will be able make decisions that align with our personal goals much better than they can do today, and as this happens they will become bona fide extensions of our minds – digital (or as seems likely, quantum-based) information-processing interfaces that are always available and seamlessly integrate with the human cognitive toolkit. These cognitive prostheses will be so much a part of our everyday lives that we will barely notice their existence. Our reliance upon them will be both a strength and a weakness. Our cognitive prowess will substantially expand, but we will feel diminished in their absence.”

David Zubrow , associate director of empirical research at the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute, said, “Networked devices, data collection and information on demand will become even more ubiquitous. I would hope that better curation of information along with its provenance occurs. The trend of digital assistants that learn your preferences and habits from all the devices that you interact with will become integrated with each other and take on a persona. They may even act on your behalf with a degree of independence in the digital and physical worlds. As AI advances and becomes more independent and the internet becomes the world in which people live and work, laws for responsibility and accountability of the actions of AI will need to be made.”

Daniel Siewiorek , a professor with the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, predicted, “We will all have virtual coaches that learn and grow with us. They will be in communication with the virtual coaches of others, allowing us to learn from the experience of others. For example, my grandfather could teach me how to swing a baseball bat through his virtual coach even though my grandfather passed away before I was born.”

Gary Kreps , distinguished professor of communication and director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication at George Mason University, wrote, “Future computing systems will be fully integrated into everyday life, easy to access and use, and adaptable to meeting individual preferences and needs. These devices will serve as integrated personal assistants that can intuitively provide users with relevant information and support. There will be no need for typing in requests, since systems will be voice- and perhaps even thought-activated. These systems will adapt to user communication styles and competencies, using familiar and easy to understand messages to users. These messages will be presented both verbally and visually, with the ability to incorporate vivid examples and relevant interesting stories for users. Information content will build upon user preferences, experiences and needs. These personal computing systems will learn about users and adapt to changing user needs, assisting users in accomplishing important tasks and making important decisions. These systems will also automatically network users to relevant personal and professional contacts to facilitate communication as desired by users. The systems will also help users control other forms of technology, such as transportation, communication, health care, educational, occupational, financial, recreational and commercial applications. Care must be taken to program these systems to be responsive to user preferences and needs, easy to use, adaptive to changing conditions and easy for users to control.”

Ian Rumbles , a quality-assurance specialist at North Carolina State University, said, “Fifty years from now the internet will be available to us through us thinking, versus using a keyboard or speaking. The display of data will be visible only to the user and how that display is shown will be totally customized for that user. The ability to obtain answers to questions and look up information in a format that is defined by the user will greatly improve the lives of people.”

More leisure time expected in ‘real life’ and virtual worlds

Could it be true that technology will finally create more free time? Some respondents in this study expect that the evolution of digital technologies will allow for more leisure activities and less “work.” Some predict people may choose to live most of their lives in a virtual reality that lacks the messy authenticity of real life. They also predict that in the widening global media marketplace of the future individuals will have access to a wider range of entertainment options than ever before.

Dan Schultz , senior creative technologist at the Internet Archive, said, “The world is about to have a LOT more time on its hands, a culture-redefining level of newfound time. Governments will need to figure out how to ensure people are compensated for that time in ways that don’t correlate to capitalistic value, and people are going to need creative outlets for their free time. We’re going to need better mental health services; we’re going to need to finally redefine the public education system to shift away from the 19th century factory model. It will either be a golden age for invention, leisure, entertainment and civic involvement, or it will be a dystopia of boredom and unemployment.”

James Gannon , global head of e-compliance for emerging technology, cloud and cybersecurity at Novartis, responded, “In 50 years machine-to-machine communication will have reduced a lot of menial decision-making for the average person. Smart-home technology manages the basic functions of the household, negating the need for many manual labor roles such as cleaners and gardeners. Many services are now delivered remotely such as telehealth and digital therapeutics…. Technology and the internet have already dramatically increased the standard of living for billions of people; this trend will not cease.”

Chao-Lin Liu , a professor at National Chengchi University, Taiwan, commented, “If we can handle the income and work problems, lives will be easier for most due to automation.”

Paola Perez , vice president of the Internet Society chapter in Venezuela and chair of the LACNIC Public Policy Forum, responded, “Technology will make everything in our lives. We won’t drive, we won’t cook. Apps are going to be adapted to all our needs. From the moment we wake up we are going to have technology that cooks for us, drives for us, works for us and suggests ideas for our work. Problems are going to be solved. But all our data is going to be known by everybody, so we won’t have private lives.”

Alex Smith , partner relationship manager at Monster Worldwide, said, “Everything will be centered around saving us time – giving us back more time in our days.”

A professor of communications said, “Simple, mundane tasks will be taken care of by AI, allowing more time for creative thinking, arts, music and literature.”

David Wells , the chief financial officer at Netflix at the time of this canvassing, has an idea for how to fill all of that free time. He predicted, “Continued global connectedness with our entertainment, music and news will mean global popularity of some media with a backdrop of local flavor that may be regional and/or hyper local. 3D visual (virtual) rendering will evolve and become integrated into user interfaces, discovery interfaces along with AI assistants, and will heavily define learning and entertainment.”

Gabor Melli , senior director of engineering for AI and machine learning for Sony PlayStation, responded, “By 2070, most people will willingly spend most of their lives in an augmented virtual reality. The internet and digital life will be extraordinary and partially extraplanetary. Innovations that will dramatically amplify this trajectory are unsupervised machine learning, fusion power and the wildcard of quantum computing.”

Valarie Bell , a computational social scientist at the University of North Texas, commented, “While the gadgets and tools we may have in the future may result in more conveniences, like when ovens turned into microwaves, we find with technology that we trade quality and uniqueness for convenience and uniformity. What tastes better and provides a better experience? The homemade chocolate cake Grandma made from scratch with attention to great ingredients and to baking the cake until it’s perfectly moist OR the microwaved chocolate-cake-for-one? The microwave cake takes less than 10 minutes and you simply add water, but Grandma’s cake is not over-processed, and you taste the real butter, real vanilla, real chocolate instead of powdered butter flavoring and powdered chocolate substitute. Technology will bring us things faster, perhaps even cheaper, but not necessarily better.”

Michel Grossetti , a sociologist expert in systems and director of research at CNRS, the French national science research center, wrote, “The boundaries between private life and work or public life will continue to blur.”

Social connections, community and collaboration will be improved

Some experts expect that digital advances will lead to better communication among disparate groups, resulting in stronger interpersonal relationships and positive community development. A number of respondents said that physical barriers to communication and community building will mostly disappear over the next half century. They are hopeful that greater connectivity will lead to better collaboration in response to major world problems, more equitable distributions of wealth and power and easier access to information and resources.

Tomas Ohlin , longtime professor at Linköping and Stockholm universities in Sweden, predicted, “AI will exist everywhere. The internet will, after a few decades, be replaced by a more value-added surface on top of our present system. Its governing will be truly decentralized, with participation from many. Cultural differences will exist on this surface, with borders that will differ from the present. However, there will not be as many borders as today; this new information society is a society with flexible borders. Human beings are friendly, and the world we create reflects this. Communication and contact between everybody is a fundamental and positive resource that will lead to fewer conflicts.”

Bryan Alexander , futurist and president of Bryan Anderson Consulting, responded, “I’m convinced we’ll see individuals learn how to use technologies more effectively, and that collectively we’ll learn how to reduce harm.”

Charles Zheng , a researcher into machine learning and AI with the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, commented, “Life will not qualitatively change much for people in the middle and upper classes of society. The biggest impact will be to the lower classes, and will mostly be positive. The increase in information gathering in all levels of society will also improve the efficiency of social welfare programs. Access to information becomes democratized as cities start offering free, basic Wi-Fi and the government hosts AI educational programs which can teach young people how to find jobs and access public resources. The increase in networking also makes … social nonprofits more effective at helping the disadvantaged. Government accountability is also improved now that people at all levels of society can leave reviews about government services online.”

Craig Mathias , principal at Farpoint Group, an advisory firm specializing in wireless networking and mobile computing, commented, “Civilization itself centers on and thus depends upon communication of all forms. The more we communicate, the better the opportunities for peace and prosperity on a global basis. It would be difficult to imagine communications without the internet, now and especially in the future.”

Gene Crick , director of the Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network and longtime U.S. community telecommunications expert, wrote, “Genuine universal technology access has become a vital issue for every community. AI/IT can make powerful tools, resources and opportunities available to anyone interested. To help rhetoric become reality, we could adopt and insist on a few fundamental principles, including standards for openness and accountability. How? Just a notion but perhaps a modernized version of the National Science Foundation internet administration transfer two decades ago.  Though the outcome was far from pretty, those who participated felt we got the job done. Today’s improved communications tools could make possible a much simpler, more widespread ‘grassroots’ discussion and decision process.”

Liz Rykert , president at Meta Strategies, a consultancy that works with technology and complex organizational change, responded, “We will see more and more integration of tools that support accountability. An early example of this is the use of body cams by police. The internet will let us both monitor and share data and images about what is happening, whether it is a devastating impact of climate change or an eventful incident of racism. Continued access to tools of accountability and access to knowledge and collaborative opportunities will support people to be both bold and collaborative as they seek new solutions. The internet will be the base to support these efforts as well as the platform that will continue to serve as the means for how we will work together to respond to problems either urgent (like a flood or fire) or longer-term like solving problems like affordable housing.”

Matt Belge , founder and president of Vision & Logic, said, “Humanity has always strived to be connected to other humans, and writing, publishing, art and education were all efforts to serve this desire. This desire is so deeply seated, this desire for connection, that it will drive everything we do. Privacy will become less of a concern and transparency will become more of the norm in the next 50 years. Therefore, I expect technology to enable deeper and more personal connections with fewer secrets and greater openness. Specifically, AI will help people with like interests work together, form deeper relationships and collaborate on advancing our entire species. I believe humans are always striving for more and more connection with other humans and technology is evolving in ways to facilitated this.”

Sam Ladner , a former UX researcher for Amazon and Microsoft, now an adjunct professor at Ontario College of Art & Design, wrote, “We will continue to see a melding of digital and analog ‘selves,’ in which humans will now consider their digital experiences less and less divorced from their face-to-face experiences. Face-to-face social connections will become ever more precious, and ever more elusive. Having an ‘in real life’ relationship will be a commodity to be exploited and a challenge to keep. Physical experiences will increasingly be infused with digital ‘backchannel’ experiences, such as an ongoing digital conversation either in text, images or VR, while the physical event carries on. Likewise, IRL (in real-life) events will become even more exclusive, expensive and a source of cultural capital. Isolated people will fail to see their isolation before it reaches a desperate point, because collectively, we will fail to see physical connections as a key ingredient to ward off loneliness. Loneliness will take on a new meaning; digital friends will assist some isolated people, but loneliness will focus more on lack of human touch, and face-to-face eye contact. New medical disorders will emerge, based on this social withdrawal, and given the aging demographic, a public policy crisis will overwhelm nation-states’ budgets and capabilities. Lonely, aging, physically infirm people may find relief in online forums of all sorts, but we will be surprised to learn what a total absence of IRL interaction will yield.”

Peggy Lahammer , director of health/life sciences at Robins Kaplan LLP and legal market analyst, commented, “Historically access to natural resources, with limited intelligence on how to best use those resources, provided the means to survive and prosper. As we continue to become more specialized in our expertise and less skilled in many tasks required to survive, we are more dependent on others with specialized talents. I believe the internet and a connected world have fueled this transformation and will continue to do so in the next 50 years. The internet will continue to connect people around the globe and cause instability in areas where people have limited resources, information or specialized skills necessary to thrive.”

Bert Huang , an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech focused on machine learning, wrote, “I believe the internet can meet the promise of helping people connect to all of humanity. The main concern I see with the internet is that it plays counter to human intuitions about scale. When humans see thousands of like-minded individuals on the internet, it is too easy to believe that those thousands of people represent all of humanity. One promise of the internet is that it would allow people to interact with, and learn from, individuals with widely different backgrounds, unifying the human species in way that was previously impossible. Unfortunately, the more recent effect has apparently been that people are further entrenched in their own narrow views because they are surrounded on the internet with inconceivably large numbers of people sharing their own views. These large numbers make it difficult for people to fathom that other valid views exist. I believe technology can and will help alleviate this problem.”

A technical information science professional commented, “The daily living ‘operations’ will change drastically from today – how we work, how we take care of family, how we ‘commute’ from place to place, how we entertain and so on. However, the fundamental of living, creating and maintaining meaningful relationships with others will be more dominant focus of our lives, and those concerns and efforts will not change.”

Several of the expert respondents who said they believe humanity will be better off in the future thanks to digital life said that in 50 years individuals will have greater autonomy and more control over their personal data.

Eileen Donahoe , executive director of the Global Digital Policy Incubator at Stanford University, commented, “I envision a dramatic change in terms of how we think about people’s ownership and control of their own data. People’s data will be seen as a valuable commodity and platforms will arise to facilitate data sovereignty for individuals. If we move toward development and deployment of platforms and systems that allow individuals autonomy to choose when and where they exchange their data for goods and services, this will constitute an important positive step toward wider distribution of the benefits of a data-driven society.”

Greg Lloyd , president and co-founder at Traction Software, responded, “The next 50 years will see performance of hardware, storage and bandwidth increase and cost decrease at a rate no less than the past 50 years. This means that the resources available to any person – at the cost of a current smartphone and network subscription – will be close to the resources supporting a Google regional center. This will turn the advertising supported and privacy invasive economic model of the current internet on its head, making it possible for anyone to afford dedicated, private and secure resources to support a Prospero and Ariel-like world of certified and secure services. That people agreed to grant access to their most private resources and actions to platform companies in order to support use of subsidized internet services will become as oddly amusing as the fact that people once earned their living as flagpole sitters. Your smartphone and its personal AI services will be exactly that: your property, which you pay for and use with confidence. When you use certified agents or services, you’ll have choices ranging from free (routine commerce, public library or government services) to fabulously expensive (the best legal minds, most famous pop stars, bespoke design and manufacturing of any artifacts, membership in the most exclusive ‘places’). In all cases your personal smartphone (or whatever it turns into) will help you negotiate enforceable contracts for these services, monitor performance and provide evidence any case of dispute. Think Apple with a smart lawyer, accountant, friend and adviser in your smartphone, not Facebook becoming Silicon Valley’s version of Terry Gilliam’s ‘Brazil.’”

James Scofield O’Rourke , a professor of management at the University of Notre Dame specializing in reputation management, commented, “I foresee two large applications of digital connections such as the internet over the next half century. First, I see access to information, processes and expertise that would either be delayed or inaccessible today. Second, I see a much larger degree of autonomy for the individual. This could mean everything from driverless trucks, automobiles and other vehicles to individual control over our immediate environment, our assets and possessions, and our ability to choose. In exchange, of course, the notion of privacy will virtually disappear.”

R “Ray” Wang , founder and principal analyst at Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research, said, “The new internet can also be a place where we decentralize human rights, enabling an individual to protect their data privacy and stay free. Keep in mind privacy is not dead. It’s up to us as a society to enforce these human rights.”

Susan Aaronson , a research professor of international affairs and cross-disciplinary fellow at George Washington University, responded, “I admit to being a techno optimist. I believe that true entrepreneurs ‘see’ areas/functions that need improvements and will utilize technologies in ways that make it easier for, as an example, the blind to see.”

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Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Internet — The Importance of Internet Privacy

The Importance of Internet Privacy

• Categories: Internet Internet Privacy

About this sample

Words: 1017 |

Published: Oct 2, 2020

Words: 1017 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, threats to personal data and privacy, legal and ethical considerations, protecting your digital sanctuary, works cited.

• Strong Passwords: Employ strong, unique passwords for online accounts and consider using a password manager to securely store and manage them.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA whenever possible to add an additional layer of security to your online accounts.
• Mindful Sharing: Be cautious about the personal information you share online, especially on social media platforms. Review and adjust privacy settings to control who can access your data.
• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): Utilize VPNs to encrypt your internet connection, making it more difficult for third parties to monitor your online activities.
• Regular Software Updates: Keep your operating system, browser, and security software up to date to protect against vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals.
• Stay Informed: Stay informed about the latest threats and best practices for online privacy. Knowledge is a powerful defense against potential threats.
• Brown, M. (2018). Facebook is watching and tracking you more than you probably realize. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-is-tracking-you-through-apps-and-websites-2018-4
• Debatin, B., Lovejoy, J.P., Horn, A-K., & Hughes, B.N. (2009). Facebook and online privacy: Attitudes, behaviors, and unintended consequences. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 15(1), 83-108.
• National Conference of State Legislatures. (2019). Security breach notification laws. https://www.ncsl.org/research/telecommunications-and-information-technology/security-breach-notification-laws.aspx
• Online Privacy (2018). Peggy J. Parks. Greenhaven Publishing LLC.
• Pew Research Center. (2021). Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet.
• Rosenbach, M., & Stolte, J. (2018). Can you have both security and privacy in the internet age? Harvard Business Review.
• Soltani, A. (2010). Why privacy matters: Debunking the nothing-to-hide argument. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 57(3), B26.
• Statista. (2022). Number of internet users worldwide from 2005 to 2021 (in millions). https://www.statista.com/statistics/273018/number-of-internet-users-worldwide/
• Winston & Strawn. (2017). Internet Privacy: An Overview of Federal Law. Lexology.
• Zavodny, M. (2017). Why does online privacy matter? Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

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Cyber Security - List of Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Cybersecurity, a critical concern in our digitally connected world, encompasses practices, technologies, and policies to protect networks, devices, programs, and data from attack or unauthorized access. Essays could delve into the myriad types of cyber threats like malware, phishing, and ransomware, exploring their evolution and impact on individuals and organizations. They might also discuss the measures individuals and enterprises can adopt to mitigate cyber risks, the challenges of staying ahead of cyber adversaries, and the role of governmental and international regulation in promoting cybersecurity. Discussions could extend to the implications of cybersecurity on national security, privacy, and the digital economy, and how the burgeoning field of cybersecurity is evolving to meet the complex challenges of the modern digital landscape. A substantial compilation of free essay instances related to Cyber Security you can find at Papersowl. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Cyber Security and how to Prevent Cyber Crime

Cybercrimes are interrupting normal computer functions and has brought many known companies and personal entities to their knees. Over the last decade, crime has entered into the world of information. Crime is developing gradually since the days when merchandise was transported by stagecoach, theft or extortion has changed to keep up, even to our modern-day equivalent-credit and debit cards. Stealing credit card number has become well known danger. In the present, internet has become a playing field for computer attackers. […]

Cyber Security Threats in Healthcare

Cyberattacks have been targeting the healthcare industry, among the biggest industries in the US, in the 2018 period. The implication is that it has come time to improve the protection of institutional and patient information with a more tailored approach to this threat. In comparison with other industries, many health organizations have engaged in inadequate investment in cybersecurity while spending approximately as much money as other industries. It is quite worrying when phishing cyberattacks, as well as breaches of patient […]

Impact of Technology on Privacy

The 21st Century is characterized by the heavy impact technology has on us as a society while it continues to develop new devices and modernize technology. Millions of individuals around the world are now connected digitally, in other words, people globally rely heavily on smartphones tablets, and/ or computers that store or save a majority of their personal information. Critical and extremely personal data is available and collected in these smart technology such as credit card details, fingerprint layout, and […]

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Cyber Security Threats on the State Level

This paper examines two notable events of cyber warfare and security in our current age (the Stuxnet attack on centrifuges, and the Petya ransomware affecting citizens and governmental agencies), as well as examines how these attacks shape foreign and domestic policies and procedures. By examining the extent of the damage of these two attacks, I will argue that cyber warfare events will not just affect governmental systems, but would ultimately cause destruction to the layman's infrastructure, further crippling any state […]

Essay of Cyber Security Education

The experts and professionals of matters related to cyber security should assign the participant puzzles whereby they should divide themselves into various teams as indicated in the framework of NICE, and each group should specialize in a specific area. There is a wide range of ideas on the cyber security where the riddles may come from the fields like Wireshark, protection of website application, analysis of digital systems, and social engineering. There should be a task force created to conduct […]

Constant the Rise of Technologies and Cyber Threats

There is a wide range of cyber threats that happen every day, it is important that we follow all of the necessary precaution's in order to ensure the safety of our private information including but not limited to passwords, network credentials, banking or credit card information. Malicious attacks occur more frequently than one would expect, their purpose is to damage a device. Most of us are unaware of the weaknesses we have within our smartphone's security settings. With that being […]

Cyber Security for the Average American

According to statistics, the average American spends 10 hours per day using technology. Whether it be a cellphone, tablet or laptop, that's more than 40 hours a week online. We think that we're safe, but part of living in this 21st century is understanding that our so-called private information can easily accessed by the wrong person and made public. I am sure you have heard, at some point, news pertaining to identity theft or data breaches, with the effects being […]

Cyber Security for our Generation

Some of the biggest threats to our national security often go unnoticed. These threats are generally not publicized, and no emphasis is placed on them. They represent some of the most significant challenges our generation faces. It's shocking is that these threats are often covered up or are attempted to be. For instance, one of the key issues that arose in 2018 was the Facebook data scandal. This scandal was not a cyber-attack per se, yet it highlighted that most […]

How Pervasive is the Internet in your Life?

Q.1 How pervasive is the internet in your life? How much do you think society has come to depend on the Internet? Answer: When it comes to how pervasive the internet is in current life, my answer is that the internet has almost influenced each event of our daily life every day. Of course, we can't deny that there may be some people, around our side, who never heard about the internet, for example, those elder people who has less […]

The E-Commerce and Cyber Security

The wish is the online e-commerce company that will provide the opportunity for all shoppers to find their favourite wordrobe online in all of the world. Their wardrobe could be included dresses, skirts, jeans and etc.... This company was founded in 2010 and also have the App for their over 100 million users on the iOS and android platform. The E-Commerce servers for this company is located in four cites internationally, two are in the USA, the headquarter in Alexandria […]

Advanced Cyber Security and its Methodologies

Digital Civilization has turned into a critical wellspring of data sharing and proficient exercises like business, saving money exchanges, shopping, and administrations and With the expansion in utilization of the internet, cybercriminal exercises are additionally expanding exponentially. The fundamental reasons is that with the commencement of internet, the web applications were likewise getting prevalence for information putting away and information sharing, regardless of the client. With the progression of time, web applications were getting more intricate with quick increment in […]

Defining Cybersecurity Law

INTRODUCTION In "Defining Cybersecurity Law," Jeff Kosseff, the author, appears to be more concerned with improving cybersecurity law than defining it. In this paper, I will provide a brief summary and critique of the four substantive sections of this article. I will conclude with a mention of the aspects of cybersecurity law the author missed. My main issues with this article are the author's (1) preoccupation with the prevention of cybersecurity breaches instead of balancing security against values, (2) definition […]

Why do you Want to Study Cyber Security

In today's hyper-connected era, we're more online than offline. Our digital identities intertwine with the real, making the boundary blurry. But as we gleefully navigate this digital frontier, shadows lurk in the form of cyber threats, reminding us that our brave new world isn't without its pitfalls. So, why venture into the challenging world of cybersecurity? Why choose a path that constantly grapples with these shadows? Spoiler alert: It's more than just a career choice. Real-world Superheroes In comic books […]

Health Care Cyber Security

Healthcare is an industry sector that has become unstable and crucial in this expanding digital landscape. This necessitates an organization's data security program to be properly structured, as there is no room for error, which could easily translate into a life-and-death situation. This article presents both fundamental technical and business issues that often elude the healthcare data security program. On the technical side, extensive proliferation of data and systems into the cloud, a continuous increase in connected medical devices, and […]

Substations: Smart Grid & Cyber Security Threats

Transferring from old energy network to a new technology such as smart grids. It changes the energy industry worldwide to better quality, manageability and performance. It gives us the ability to operate it by communications, monitor and control it. However, using communications in smart grid increase connectivity causing our security to be exposed and make it more challenge to protected. It can be a target for hackers, and cyber terrorism. Thus, it got governments, consumer and industry attention to increase […]

Cybersecurity: Protecting the Fragile Web of Global Connectivity

I believe everything that is created by man can also be destroyed by it. Humans have proved to be the most intelligent species in this world. We have created the technology that appears to be smarter than the human brain but if it overpowers the human intelligence it can be destroyed as well. Internet works in the same manner. It has created dependencies that have led to millions of people relying on this technology in getting every task done no […]

Cybersecurity Issues in Societal Perspective

E-governance and Cybersecurity Documents issued by a country's government provide a personal identity to an individual. Driver's licenses, social security numbers, tax identification numbers, and various other entitlement documents are used on a regular basis by people to demonstrate their identity and authorization for various opportunities. Because these documents form the basis for all subsequent documents, their integrity is of high importance to stakeholders. Therefore, these crucial documents are targets for criminals and further cyberattacks (Conklin, A., & White, G. […]

The Real Issue Behind Cyber-Security

The steady trend towards digitalization has been occurring for a long time, and as of lately, a new type of crime market has risen alongside digitalization. In recent years, companies all over the world have been affected by some form of cybersecurity issue whether that be attacks to infrastructure or momentary paralyzation of the company itself through the exploitation of security measures. Over the years the number of attacks all around the world has increased exponentially with many more cyber-attacks […]

Cybersecurity Today

Networks (internet) are not secure enough due to the lack of efficient cybersecurity. As a result, ransomware attacks are increasing, affecting most businesses and individuals today. Enacting measures to detect cyberattacks and ransomware attacks can be helpful in preventing unforeseen repercussions from the attacker in the corporate network. Cybersecurity needs to implement new policies and recommendations so that ransomware attacks can be reduced. This report will first discuss some ransomware attacks that have happened before. Next, the report will discuss […]

Cybersecurity as a Form of Digital Protection

Cybersecurity is an ever-growing form of digital protection, created and used for the sole purpose of protecting confidential information against hard drive malfunctions, power outages, and adversaries. In healthcare, it is crucial for hospitals and health providers to keep up with the security of digital health data through cybersecurity in order to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and avoid potentially devastating consequences. Insider threats, access control breaches, and network breaches are some of the main […]

Virtual Reality: Game Transfer Phenomena

Imagine if you were you were floating through space, watching a horror film,s or perhaps playing a video game, and it seemed like you were actually there. With the invention of virtual reality (VR), people are able to explore the illusion of this reality. Virtual reality is computer-generated technology used to create a manufactured environment. There is a range of systems that are used for this purpose such as special headsets and fiber optic gloves. The term virtual reality means […]

Cybersecurity Paper

With cybersecurity attacks on the rise, the ability of an organization to ensure uninterrupted operations is an imperative. No longer can an organization solely rely upon software applications to identify and mitigate cyber risks. It takes a skilled team led by an experienced manager to holistically address an organization's technology risks. The National Infrastructure Advisory Council's (NIAC's) definition of infrastructure resilience is "the ability to reduce the magnitude and/or duration of disruptive events. The effectiveness of a resilient infrastructure or […]

Cybercrimes: an Unprecedented Threat to the Society

What is a Cybercrime? Cybercrime, or computer-oriented crime, is the crime that involves computer and its network. The computer may have been used in the commission of a crime, or it may be the target. Cybercrimes can be defined as: "Offences that are committed against individuals or groups of individuals with a criminal motive to intentionally harm the reputation of the victim or cause physical or mental harm, or loss, to the victim directly or indirectly, using modern telecommunication networks […]

Cybersecurity for a Successful Acquisition Report

The act of conducting a policy gap analysis is crucial in determining any missing overlap or technical deficiencies when planning to join the IT architecture and network topologies of two or more companies. During the acquisition process, the policies of either party will be examined in order to confirm current software updates and patches, proper configuration of tools, and employee protocol during the transition. Once the initial merger is complete, it'll be important to compare the outcome with each company's […]

Reasons of Cyber Attacks

1. Substandard User ID and Password Every individual need to have their own password secure and stronger. For an instance strong password can be obtained by latest maintaining minimum of having15-character length with an least one special character, number, capital and small alphabet. Most importantly choosing password like own name, date of birth, phone number may become hacker to simply figure out easy to break through your personal account security. In the same way User ID should not be shared […]

Laws of Cybercrimes

Abstract This paper examines the cyber security and its challenges in current temperamental circumstance of security in present world. These day's innovation of technology persistently developing more quickly than expected. As a public that runs on latest innovation technologies, we are likewise therefore reliant on it. Where similarly as innovation of technology brings ever more noteworthy advantages, it likewise brings ever more prominent threats. We should look some significant concerns confronting that incorporate threats, information theft, identity theft, cyber war, […]

Developing and Testing Photorealistic Avatar with Body Motions and Facial Expressions for Communication in Social Virtual Reality Applications

Developing and Testing Photorealistic Avatar with Body Motions and Facial Expressions for Communication in Social Virtual Reality Applications Abstract Providing effective communication in social virtual reality (VR) applications requires a high level of avatar representation realism and body movement to convey users’ thoughts and behaviours. In this research, we investigate the influence of avatar representation and behaviour on communication in an immersive virtual environment (IVE) by comparing video-based versus model-based avatar representations. Additionally, we introduce a novel VR communication system […]

Advantages of Cybersecurity in a Digital World

Ever stopped to think about how much of your life plays out in the digital realm? Our lives are undeniably intertwined with technology, from morning alarms on our smartphones to evening Netflix binges. Yet, while we eagerly embrace the latest app or gadget, there's an unsung hero behind the scenes, ensuring our digital escapades are safe and sound: cybersecurity. It's easy to dismiss it as mere technical jargon or something only businesses need to worry about. But, truth be told, […]

Spyware Defense: Navigating the Seas of Digital Security

In the vast, uncharted ocean of the digital world, spyware represents treacherous waters that threaten to capsize the ship of your data security. Just as sailors and navigators of old employed a combination of keen awareness, advanced tools, and strategic planning to avoid perilous waters and ensure safe voyages, modern computer users must adopt comprehensive approaches to defend against the insidious threat of spyware. This essay explores effective spyware elimination techniques through the imaginative analogy of maritime navigation, emphasizing the […]

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How To Write an Essay About Cyber Security

Understanding cyber security.

Before writing an essay about cyber security, it is essential to understand what it encompasses. Cyber security refers to the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyber attacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users; or interrupting normal business processes. Begin your essay by defining cyber security and discussing its importance in the contemporary digital world. Explore the different types of cyber threats, such as malware, phishing, ransomware, and denial-of-service attacks. It’s also crucial to understand the impact of these threats on individuals, businesses, and governments.

Developing a Thesis Statement

A strong essay on cyber security should be anchored by a clear, focused thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about cyber security. For instance, you might discuss the evolving nature of cyber threats, the challenges of cyber security in a particular sector (like finance or healthcare), or analyze the effectiveness of current cyber security measures. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and provide a structured approach to your analysis.

Gathering Supporting Evidence

To support your thesis, gather evidence from credible sources. This might include recent studies on cyber security, statistics about cyber attacks, examples of significant security breaches, or expert opinions. Use this evidence to support your thesis and build a persuasive argument. Remember to consider different perspectives, including technological, ethical, and legal viewpoints.

Analyzing Cyber Security Strategies and Challenges

Dedicate a section of your essay to analyzing cyber security strategies and the challenges faced in implementing them. Discuss various approaches to cyber security, such as technological solutions, policy measures, and user education. Explore the challenges in keeping up with constantly evolving cyber threats and the balance between security and privacy. For example, consider how advancements in areas like artificial intelligence and machine learning are influencing cyber security practices.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your discussion and restating your thesis in light of the evidence provided. Your conclusion should tie together your analysis and emphasize the significance of cyber security in the digital age. You might also want to reflect on future trends in cyber security or suggest areas where further research or policy development is needed.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and edit it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers or experts in the field to refine your essay further. A well-written essay on cyber security will not only demonstrate your understanding of the topic but also your ability to engage with complex technological and societal issues.

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Internet Safety  - Introduction to Internet Safety

Internet safety  -, introduction to internet safety, internet safety introduction to internet safety.

Internet Safety: Introduction to Internet Safety

Lesson 1: introduction to internet safety, introduction to internet safety.

There's almost no limit to what you can do online. The Internet makes it possible to access information quickly, communicate around the world, and much more. Unfortunately, the Internet is also home to certain risks , such as malware , spam , and phishing . If you want to stay safe online, you'll need to understand these risks and learn how to avoid them.

Adopting a safer mindset

Computers can often give us a false sense of security . After all, no one can physically harm you through a computer screen. But to stay safe online, you'll want to take a more cautious approach. Here's one way to think about it: Treat the Internet as you would a shopping mall .

Most people don't consider a mall to be an especially dangerous place. You can go there to shop and meet up with friends. But there are also small things you may do to stay safe, even if you don't think about them very often. For example, you probably wouldn't leave your car unlocked or give your credit card number to a stranger.

Apply this same mindset whenever you're online. You shouldn't be afraid to use the Internet, but remember that it comes with many of the same risks you'd face in the real world. Throughout this tutorial, we'll show you how to prepare for these risks so you can be online without putting yourself in danger.

So what are you waiting for? Let's get started!

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Network Security: Why Is It Important? Research Paper

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With growing technology dependence, securing all aspects of online information and data is becoming increasingly important. As the internet expands and computing networks increase, data integrity becomes one of the key aspects for companies. Network safety, regardless of the company size, is one of the most important things to remember when operating over the Web, local area network (LAN) or other technologies. A secure and reliable network protection framework safeguards client data, averting possible attacks. An effective security network lets companies reduce the chance of data stealing and sabotage, minimizing organizational harm. Therefore, network security is critical because computers are nowadays the biggest choice of usage and with less security, people and organizations put themselves at risk of others stealing their identity or altering their information for negative reasons.

Adequate network security increases and maintains productivity. A network threat causes the company to suffer denial of services, triggering downtime across the whole organization (Gardener, 2019). With illegal usage of the network bandwidth, your organization’s growth rate is slowing. As the cloud emerges and the increasing population of working-place consumers collect knowledge, risks becoming smarter with the new technologies become unavoidable. Employees and third parties require certain network resources to do their job. If certain programs are inaccessible, those functions cannot be completed by the parties concerned, resulting in a domino effect and can reduce production overall (Gardener, 2019). What is so poor about this is that the prices for certain persons or service suppliers are now set even though the production suffers. A percentage of wage, rental or third party payments cannot be removed simply because no testing has been completed during machine downtimes. The effect of network failure time can be quickly multiplied if the service concerned is part of the distribution chain, particularly in highly competitive sectors, where market time is critical to a product’s success.

Network security is vital in protecting sensitive information. In this period, safety products and solutions are needed in the future, next-generation, and high-performance network. You should be confident the network activities are handled 24 hours a day using intelligent physical protection, preemptive and corrective communication solutions. Organizations need to ensure that network security is always in top shape and one step ahead of the game to begin the optimum defense of classified information and ongoing organizational processes (“The role of network security,” 2019). Strengthen the network defense with proven high-performance network technologies of the next decade. Both the network security concerns are addressed by the ultimate network security approach, so you can concentrate on innovation.

Improved network security is useful in combating the spread of malware. Malware is a very important term to you as it involves protecting your network in your information technology (IT) plan. If this is not still complex, so adding another term to this: cryptography is all the more complicated. The detection of malware in encrypted traffic is an unresolvable challenge for many in the sector (Prat, 2017). Network protection can detect malware without decryption of encrypted traffic. Two main patterns in the company were noticed by network experts. The first important trend is the volume of encrypted traffic. If more companies embark upon a digital transformation path, encryption is the predominant way to secure in motion a large range of services and apps. Encryption technology has enabled companies using the Internet to connect and transact electronically with a far greater degree of privacy and protection.

Connecting to the internet means you get plenty of traffic. Huge traffic can cause reliability difficulties and lead to system vulnerabilities. Network security encourages network stability, by keeping track of suspect transactions which can sabotage the machine from delaying and downtimes. The protection of your working stations will protect them from damaging spyware. It also guarantees the safeguarding of shared records. Network security infrastructure offers many layers of defense from Man-in-the-Middle (MiM) assault through splitting data, encoding and transmitting information across separate channels, avoiding cases such as spying.

Gardener, K. (2019). The importance of network security .

Prat, M. (2017). How your small business benefits from network security .

The role of network security in a cybersecurity team. (2019). Web.

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IvyPanda. (2022, July 8). Network Security: Why Is It Important? https://ivypanda.com/essays/network-security-why-is-it-important/

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1. IvyPanda . "Network Security: Why Is It Important?" July 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/network-security-why-is-it-important/.

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August's Last Social Security Check Is on the Way. Here's When You'll Get It

The last round of Social Security payments are on their way. Here's when they'll arrive.

August's Social Security payments are on their way. Here's when you'll get yours. 

The last round of Social Security checks for August will be headed to recipients in just a few days. This month's payment schedule was slightly different than typical, but next week's check should be sent at the standard time. Below is the full schedule so you can know when to expect yours. If you're still waiting on your check from July, check out  why it may not have arrived and what you can do about it . 

While The Social Security Administration sends out checks monthly and your check will arrive at the same time every month, not everyone gets their checks on the same day.

Instead, Social Security checks are scheduled based on date of the month you were born and when you started receiving benefits. 

Read on to find out if you should expect to receive your check this week, how your payment date is determined by the Social Security Administration and other government benefit payment dates. For more, find out how to apply for Social Security benefits and what the experts predict the 2025 COLA will be . 

When will I get my Social Security check?

Want to know which day of the month you'll get your check? Here's the Social Security and SSDI payment schedule for August.

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Social security payment schedule august 2024.

How is the Social Security payment date determined?

Social Security payments are typically paid out starting on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. The remaining two payments will be paid out on the following two Wednesdays of the month. Which week you receive your payment depends on your birthdate. There is one big exception, which I'll cover below.

Will I receive my other government benefits on the same day?

If you've received Social Security benefits before May 1997, or receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, your payment schedule isn't determined by your birthdate. Instead, payments are paid out every month on the same date with a couple of exceptions that I'll explain below. 

Social Security payments will be sent out on the 3rd of each month, while SSI payments are sent out on the 1st of each month. These dates will sometimes change if the 1st or the 3rd of the month falls on a weekend or holiday. For instance, March 3 fell on a weekend, so Social Security recipients received their March payments two days early, on March 1. The same will happen in the month of November.

The only benefits that are paid on the same schedule are Social Security and Social Security Disability Insurance. 

Didn't receive your Social Security check? Start here.

If your check doesn't show up when it's supposed to or at all , the Social Security Administration suggests waiting for three additional mailing days before contacting it. After that, you can call the national toll-free number: 1-800-772-1213

The SSA notes that "wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter in the morning, later in the week and later in the month."

If you're having trouble getting ahold of the SSA through the national number, you can use their office locator to find a local office to reach out to. 

For more, see the SSI payment schedule and how to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance .