Information has become one of the most precious assets of organizations. In a highly digitized world, data drives decisions, sustains operations, strengthens competitiveness, and directly influences the trust of customers and partners. But the more we depend on them, the greater the responsibility to protect them also becomes – and the International Information Security Day has come to remind us of this.
From 1988 onwards, November 30 is celebrated as the International Day of Information Security. More than a symbolic brand, it is a global reminder that security is not just a technical issue, but a fundamental strategic element for business continuity and success.
What is International Information Security Day and how did it come about?
The date was established in 1988, shortly after an episode that marked the history of technology: the Morris Worm case. It was the first attack that showed that even when the Internet was still small and experimental, it could be completely paralyzed by a single poorly written code, and it served as a global wake-up call that digital security needed to be taken seriously.
On November 2 of that year, code created by a student replicated itself wildly and infected about 10% of all computers connected to the Internet. There was no data theft, but the overload caused by the Worm rendered entire machines and networks inoperable. The damage was millionaire for the time, and its impact was profound.
The episode was a watershed. It exposed the fragility of the network and proved that a single point of failure could cause a cascading collapse. In addition, the Morris Worm revealed two truths that are still valid today:
- Connected systems are highly dependent on each other.
- Safety must be a priority from the grassroots, not just after incidents.
In response, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) created the International Day of Information Security to stimulate continuous awareness of digital protection.
What is the importance of International Information Security Day?
Even with all the technological evolution that has emerged since 1988, many challenges have remained the same and new ones have emerged. In a scenario where digital transformation advances rapidly, the amount of data generated and shared only increases. This brings numerous opportunities, but also new risks.
The importance of this day lies in remembering that information security is the basis for:
- Protect brand reputation: A data breach can irreparably damage customer trust.
- Ensure business continuity: attacks such as ransomware can paralyze entire operations, causing gigantic financial and operational losses.
- Maintain compliance: Laws such as the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) require companies to adopt strict security measures, and failure to comply can result in hefty fines.
With this, the date was created to raise awareness among companies and people about the need to protect their information against threats, unauthorized access, and leaks
The 3 pillars of Information Security
The history of Morris Worm shows that security is not an isolated product or tool, but rather an ongoing process of prevention. It is supported by essential pillars, known as the CID Triad of information security:
1. Confidentiality
Ensures that the information is accessible only by authorized people. When this principle is violated, data can be improperly exposed, opening space for leaks, industrial espionage, and loss of trade secrets, situations that directly compromise competitiveness and trust in the organization. It is the pillar responsible for preventing sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.
2. Integrity
Ensures that data remains correct, complete, and free from undue changes. When integrity is compromised, decisions can be made based on false information, favoring fraud, distortions in reports and damaging the company’s credibility. In other words, it is this pillar that ensures that the information used for decision-making is reliable.
3. Availability
Ensure that systems, services, and data are accessible whenever needed. When availability is compromised, operations can be disrupted, sales are impacted, and even business continuity can be put at risk, especially in scenarios such as ransomware attacks.
Losing control over any of these pillars can have serious consequences, as it is the combination of confidentiality, integrity, and availability that form the basis of a reliable, resilient, and effective Information Security Management System (ISMS).
What are the costs of not strengthening Information Security?
If in 1988 a worm caused great damage, imagine the current scenario, with attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated. Therefore, the lack of investment in information security can be costly:
- The global average cost of a data breach is $4.44 million, according to an IBM report.
- In Brazil, the scenario is even more alarming. The same IBM report shows that the average cost per data breach reached R$ 7.19 million in 2025.
- Companies that don’t invest in automation take, on average, 241 days to identify and contain a breach, according to IBM research.
This data highlights a crucial point, that the loss goes far beyond the financial, affecting brand reputation, customer trust and continuity of operations.
What are the most common types of attacks and how do they happen?
Today’s digital threats are more frequent, sophisticated, and targeted than ever before. The first step to understanding how these attacks work is strengthening defenses and protecting the pillars of information security.
The following are some of the common types of attacks in today’s landscape and the pillars of information security that they affect the most.
Phishing
Fraudulent emails, links, or messages that try to deceive employees to obtain confidential data, such as passwords, banking information, or corporate access.
Most affected pillar: Confidentiality.
Ransomware
Hijacking of data and systems in which criminals block access and demand payment for release. This type of attack can completely disrupt operations and still corrupt information in the process.
Most affected pillars: Availability and Integrity.
Social engineering
Psychological manipulation techniques are used to convince people to reveal information or allow improper access. The attacker exploits trust, urgency, or authority to gain advantage.
Most affected pillar: Confidentiality.
Attacks on the supply chain
The target is not the company directly, but a supplier with less protection. From it, criminals seek to access more robust systems. This type of attack gained great notoriety after cases that impacted global organizations.
Most affected pillars: Confidentiality and Integrity.
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service Attack)
Attack that overwhelms servers with massive traffic, making websites and systems unavailable. It often accompanies extortion or serves as a distraction for more complex invasions.
Most affected pillar: Availability.
Internal leaks
Situations in which information is accidentally or intentionally exposed by employees, service providers or partners. This can occur due to configuration failures, excessive permission, carelessness in file sharing, or improper access.
Most affected pillar: Confidentiality.
These attacks reinforce that information security is not just technology; It also depends on people, processes, and culture. A prepared organization combines adequate tools, clear policies, and conscientious collaborators forming a much more resilient defense.
How to avoid attacks and strengthen Information Security?
Protecting an organization today requires a 360° approach, which combines technology, processes, and people. It is necessary to create a true culture of safety. Here are some fundamental precautions:
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Many intrusions happen because users reuse passwords or end up falling for phishing scams. Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection by requiring more than one validation factor, such as password + token, and significantly reduces the risk of improper access even when credentials are exposed.
Raise awareness among your team
The weakest link in security is often the human factor. Provide regular training on how to identify phishing emails, the importance of strong passwords, and the risks of accessing corporate accounts on public or untrusted Wi-Fi networks, which can allow information to be intercepted.
Manage access rigorously
Not everyone needs to have access to everything. Implement the principle of “least privilege” by ensuring that each employee only accesses the information strictly necessary for their role. Review permissions periodically, especially for privileged access.
Keep systems and software up to date
Updates often patch security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals.
Have an incident response plan in place
What to do if the worst happens? Having a clear plan to identify, contain, and recover from an attack minimizes damage and accelerates the return to normalcy.
Continuously monitoring risks
Threats change all the time. It’s vital to have a process in place to identify, assess, and address new security risks on an ongoing basis, not just once a year.
Certifications that strengthen the maturity of the company
Companies seeking to raise their security maturity have ISO 27001 certification, the main international standard that establishes the requirements and controls for an ISMS. It helps organizations manage their risk in a structured way and demonstrate their commitment to security to the market.
In addition, the standard defines good practices and controls to implement an Information Security Management System and thus helps companies to:
- Identify risks;
- Identify threats and vulnerabilities;
- Create security policies;
- Define controls;
- Monitor incidents;
- Train people.
Companies that are certified to ISO 27001 not only reduce the risks of leakage, but also strengthen their reputation and competitiveness.
What are the essential regulations for data protection?
The General Data Protection Law (LGPD) in Brazil has reinforced the need for security. While Information Security is the umbrella that protects all data (personal, financial, strategic), Personal Data Protection focuses specifically on the data of individuals.
This law requires companies to adopt technical and administrative security measures capable of protecting personal data from unauthorized access and accidental or unlawful situations. In other words, to comply with the LGPD, it is essential to have robust ISMS aligned with the best information security practices.
SoftExpert Suite: the software that strengthens your Information Security strategy
Securing an organization in a manual and decentralized way is risky. That’s why SoftExpert Suite supports companies with a platform that integrates and automates security management.
The platform contributes to:
- Risk management: Identification, analysis, and centralized treatment of security risks.
- Document and access management: Version control, approvals, and access of critical documents.
- Security Incident Management: Logging, investigating, dealing with and following up on incidents with audit trails.
- Asset management: Structured inventory, lifecycle control, and asset monitoring.
- Audit management: Planning, execution and recording of internal and external audits.
- ISO 27001 and LGPD Compliance: Requirements mapping, implementation of controls and evidence for certifications and inspections.
SoftExpert Suite offers tools that help implement and manage the required controls, supporting the path to certification and compliance.
By integrating processes, people, and controls into a single platform, the system helps organizations transform security into strategic value by strengthening data protection and ensuring peace of mind to focus on what really matters: business growth.
Looking for more efficiency and compliance in your operations? Our experts can help identify the best strategies for your company with SoftExpert solutions. Contact us today!
