What is Information security
The term information security relates to the protection of information, as well as the systems and equipment that contain and process that information.
- One possible definition is:
- Information security refers to all the strategies, policies, procedures, mechanisms and technical tools used for safeguarding information and information systems from unauthorized access, alteration, theft and physical damage.
While the above definition gives a nice insight in all the different aspects of information security, the enumeration of "what is protected", "how it is protected" and "what it is protected from", will always leave something out.
- Another much broader definition (but
not necessarily better) is:
- Information security is keeping anyone from doing things you do not want them to do to, with, or from your information, computers or peripherals.
Unfortunately, this last definition gives a lot less insight in what is involved with information security. It is so broad that it also includes the even more complex issue of privacy, which I would prefer to keep separate from information security.
Related terms: