In security terminology, both cyber-security and information security are generally thought by many as synonymous to each other as they both protect our online information. On the contrary, cyber-security is quite different from information security.

Basically, cyber-security is the protection of digital data (online information) from unauthorized digital attacks or access through specific processes and technologies. On the other hand, Information Security ensures that both digital data and analog data (information on paper) are safeguarded from unauthorized access, modification or damage.

The reason why both terms are considered to be the same is because both of them deal with the protection and security of digital data from unauthorized users. But that is where the similarity ends.

The main difference between these two terms is that cyber security secures mainly digital information while cyber-security secures physical and analog information. This means that cyber-security does not deal with protecting analog information unlike information security. Alternatively, one can also consider cyber-security as a subset of information security that deals with digital data protection.

With this summary of the key difference between both cyber-security and information security, one should be able to distinguish cyber-security from information security and avoid the mistake of identifying them as the same concept.