Page 47 - Cyber Warnings - November 2015

Once upon a time we were clueless

Most of us skip innocently through cyberspace like Red Riding Hood in the deep, dark forest
picnicking on sites which take our fancy. We remain oblivious to the company we may find
ourselves in online and what seems to be an innocent link or website may turn out to be malicious -
just like the wolf dressed in granny’s nightgown. But all is not lost. Yet. Security solutions can be
implemented to reduce the risk of a data breach. What’s standing in its way? Privacy. Oh yes it is.

The privacy versus security debate is affecting our perceptions regarding the importance of security
and is a hot topic concerning government expenditure today. The two terms have, in the past, been
used interchangeably. To clarify; privacy is not security and security is not privacy.

Privacy relates to personal data and security is what protects this data from falling into the wrong
hands. To reiterate, they are not synonymous, but what they are is reliant upon each other. If a
company does not have security measures in place then its privacy policies will fall redundant
because there will be no protection against unauthorised access.

Likewise, if a company does not have a full understanding of what personal data it holds it is difficult
to provide the most effective security solution which best fits company needs. Thus, it is not
possible to have security without privacy and vice versa.

However, the privacy vs security debate has painted a predominantly black and white picture with
each notion kept mutually exclusive from the other. But how are these arguments unfolding and
what is stopping us from being protected from the hungry eyes that wait to feast on our data, our
identity and our business?

In favour of privacy

Government debates are suggesting that more security surveillance is needed in the online world to
protect against terrorism, identity theft and other cyber-criminal activity. However many people
argue that extra security implementation will be an intrusion of their privacy if security bodies such
as the British Security Service are granted the power to read anything and everything we post
online.

It is estimated around 2.4 trillion emails are sent per year and these online communications make
our real communications in the physical world seem small.

Many worry that freedom of speech as a basic human right will be jeopardised as people will refrain
from saying exactly what they want online. Many worry the internet will become socially and
politically controlled so our freedom will be further diminished. Many worry that security advocates
are in fact sinister power grabbers.

But what makes cyber-security so different to security in the real world which has been accepted?
Especially given a lot of what we do in the physical world is now transported online – a simple meal

47 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – November 2015 Edition
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