At a Glance
Do you ever get confused trying to sort through all of the cybersecurity industry jargon that all sounds or means the same (or at least they appear to)? Your head is spinning, and not in a good way. What does it all mean?
Trying to keep up with all of the terminologies used in the security industry can be a real pain in the lower extremities. There is constant change going on in the industry, continually adding to the terms and definitions used in the industry.
Let’s take a look at several security terms that are often confused and misused, even by the experts.
Security vs. Privacy
When it comes to online protection, security and privacy go hand-in-hand when discussing online protection. However, there are some key differences between the cybersecurity terms.
Let’s put it this way: Security protects your data and privacy protects your identity.
Security
The word “security” usually refers to the measures used to protect your personal information from unauthorized access by hackers, the government, or any other interested outside partners. This includes any information that can be used to determine your identity, financial information, and any other sensitive information.
Privacy
Privacy refers to the protections that you can use to protect your identity, your information, and the way it’s shared and used. Privacy focuses on ensuring that your personal information is collected, processed, and transmitted with privacy first in mind.
Authentication vs. Authorization
Authentication and authorization are two cybersecurity terms that are sometimes used interchangeably when it comes to user identities and access management.
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying a user’s identity by confirming that users are who they say they are. Authentication can consist of confirming that you’ve entered the correct username and password. Authentication can also consist of a Personal Identification Number (PIN), fingerprint recognition (Touch ID), facial recognition (Face ID), and other forms of unique data that only you know or possess.
Authorization
Authorization comes after you’re authenticated. Authorization is determining what a user’s rights and privileges are. This verifies what information you are allowed to access. This can be servers, directories, and files you have access to, your bank or credit card information, or any other sensitive information.
Data Breach vs. Identity Theft
We see news reports about data breaches and identity theft on what seems like a daily basis. While data breaches and identity theft are definitely closely related, as they both compromise your personal and/or business information, there are differences between the two.
Data Breach
A data breach is a security incident when hackers access your confidential data on a trusted server network without your permission and without proper authorization. Once the breach occurs, the bad guys can sell your private information, hold it for ransom, or use it to commit financial fraud in your name. That’s where identity theft comes in.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is when a cybercriminal uses the personal or financial information that was obtained in a data breach without your permission.
Identity theft can cause great damage to your credit and financial standing. Bad actors can use data breach information to create fake credit cards, commit financial and insurance fraud, and even access other protected information to allow them to commit more crimes.
VPN vs. Proxy
VPNs and proxies both have the ability to make your connection more private while also opening up access to geo-controlled content in other countries. While they have those similarities, there are also several differences.
VPN
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) has the ability to encrypt your internet connection, providing privacy for your online activities. A VPN provider generally has several servers scattered around the globe.
By connecting to one of those servers, your device will be temporarily assigned a new IP address, intended for use in the country the server is in. Since IP addresses can be used to determine a device’s geographical location, this makes it appear as if the device is connecting from that country, meaning users now have access to content intended for residents of that country.
Proxy
A proxy server has the ability to change your IP address, hiding your actual location while also providing access to geo-controlled content. However, it does not provide any of the other features of a VPN, such as encrypted connections, a kill switch, or protection against various online perils. A proxy server is generally used in the form of a browser extension, meaning only the browser traffic is routed through the proxy server.
Phishing vs. Spam vs. Spoofing
Spam, phishing, and spoofing are all social engineering schemes used by bad actors to trick users into revealing personal and financial information.
Spam
Spam is unwanted email, text messages, or social media posts, usually appearing to be an advertisement. These are designed to cast a wide net to entice users to reply and turn over personal or financial information or to infect the victim’s computer or mobile device. The messages will usually include a link or attachment designed to wreak havoc on the target’s device.
Phishing
Phishing is when an unsolicited email or text designed to glean personal information like usernames, passwords, or banking and credit card details. A phishing email appears to be coming from a legitimate source. However, its intent is to trick users into clicking on a link or opening an attachment containing malware.
Spoofing
Spoofing is a type of phishing attack in which the bad actor impersonates an individual or organization in an attempt to gain personal and business information from the targeted victim.
Cyberthreats vs. Cyber Risks
Cyberthreats and cyber risks are two terms that are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are differences when you’re discussing cybersecurity.
Cyberthreats
A cyberthreat is best defined as the possibility of a malicious attempt to somehow damage a computer system or network. Cyberthreats can include malware, system breaches, zero-day exploits, phishing, social engineering, and other malicious weapons.
Cyber Risks
Cyber risks are the possibility of having a business’s information and communications systems exposed to bad actors or circumstances capable of causing loss or damage. It measures the probability of an event like a data breach occurring.
In Closing
As you can see, it’s easy to get confused by cybersecurity terms. By learning the difference between terms that are generally used interchangeably, users can better understand them. This allows them to better protect themselves.
Make sure to visit Pixel Privacy on a regular basis to learn more about how to defend yourself against online threats, while also learning how to keep your online activities private and secure. Forewarned is forearmed.