What Is Information Security? Importance, Threats, and Basic Practices

What is information security?

Information security protects information against exposure, improper changes, and loss, so authorized people can use trustworthy information when they need it.

It covers customer records, contracts, designs, transaction histories, and employee information. Its scope includes digital files, paper documents, and information shared in conversation. Managing a shared folder’s permissions and locking away a paper contract are both information security activities.

Three objectives provide the foundation. NIST also identifies these objectives in its definition of information security.[1]

Objective	Meaning	Everyday example
Confidentiality	Only authorized parties can access information	Restricting access to customer records
Integrity	Information remains accurate and complete	Preventing improper changes to payment details
Availability	Information and systems are usable when needed	Restoring essential operations after an outage

Together, these are the CIA triad. Security must preserve all three. Detailed explanations of these and additional properties belong in separate articles.

These terms overlap, but emphasize different subjects.

Term	Main focus	Example
Information security / InfoSec	Information in any form and how it is handled	Protecting electronic records, paper files, and conversations
Cybersecurity	Systems, networks, data, and services in digital environments	Defending against unauthorized access and ransomware
IT security	IT equipment, software, and infrastructure	Securing servers, endpoints, and networks
Privacy / data protection	Appropriate handling of personal information and individuals’ rights and interests	Limiting collection and defining retention periods

For introductory purposes, cybersecurity can be viewed as the digital protection area within information security. Definitions vary by context: cybersecurity also concerns the safe operation of connected equipment and services.

Leaving a printed customer list on a train is an information security incident. An intrusion into an online service concerns both fields. Encryption alone does not resolve privacy issues arising from collecting unnecessary personal information.

Why does it matter?

Information supports decisions, transactions, and services. When it is compromised:

Customers or employees may face impersonation or fraud.
Orders, payments, and support processes may stop.
Altered records may cause incorrect decisions or transactions.
Recovery work and customer communication consume time and money.
Trust, contractual commitments, and applicable compliance obligations may be affected.

Even a small organization holds valuable information in email and cloud services. Protection supports its ability to keep operating.

Common threats

A threat can cause harm; a vulnerability is a weakness that makes harm possible. For example, an intrusion attempt is a threat, while unpatched software may provide the weakness. Assess risk by considering likelihood and business impact.

Threat or incident	Potential outcome
Phishing and social engineering	Deception leads to stolen credentials, disclosed information, or fraudulent payments
Malware and ransomware	Information is stolen or encrypted, interrupting work
Unauthorized access and account takeover	Attackers misuse credentials or exploit software weaknesses
Human error and misconfiguration	Misaddressed email, incorrect sharing settings, or accidental deletion expose or destroy information
Insider misuse	Someone with legitimate access steals or alters information
Supplier and service incidents	A third party’s compromise or outage affects your operations
Denial of service, including DDoS	Disruptive traffic prevents use of a service
Theft, equipment failure, and disasters	Lost devices, damaged equipment, or fire expose or destroy information

Phishing and security awareness

The UK government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2023 found that 79% of businesses identifying a breach or attack in the previous 12 months reported phishing. This measures affected businesses, rather than the proportion of all attack events.[2]

Phishing uses social engineering: an attacker impersonates a trusted party and creates urgency or anxiety to influence a decision. Training should cover practical actions, such as verifying changed payment details through a known contact and promptly reporting suspicious messages.

Combine training with authentication controls, email protection, and approval procedures. Design the workflow so one mistaken action does not easily become a major incident.

Seven basic practices

Use the following as starting points. Assign an owner, an operating procedure, and a review date for each practice.

Practice	First action
Comprehensive information security policy	Define protected information, responsibilities, handling rules, and reporting contacts
Access control based on the principle of least privilege (PoLP)	Grant only necessary permissions; review access when roles change or people leave
Strong authentication	Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) and avoid password reuse
Encryption in transit and at rest	Protect connections, devices, and stored data; control access to encryption keys
Regular, secure backups	Keep recoverable copies protected from production incidents and test restoration
Shadow IT restrictions and SaaS governance	Identify unapproved services and manage approval, sharing, and data handling on exit
Security awareness training	Revisit phishing, information handling, and reporting procedures regularly

Shadow IT means technology used without organizational approval or visibility. Provide a workable approval route for tools employees need.

Also maintain software updates, security monitoring, and incident response and recovery arrangements. For example, decide who reviews an unusual-login alert and who can suspend the affected account.

Where to start

List what matters: important information, devices, systems, and external services.
Describe possible harm: who is affected if information is exposed, changed, or unavailable?
Close priority gaps: review authentication, access, updates, and backups for critical assets.
Keep improving: communicate reporting contacts, practice recovery, and review after changes or incidents.

For a customer list, start with three questions: Where is it stored? Who can read, edit, or share it? Can you restore it if it disappears?

Information security is an ongoing activity. Understand your information and operations, combine people, processes, and technology, and improve protection as the business changes.

Sources and further reading

This introductory article presents an overview. Examples and suggested first steps illustrate practical implementation; adapt them to your information and operations.

What Is Information Security? Importance, Threats, and Basic Practices