What is Cyber Security & What Does Cyber Security Do Exactly?

“What is cyber security all about?” You may think it’s about prevention and network security, but you would be partially correct. The various types of cyber threats breaking the news cycles today are what keep cyber security IT operatives (like Hyper Vigilance) on our toes. And yet, it goes beyond simply keeping your work and personal files safe. Let’s explore how effective cyber security can help your business and what you can do (even on a limited budget).

What is Cyber Security & What Does Cyber Security Do Exactly?

What is cyber security all about? Here’s our cyber security definition

The simple cyber security meaning is the practice of protecting sensitive information and critical networks from cyber attacks. However, protection is not just about knowing when data breaches affect your organization’s network, software, mobile devices, sensitive data, and services from security risks and unauthorized access.

Our cyber security description also emphasizes a proactive (versus reactive) approach to protecting your valuable data. How? By implementing defensive measures, raising awareness with your teams, applying industry best practices consistently, and educating your workforce on protecting the network and infrastructure from a wide range of cyber attacks BEFORE they become an issue.

Your access to data must be secured from unauthorized access and protected from vulnerability using the proper approach to cyber security.

What is Cyber Security & What Does Cyber Security Do Exactly?

Cyber security overview: what does cyber security do exactly?

So what does cybersecurity entail? Cyber security explained is multi-faceted – anticipating and predicting cyber attacks using high-level network security, ensuring business and client confidentiality, safely transmitting data across platforms and the cloud, and educating everyone about cyber security with advice to help shield from threats to network and application security.


Cloud computing company Rackspace, a trusted cloud service provider, suffered a cyberattack on December 2, 2022, impacting over 30,000 email accounts. Users could not resume access to their emails or data for weeks. Rackspace had no choice but to take their Microsoft Exchange environment offline.

No company is immune from breaches. Unsecured organizational and personal information stored on company servers and databases allows cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive data and intellectual property, causing massive disruption to your operations and information systems.


Only through controlled access, data mitigation, and consistent security can your company remain intact.


No one on your team should question “What is the purpose of cyber security?” or “How does cybersecurity protect us?” if you make it another significant factor in their daily responsibilities. Understanding cybersecurity is a crucial component to their overall development with the company.


Challenges of cyber security

Endpoint and network security involve having regular risk assessments and a broad scope of cyber security resources and access at your disposal. And yet, we must also be practical and honest: information technology, secure application architectures, and software and services aren’t the cheapest line item in your company’s finances. The flipside, however, can be lost operations and systems due to malware, trojans, worms, and various data breaches.


The challenges of cyber security are complex, but the companies that can balance the needs of cyber security alongside their budget can still mitigate a wide range of threats without breaking your budget.


Still, there are many ways you can implement processes to remain safe.

What is Cyber Security & What Does Cyber Security Do Exactly?

Basic Cybersecurity Methods – Simple cybersecurity processes for your business

Here are some recommended resources and ideas that can cost little to no money, but still offer an adequate degree of protection.

People First

One of the simplest ways to prevent cyber security threats, breaches, or unauthorized access or modification of the company framework is to educate your people. They are the legitimate individuals that champion and support organizational information storage mechanisms. When your team understands the concept of cyber security and is aware of risks facing not only their personal information but also the data security of the business they help run, they become a powerful, knowledgeable, and fully invested first line of defense against cyber attacks.

Expect the unexpected

In addition to cybercrime and data breaches, don’t neglect or overlook another potential scenario that’s not as common, but still significant – natural disasters. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and other occurrences can take out servers or data centers that store your organizational assets. Consider having your sensitive information stored and regularly backed up via cloud services.

Perform your due vigilance

Disruptions to data security can occur with any company – big or small. And yet, small businesses that are victims of cyber attacks tend to lose the most. Verizon reported in 2021 that 46% of all breaches that year targeted companies with less than 1,000 employees.

If you own a small to medium-sized business, the impact a cyber attacker can have on your business can be fatal if left unobserved and uncontrolled. You should commit to due diligence to ensure your systems are working properly and are in place. You should also practice due vigilance where every member of your team has prevention and protection at the top of mind every day.

From the front desk to office workers and the field service techs, the responsibility of managing and mitigating application security and access falls on the entire organization.

What is Cyber Security & What Does Cyber Security Do Exactly?

Things to Know About Cyber Security Best Practices

To prevent attackers from breaching your critical resources, your access or modification of application resources, hardware and software mechanisms, or data security should rely on basic but effective steps:

  • Two-factor authorization across devices
  • Strong passwords (i.e., a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, AND special characters)
  • Additional application security with remote working (such as VPN and two-factor authentication)
  • Securing company laptops from botnet infiltration, theft, ransomware, or spyware with trusted software and firewalls
  • Encryption of personal information stored on mobile devices like company phones or tablets

When you have people prioritize the protection of personal and organizational assets with routine application and the goal of managing cyber security methods, the less chance cyber attacks will occur in reality.

What is Cyber Security & What Does Cyber Security Do Exactly?

Advanced Cybersecurity Features – Monitoring and Managing Cyber Security

Reliable cloud service providers

With more businesses worldwide relying on cloud storage and cyber threat actors increasing their attempts to gain access, secure cloud architectures and applications become a cornerstone to cybercrime mitigation. Companies must be prepared to have the fundamental coding and authentication standards installed to ensure various types of data remain safe and secure.

Microsoft Azure, for example, meets many global compliance standards and is a trusted cloud provider for security and cloud compliance.

Proactive Application Security

Just as people are the first line of defense, a good supplementary structure is an effective digital network security system. Have an IT team or consultant that can install and monitor computer firewalls to alert essential personnel regarding numerous types of cyber security threats before they cause system disruption. Have that person(s) implement secure codes, require data input validation, and install VPNs across the user IoT (Internet of Things) when employees are accessing information on-demand and remotely.

Cyber security summary and recommended resources

The importance of cyber security can never be emphasized enough. And yet, cyber security features don’t always need a price tag attached to them. Effective network security measures involve a proactive defense of computer systems, protecting sensitive information against cyber attackers, and shielding from ransomware, trojans, and other malware vulnerabilities by using your instincts and erring on the side of caution before opening any attachments or suspicious links.

Hyper Vigilance can help organizations prepare for keeping effective cyber security measures in place and provide everything you need to know and use for your business, associates, and clients. 

We are experienced in employee cyber security training and small business cyber security, specializing in high-level security-controlled access to sensitive data and information systems as well as network and internet cyber security.

We Define Cybersecurity

Need additional help? Check out our cyber compliance assessment and compliance management services pages for more information, and reach out to us directly via the button below.

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Hyper Vigilance was the right choice to guide us through the cybersecurity process as we attempt to grow the business. They provide excellent service and we continue to look forward to working with the Hyper Vigilance team. We are very grateful for how they simplified the entire process and the efficiency during the transition to a secure platform!
Hyper Vigilance moved us from negative NIST score to almost full compliance in less than 1 month. The team is experienced, quick, efficient and works to find the best solution to maintain business operations while keeping security at maximum level. Communication and issue resolving is fast. Highly recommended.
We are required to comply with NIST 171 and CMMC to remain competitive for defense contracting, so we sought and received several quotes from reputable companies, and Hyper Vigilance was the top choice. They offered a higher level of assistance compared to others that were more expensive. The professionals at Hyper Vigilance have proved to be very knowledgeable, responsive, professional, and customer focused. The support they provide is very comprehensive and flexible, and have executed several innovative options/solutions to achieve our goal. Their technical professionals are always on the clock and are very responsive.