Why Security Matters

Introduction

Your phone, email and online accounts hold photos, messages, money and identity details. Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting those things, and the devices and networks they live on, from people who should not have access.

The simple explanation

Security is about keeping the right people in and the wrong people out.

Think of your home. You lock the door, you give a key only to people you trust, and you notice if something looks wrong. Online security uses the same ideas.

The three goals

Security experts often describe three goals, sometimes called the CIA triad:

• Confidentiality: only the right people can see the information. A stranger cannot read your messages.
• Integrity: the information has not been secretly changed. Nobody altered the amount in a bank transfer.
• Availability: you can reach your information when you need it. A site or file is not locked away or knocked offline.

Who is a target?

Everyone. Most attacks are not aimed at one famous person. Criminals send the same trick to thousands of people and see who falls for it. Common goals include stealing money, taking over accounts, and locking files until a ransom is paid (called ransomware).

How accounts usually get taken over

• A password that is weak, reused or leaked
• A phishing message that tricks you into giving away a password or code
• Software that is out of date and has a known flaw
• Installing a fake or unsafe app

The good news is that a few simple habits stop most of these. The next lessons teach them.

Try it yourself

List five accounts that would cause you the most trouble if someone took them over, such as email, banking and social media. Your email is often the most important one, because many other accounts can send a password reset to it.

Summary

• Cybersecurity protects people, devices and data from unwanted access.
• The three goals are confidentiality, integrity and availability.
• Everyone can be a target, and simple habits prevent most attacks.