Information Security

Information Security is the process of protecting information from unintended access by others. The methodologies for protecting information varies based on the type of information being protected, to whom the information currently belongs, and how the information could potentially be utilized by others.

Concern with the security of information have become more concentrated with the advent of electronic information storage mechanisms, and subsequently with the spread of information in an online environment. These mediums of information transportation have both helped and hindered the process of data protection. For instance, by allowing information to be encrypted and decrypted in a complex manner, data can be protected in a more robust way compared to solely human interaction. Conversely, the ease with which information can be copied and disseminated without expressed consent of the information-holder can cause it to be used in nefarious ways.

Information is linked explicitly with privacy in the case of an individual.

Protecting bits and bytes can have as much of a real-world impact as protecting physical objects.

Conceptual Overview

Protecting private information is important to ensure that information is both reliable and confidential. When information is not protected in most formats, it can be tampered with causing inaccuracies. If the information is valuable to the individual and is not protected, it can be distributed to parties that could cause harm to them in some way.

See Also

• Information Ethics