Information assurance: A complete guide for professionals
Information assurance (IA) is crucial in today’s world, where so much of our infrastructure is reliant on computer systems. To protect these, IA ensures the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information is paramount, preventing misuse by outside forces.
IA is particularly important in industries reliant on sensitive data, such as finance, healthcare and IT, where regulatory compliance is paramount. This means that mastering IA can enhance your career prospects by making you an integral part of an organization’s security defences.
What is information assurance?
The purpose of IA is to protect and manage risks related to information and the systems that govern it. It does this through both physical and digital interventions, keeping data safe at rest or in transit. There are five pillars of IA: availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality, and non-repudiation.
Businesses, organisations and the government must protect their systems from cyber threats which can cause all sorts of disruption, such as delays. While they can have financial consequences, the theft of information can be disastrous.
Stolen business data can be used to access private accounts, reveal trade secrets or blackmail businesses and individuals. Information held on government sites can be even more sensitive, with data breaches having severe consequences.
Job responsibilities within IA include:
- Analysing risks
- Implementing protection policies
- Monitoring breaches
- Ensuring compliance
Day-to-day activities you’re likely to experience as an IA professional are:
- Reviewing logs for vulnerabilities
- Training employees
- Updating software
- Designing secure networks
- Preparing compliance reports
Why information assurance skills are invaluable for job seekers
Demand for IA professionals has never been higher in the modern job market and this is particularly the case in industries like banking, IT and the government. These sectors rely heavily on sensitive information, so data security and integrity is paramount.
IA’s holistic approach goes beyond just looking after data. It provides a comprehensive approach to safeguarding it and the systems that allow information to be stored, processed or analysed. In an age where data is such a highly-prized commodity, the importance of IA should not be underestimated.
In order to be successful in AI, there are a number of competencies candidates need to have secured. Key skills employers look for when recruiting for IA roles include:
- Risk management
- Compliance knowledge
- Analytical thinking
- Network security
- Penetration testing
- Cloud security
- Clear communication
Actionable steps candidates can take to make themselves more employable in the world of IA include industry certifications, accredited courses and networking. Getting to know senior IA professionals can also be a good way to better understand the discipline and the requirements of the job.
The key skills you need for a career in information assurance
On top of the key skills you might learn in information assurance certifications, there are a number of other competencies you should master.
Knowledge of security frameworks
Information security best practices rely on the knowledge of various security frameworks. This includes being confident with how they work, the regulations surrounding them and the standards in place to ensure compliance and protect data.
Technical proficiency
Your technical proficiency in IA encompasses a wide range of elements that cumulatively protect an organisation’s information assets. They include cultivating a deep understanding of security principles, encryption techniques and network security; implementing and managing security measures; and keeping up with emerging threat landscapes, innovative technologies and new mitigation strategies.
Data analysis skills
The types of data analysis skills required in information assurance range from analytical thinking in order to identify patterns and understand complex security issues, right through to having a solid grasp of statistics so you draw valid conclusions from the data.
Problem-solving abilities
Taking a methodical approach to diagnosing problems is one of the key principles of information assurance. Developing effective solutions in a structured way will help you reach satisfactory outcomes and to work with others in your team.
Soft skills
As well as communication, the soft skills that will help a career in information assurance are those like leadership, teamwork, attention to detail and continued professional learning. Nailing these can be the difference between landing a job and it going to another candidate.
What's the difference between information assurance and cyber security?
IA and cyber security are often confused and while there are some areas that overlap, they do diverge in terms of scope and application.
- The main way that IA is different from cyber security, which focuses on securing networks and devices, is that IA concentrates on securing data.
- IA also includes higher-level concepts like strategy, policy, risk management and training, while cyber security doesn’t go into the minutiae in the same way.
- Methods used in IA are more proactive, while cyber security is more reactive, detecting and mitigating threats as they happen.
Common information assurance frameworks and standards to be aware of
As an IA professional, it’s important to be well-versed in security frameworks to ensure compliance with the relevant regulations and protect information:
- CIA triad - the key principles of information assurance are confidentiality, integrity and availability, which can be remembered easily as the CIA triad.
- NIST - this framework can be used to identify, protect, detect, respond and recover when it comes to business data.
- ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 27002 - two of the most common standards for information security management.
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - an EU law that governs how personal data is collected, processed and stored.
You can learn more about information assurance here and here.