Cybersecurity

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity refers to any technology, measure or practice for preventing cyberattacks or mitigating their impact. Cybersecurity aims to protect individuals’ and organizations’ systems, applications, computing devices, sensitive data and financial assets against computer viruses, sophisticated and costly ransomware attacks, and more.

Cyberattacks have the power to disrupt, damage or destroy businesses, and the cost to victims keeps rising. For example, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach 2023 report,

• The average cost of a data breach in 2023 was USD 4.45 million, up 15% over the last three years;
• The average cost of a ransomware-related data breach in 2023 was even higher, at USD 5.13 million. This number does not include the cost of the ransom payment, which averaged an extra USD 1,542,333, up 89% from the previous year.

Cyberspace is particularly difficult to secure due to a number of factors: the ability of malicious actors to operate from anywhere in the world, the linkages between cyberspace and physical systems, and the difficulty of reducing vulnerabilities and consequences in complex cyber networks. Implementing safe cybersecurity best practices is important for individuals as well as organizations of all sizes. Using strong passwords, updating your software, thinking before you click on suspicious links, and turning on multi-factor authentication are the basics of what we call “cyber hygiene” and will drastically improve your online safety. These cybersecurity basics apply to both individuals and organizations. For both government and private entities, developing and implementing tailored cybersecurity plans and processes is key to protecting and maintaining business operations.

Cybersecurity standards are a set of guidelines or best practices that organizations can use to improve their cybersecurity posture. Organizations can use cybersecurity standards to help them identify and implement appropriate measures to protect their systems and data from cyber threats.

QSG can support assessments, implementation and training across the following Standards:

• CMMC
• ISO 27001
• TISAX