Information technology (IT) is the combination of computing and communications. IT really came into age with the advent of electronics. The development of ENIAC heralded the development of computers, and IT never saw back.
Information technology is changing the way we work, live and even think. The growth of internet, coupled with an exponential growth in websites, falling PC prices, broader bandwidth connections and the concept of ‘work-from-home’ has propelled the growth of IT. PCs using browsers, e-mail clients, mobile phones and industry standard communication protocols have developed into universal clients that access internally (via intranet) and externally (via the internet). Ease in the ways websites can be created, growth in smartphone usage and growth in e-commerce have contributed to a much greater flexibility in information technology solutions and business communication.
Today, the term Information Technology has grown to encompass many aspects of computing and technology. The Information Technology umbrella has covered a large number of fields.
Need for Information Security The growth in IT is not without its challenges. The principle challenge IT faces is
information security. While connecting to different machines via different technologies makes communication faster, it also has inherent perils. The chief peril is the risk that ease of data sharing brings. Most people do not think too much about IT security as it is not visible. Unlike a burglar that you can see, data theft is very hard to trace. You almost never find any breach in data security unless it is too late. Malware, phishing attacks are prominent examples of IT security breach. And such cases are on the rise, mainly because of ignorance or reluctance on the part of people / companies. The major challenge today therefore is to protect data from intruders. Gone are the days when the term ‘hacking’ invoked images of a nerdy teenager trying to get into websites for the sake of bragging. Today’s hackers are more sophisticated and use IT for sniffing sensitive e-com data (like your bank account number, card number, etc.) or for procuring military data from another country.
Security threat is one of the biggest reasons why information security is a matter of prime importance. There are many specialized IT firms that provide only information security services and thrive.
Information and data security are a major threat today. As intruders and hackers find newer ways to sniff data, IT security providers always have to be on their toes.
The purpose of information security is therefore to protect valuable resources of a company through the selection and application of correct IT policies, standards and adhering to established procedures.
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