Common Misconceptions in Cybersecurity

Cyberspace is filled with terms that look, sound, or mean alike (but do not have identical meanings).

Keeping up with all the most common security principles and terminologies is challenging, especially when they seem so similar. With cybersecurity's continuous innovation and change, you are dealing with a whole set of complex terms that you need to understand and stay on top of.

So, here are some similar security terms that are often confused and misused.

Security vs. Privacy

Privacy and security online go hand in hand. Due to the connected world in which we live, they are often used interchangeably in discussions.

However, there are some critical differences between the terms when applied to cybersecurity.

• Security: Security refers to the protection of your personal information from malicious threats. It can include any information that can be used to determine your identity.

• Privacy: Privacy refers to the rights or controls you have over your information and the way it’s used.

The purpose of security is to prevent unauthorized access to data, whereas privacy is to ensure that personal information is collected, processed, and transmitted in compliance with the law and with the owner's consent. In simple terms, security protects your data while privacy protects your identity.

To achieve security and privacy, organizations use tools and techniques such as firewalls, encryption protocols, network restrictions, as well as different authentication and authorization techniques.

Authentication vs. Authorization

In the context of user identity and access management, authentication and authorization are similar-sounding concepts. Here’s how the two differ.

• Authentication: User authentication is the process of verifying that users are who they claim to be. It relates to identifying users' identities.

• Authorization: Authorization is an act of establishing a user’s rights and privileges. It verifies what specific files, applications, and resources a user has access to.

Authentication methods include passwords, PINs, fingerprints, facial recognition, and other biometric methods. These methods are visible and can be partially changed by the user.

By contrast, authorization is accomplished based on access management settings implemented and maintained by an organization. They aren't visible to the end-user, and they can't be changed.

In a secure environment, authorization always takes place after user authentication. Depending on the permissions set by the organization, a verified user may access different resources.

Data Breach vs. Identity Theft

Because they are closely connected, it is easy to get confused between a data breach and identity theft. Either way, sensitive information is compromised which poses the same threat and outcome for users. But there are some differences.

• Data Breach: A data breach refers to a security incident where confidential data is accessed without the authorization of the owner.

• Identity Theft: When a cybercriminal uses your personal information, such as your ID or social security number, without your permission, it constitutes identity theft.

When a cybercriminal hacks into the system you've entrusted with your information or a company that has your personal information anyway, you have experienced a data breach. A breach can allow criminals to open an account in your name or commit financial fraud using your private information.

A data breach differs from a theft primarily in terms of the damage caused. As compared to identity theft, the consequences of a breach are usually far more detrimental. According to a report by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, 60% of small businesses don't survive data breaches.

Encryption vs. Encoding vs. Hashing

Encryption, encoding, and hashing are data security terms often used interchangeably and incorrectly. There is a lot of difference between these terms, and it's important to know these differences.

• Encryption: a process used to convert readable data, also called plain text, into unreadable data, called ciphertext. The data can only be decrypted back to plain text using the appropriate encryption key.

• Encoding: Encoding is a process in which data is changed from one format to another using an algorithm. The aim is to transform data into a form that is readable by most systems.

• Hashing: Hashing is an irreversible cryptographic process used to convert input data of any length into a fixed-size string of text using a mathematical function.

Through an algorithm, any text can be converted into a set of letters and numbers. Hashing takes place on data, using an algorithm called a hash function, and the result is a hash value.

In terms of functionality and purpose, encryption, encoding, and hashing differ. Encryption is meant to keep data confidential, but encoding increases data usability. As a comparison, hashing ensures the integrity of data by verifying that it hasn't been tampered with.

VPN vs. Proxy

VPNs and proxies are both used to change your online location and stay private. They have some overlap, but the differences are quite apparent.

• VPN: A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a discrete program that changes your geo-location and reroutes your entire internet traffic through servers run by the VPN provider.

• Proxy: A proxy server is a browser extension that changes your IP address to unblock geo-restricted web pages, but doesn't offer the extra protection of a VPN.

The main difference between a proxy and a VPN is that a proxy server only changes your IP address and doesn't encrypt your web activities. Secondly, unlike a VPN, a proxy only redirects traffic within the browser. Data from other applications connected to the internet won't be routed through the proxy.

Spam vs. Phishing vs. Spoofing

Spam, phishing, and spoofing are social engineering tactics used to lure users into revealing personal information.

• Spam: Spam is any unwanted junk email, instant message, or social media message sent out to a wholesale recipient list. Spam is usually sent for commercial purposes and can be damaging if you open or respond to it.

• Phishing: Phishing is an unsolicited email designed to harm users by obtaining personal information like usernames, passwords, and even bank details. A phishing email looks like it comes from a legitimate source, but is intended to trick users into clicking on a link containing malware.

• Spoofing: Spoofing is a subset of phishing attacks in which the attacker impersonates an individual or organization with the intent to gain personal and business information.

Phishing aims to gain personal information by convincing users to provide it directly while spoofing disguises an identity to steal information. The two are closely paired, as both involve a level of misrepresentation and masquerading.

Better Understanding, Better Protection

Terminologies and concepts related to cybersecurity change almost as quickly as internet memes. A closer look reveals that many of these words have similar sounds but different meanings.

Learning the key terms and their differences will help you better understand and effectively communicate your cybersecurity needs.