Information Security vs Cybersecurity: What Is the Difference?
People use information security and cybersecurity as if they mean the same thing. They are closely related, and they share the same goal of protecting an organization from harm, but they are not identical in scope.
People use information security and cybersecurity as if they mean the same thing. They are closely related, and they share the same goal of protecting an organization from harm, but they are not identical in scope.
The simplest way to hold the difference: information security protects information in every form, and cybersecurity protects the digital part of it.
Two terms, one goal
Both disciplines exist to preserve the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. The difference is where they draw the boundary.
Information security is the umbrella. Cybersecurity is the large, important part of that umbrella that deals with digital systems and networks.
The scope of each
The clearest way to see the distinction is to look at what each one covers.
Information security vs cybersecurity, side by side
| Information security | Cybersecurity | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | All information, all formats | Digital systems and networks |
| Protects | Confidentiality, integrity, availability of information | Computers, networks, and data from cyber threats |
| Includes | Physical records, paper, people, and processes | Firewalls, encryption, monitoring, endpoint security |
| Relationship | The umbrella discipline | A major subset of information security |
The table makes the boundary explicit.
[[INSIGHT: For most organizations the two are nearly the same in practice, because almost all of their information is digital. The distinction matters most when physical records, people, and paper processes are still part of how sensitive information moves.]]
- Information security protects information in all forms, including physical records.
- Cybersecurity protects digital systems, networks, and data from electronic threats.
- Cybersecurity is a major subset of information security, not a separate thing.
- For most modern organizations the two overlap almost completely.
Frequently asked questions
Is cybersecurity part of information security?
In practice, yes. Information security is the broader umbrella, and cybersecurity is the part of it that protects digital systems and data.
Does information security include paper records?
Yes. Information security protects information in all forms, which includes physical documents and how people handle them, not just digital data.
Are the terms used interchangeably?
Often, because most information is now digital. Strictly, information security is broader and cybersecurity is the digital subset.
