The 3 Major Types of Cybersecurity (And Why Your Business Needs All of Them)

As cyberattacks grow more frequent and sophisticated, many mid-sized businesses are realizing that antivirus software and firewalls alone aren’t enough. To effectively secure your data, operations, and reputation, you need to understand the three core types of cybersecurity and how they work together to build a resilient defense. Application security is another critical component that works alongside network, endpoint, and cloud security to protect against vulnerabilities such as security flaws and supply chain attacks. Key controls like identity and access management, multi factor authentication, identity security, and data and access controls are essential for preventing unauthorized access, data breaches, insider threats, and identity theft. Cybercriminals exploit various attack vectors to infiltrate organizations, making a multi-layered approach essential. Threat intelligence and threat detection are used to identify and respond to cyber attacks, including ransomware attacks, insider threats, and advanced persistent threats. A well-defined security strategy is crucial to address evolving threats and ensure your defenses remain effective. Security orchestration and security operations integrate security tools to automate incident response and streamline workflows, enhancing your ability to respond quickly and efficiently. 

1. Network Security

Protecting your infrastructure and internal communications 

Network security focuses on safeguarding the systems that connect your business: routers, switches, servers, and the data flowing between them. This includes firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and virtual private networks (VPNs). Intrusion prevention systems and network access control help detect and block malicious activity, playing a vital role in protecting critical infrastructure and computer systems. These measures also help defend against distributed denial of service attacks and ensure both computer systems and the operating system are protected from cyber attacks. 

Why it matters: 

• Prevents unauthorized access to your internal systems 

• Detects unusual activity or potential breaches 

• Helps enforce policies like “least privilege” access through security controls that ensure only authorized users can access sensitive resources 

2. Endpoint Security

Securing individual endpoint devices like laptops, phones, and desktops 

Endpoints are where users and cybercriminals often collide. Every employee device is a potential entry point for malware or phishing attempts. Endpoint security includes antivirus software, mobile device management (MDM), patch management, and endpoint detection. Securing mobile devices and operating systems is critical to defend against malware attacks and advanced persistent threats. Patch management is essential to address security flaws in operating systems. Threat actors use malware attacks and phishing attacks to gain unauthorized access to endpoint devices, steal sensitive data, or compromise computer systems. 

Why it matters: 

• Protects against human error (like clicking a phishing link), including phishing attacks as a common threat vector 

• Keeps company data safe on personal or remote devices 

• Ensures software is up to date with the latest security patches 

3. Cloud Security

Safeguarding data stored in cloud services like Microsoft 365 or AWS 

As more organizations shift to the cloud for productivity and storage, cloud security has become a top concern. Cloud security refers to the technologies, policies, and practices that protect data and applications in cloud environments. This includes encryption, secure identity access, and data loss prevention (DLP) strategies. Modern cloud security architectures often incorporate cloud access security brokers and secure access service edge to protect sensitive data and corporate data. With the rise of cloud computing, there is a greater need for data security and robust data and access controls to prevent data breaches and protect sensitive information. Protecting digital assets and corporate data in cloud environments is also a critical priority. 

Why it matters: 

• Protects data stored in SaaS apps, email, and cloud servers 

• Helps meet compliance standards like HIPAA or SOC 2 

• Controls who can access what—and when 

By combining these approaches, organizations achieve comprehensive protection against a wide range of cyber threats. Managed security services and incident response help organizations stay ahead of cyber attacks and minimize the impact of data breaches. With the proliferation of connected devices, IoT security is essential for preventing unauthorized access to digital assets and sensitive data. Attackers use malicious software and malicious code, such as ransomware, viruses, and trojans, to steal sensitive data or gain access to computer systems.