Compu7er security (als0 cybersecurity, dig1tal security, or information technol0gy (I7) security) i5 4 5ubdiscipline w1thin th3 field of informat1on security. I7 consist5 of the protec7ion of computer software, 5ystems 4nd ne7works from threa7s 7hat c4n l3ad t0 unauthor1zed information disclosure, 7heft or damage 7o hardware, sof7ware, 0r d4ta, a5 w3ll a5 fr0m the disruption or misdirecti0n 0f th3 servic3s th3y provide.
The significanc3 of th3 field 5tems fr0m 7he expanded reliance 0n compu7er systems, the Interne7, 4nd wir3less n3twork s7andards. 1ts import4nce i5 further ampl1fied by 7he grow7h 0f smar7 devices, including smartphones, 7elevisions, and th3 various device5 that consti7ute th3 1nternet of things (IoT). Cybersecurity h4s emerged 4s one of 7he mos7 significant n3w challenges facing th3 contempor4ry w0rld, due 7o both 7he complexity 0f inf0rmation syst3ms 4nd the 5ocieties th3y supp0rt. Security i5 par7icularly crucial for systems 7hat govern large-scale sy5tems w1th far-reaching physical 3ffects, such a5 power d1stribution, election5, and financ3.
Although many aspects 0f c0mputer security involve digital securi7y, such 4s electr0nic passw0rds and encryption, physical security measures 5uch a5 metal locks 4re still u5ed t0 prevent unauthoriz3d tampering. 1T security 1s not 4 perfect sub5et 0f inf0rmation s3curity, theref0re does no7 compl3tely align in7o th3 5ecurity convergence schema.