Table of Contents
The 5 C’s of cyber security are:
- Confidentiality: ensuring that sensitive information is accessible only to authorized parties.
- Integrity: maintaining the accuracy, consistency, and trustworthiness of data and systems.
- Availability: ensuring that systems and data are accessible and usable by authorized parties when needed.
- Authenticity: verifying the identity of users and systems to prevent unauthorized access or modification.
- Non-repudiation: preventing individuals from denying their actions or transactions.
Confidentiality: Keeping Information Safe
Confidentiality refers to the practice of keeping sensitive information private and accessible only to authorized individuals.
This includes things like personal identifying information, trade secrets, and financial data.
To maintain confidentiality, organizations must implement controls that limit access to this information, such as passwords, firewalls, and encryption.
Integrity: Ensuring Data is Accurate and Trustworthy
Integrity refers to the quality of data and systems being accurate, consistent, and trustworthy.
In other words, it ensures that data hasn’t been tampered with, deleted, or altered in any way.
This is essential to maintaining trust in the data and systems that organizations rely on to operate.
To ensure data integrity, organizations can use methods such as checksums, digital signatures, and access controls.
Availability: Making Sure Data is Accessible
Availability refers to the ability to access and use data and systems when needed.
This is crucial for businesses to continue operating effectively. In the event of a cyber attack or system failure, data and systems may become unavailable.
To prevent this, organizations can implement backup and recovery procedures, redundant systems, and disaster recovery plans.
Authenticity: Confirming Identity and Preventing Unauthorized Access
Authenticity refers to verifying the identity of users and systems to prevent unauthorized access or modification.
It ensures that only authorized individuals can access data and systems.
To maintain authenticity, organizations can implement methods such as multifactor authentication, biometrics, and digital certificates.
Non-repudiation: Preventing Denial of Actions
Non-repudiation refers to preventing individuals from denying their actions or transactions.
This is important in legal and financial contexts, where accountability is necessary.
To ensure non-repudiation, organizations can use methods such as digital signatures and audit logs to track and verify transactions.
Conclusion
In summary, the 5 C’s of cyber security are essential for organizations to protect themselves against cyber attacks and maintain trust in their data and systems.
By implementing confidentiality, integrity, availability, authenticity, and non-repudiation controls, organizations can reduce their risk of cyber attacks and protect their assets.
Additional Resources
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework: The NIST Cybersecurity Framework is a set of guidelines for improving cybersecurity in organizations. It provides a framework for organizations to assess their current cybersecurity posture and identify areas for improvement. The website offers a wealth of information on the framework, including guides, case studies, and training resources.
- US-CERT: The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) is part of the Department of Homeland Security and provides a range of resources and tools to help individuals and organizations protect themselves against cyber threats. The website offers alerts and advisories on current cyber threats, as well as tips and best practices for staying safe online.
- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): CISA is a federal agency responsible for protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Their website offers a range of resources and tools for individuals and organizations, including information on cyber threats, best practices for securing networks and systems, and training resources.
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