Chapter 3: Cyberspace in
Contex t
An increasingly relevant and occurring topic
that has been in the limelight and on news channel headlines more
than ever lately is cybersecurity. The public, the biggest
companies, and governments are becoming increasingly aware of how
their personal data is being used in ways that could do more harm
than good. For now, we will explore why cybersecurity is imperative
yet, challenging to achieve. The goal of this book is to provide
readers with useful information concerning their cybersecurity and
the steps on how they can take the most appropriate measures to
protect their personal data from hackers.
Cybersecurity can better be understood by
defining the term, ‘cyberspace.’ The following definition of
cyberspace is provided by the UK Cabinet Office:
“Cyberspace is an interactive domain
composed of digital networks that are used to contain, modify and
transfer data. This includes the internet and the other information
systems that support a company’s infrastructure and
services.”
The four layers of
cyberspace
Cyberspace is divided into four layers that
hold physical and virtual properties to make the framework which
allows cyberspace to exist.
People
Individuals or groups who are active in the
cyberworld. These are people who interconnect, work with
information, make decisions, and carry out plans, and who
themselves alter the nature of cyberspace by working with its
component services and capabilities.
Information
This is stowed, transmitted,
and transformed in cyberspace. This includes social media posts,
texts, financial transfers, and video downloads. Before and after
transferring, this information is usually kept in storage and
changed by computers and mobile devices, or public and private
cloud storage services.
Logical
building blocks
This is what make up the amenities and
support the function of cyberspace as a platform. This includes
software like smartphone applications, operating systems, and web
browsers.
Physical
This refers to the corporeal foundation that
supports the logical elements of cyberspace like land and submarine
cables, satellites that provide lines of communication, and routers
that deliver data to specific locations.
Nazli Choucri, a professor of
political science at MIT, has further defined cyberspace as:
“A venue that allows users to engage in activities conducted over
electronic fields whose spatial domain transcend territorial,
governmental, social, and economic constraints.”
The Internet vs. the Web
Most of the time, people believe the words
‘internet’ and ‘web,’ are the same thing. They are not.
Understanding the difference between the two can help us understand
the terms better.
The Internet is a network of computers
throughout the globe that connect and interact with each other.
Also, the internet is updated and improved on a much regular basis
ever since its creation in the 1960s.
Whether you’re chatting on Skype or downloading a PDF from a
website, the internet is what is makes this communication possible.
The internet isn’t a singular physical object, it is made up of
digital components we call ‘internet protocols’ (IP) which enables
interaction between radically different systems.
As soon as any device is connected to the
internet, it is now part of the network. This enables the user to
transmit or collect data from a connected server or computer.
The ‘web’ refers to the web pages or
websites which utilize the internet to transfer files. It’s only
one of the many functions that one can access with the help of the
internet. Besides that, we also have email, file transfers, and
internet calling.
Primary characteristics
The four layers of cyberspace, as described
above, possess the following features: connectivity, speed, and
storage.
Connectivity
Twenty years ago, connectivity speeds were
slower and there were very few people who had the access to get
online with ease. The Pew Research Center conducted a survey in
1998 and found that 41% of adults went online. As a result of the
advancements in technology over the past 20 years, Pew Research now
estimates at least 77% of adults are online daily in 2018. If the
number of devices connected to a network grows, so does the data
that’s created and shared. This is known as the positive ‘network’
effect, as it raises the worth of a network.
Speed
It’s no surprise that each year, technology
gets more advanced and processing speeds are constantly increasing.
This is attributed to the invention of the semiconductor and
transistor. The founder of Intel, Gordon Moore states that because
of these inventions, he believes his engineers can increase a
computer chip’s transistors every two years. People refer to this
statement as ‘Moore’s Law’ which predicts that this trend will
continue into the future.
Storage
Along with an increase in connectivity and
speed over the years, storage has also dramatically increased and
continues to do so. Without the ability to download and store
information, there would really be no use for increased speed and
connectivity. Storage lets people send and receive various files or
data. Unfortunately, this is something attackers will always seek
to exploit, as data nowadays is incredibly important and valuable
to get ahold of.
The combination of these three
characteristics has undoubtedly created many opportunities for
individuals and companies. However, with these opportunities and
increased use of cyberspace, comes increased threat. In the news,
more and more stories have been reported about cyber attacks and
data breaches. People are becoming increasingly aware and concerned
about their personal information that’s being kept in cyberspace.
The purpose of cybersecurity is about protecting a user’s
confidentiality, integrity, and availability, or the CIA
(discussed more in chapter 3).
The rest of this book is intended to help
users identify possible threats and discover the best ways to keep
their personal information or data safe
and out of the hands of hackers.