Cybersecurity is the protection of computer and information systems to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of an organization. Organizations in every industry connect critical functions of their companies to technology and the internet. The threat from hackers and cyberterrorists have pushed IT leaders to new levels of alert – creating the need for heightened security measures to protect both infrastructure and data.

When participating in certain online activities, such as personal messaging, shopping or banking, users are asked to provide personal information. Buyers verify the identity of sellers, corporations verify employee credentials and lending institutions verify the identity of everyone using secure transactions. Cybersecurity is essential to protect this and other information from unauthorized parties. Without proper security, sensitive information belonging to a company and its customers may be vulnerable to theft by cyber criminals. Customers rely on businesses to safeguard their information. If they fail, those businesses may have a difficult time regaining trust.