CyberSecurity FAQ - What is the difference between cybersecurity and network architectures?
Consider the following defintion of a computer network architecture:
Definition: network architecture (computer network architecture, or net architecture for short) specifies the organizational structure, functional behavior, standards, and policies of a computer network including, but not limited to:
- network nodes (computers, NICs, repeaters, hubs, bridges, switches, routers, modems, gateways, etc.);
- network communication protocols (TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, IMAP, etc.);
- network connections between nodes using specific protocols;
- network topologies among nodes (point-to-point, bus, star, ring or circular, mesh, tree, daisy chain, hybrid);
- network technology choices;
- network policies and procedures.
Ideally, a network architecture should be definable and simulatable using an industry-standard architecture modeling language (e.g., SysML, UML2).
It is sometimes useful to consider a cybersecurity architecture to be a specialization of computer network architecture that emphasizes security features and capabilities. Stated otherwise, a cybersecurity architecture elements can be considered a superset of a network architecture elements. To see the additional architecture elements that a cybersecurity architecture includes, please compare and contrast the definition of network architect provided above with the cybersecurity architecture definition provided in the following Cybersecurity FAQ:
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