What does cybersecurity primarily address?

Cybersecurity primarily addresses threats to information processed, stored, and transported. This encompasses a wide array of digital assets, including data integrity, confidentiality, and availability across various systems and networks. The focus is on protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access, theft, destruction, or alteration, which can have significant consequences for individuals and organizations alike.

While unauthorized access to physical assets and the security of network infrastructure are important considerations, cybersecurity extends beyond these areas by addressing the broader spectrum of threats that target information itself. It includes safeguarding against cyber attacks such as malware, phishing, and ransomware, which specifically aim to compromise data rather than just physical locations or hardware. Physical security may play a role within a comprehensive security program, but it does not encapsulate the primary goal of cybersecurity, which is to secure information and its pathways throughout various digital channels.