CYBERSECURITY INTRODUCTION – STUDY NOTES (Cisco Networking Academy)
1. What Is Cybersecurity?
- Protects devices, networks, systems, and data.
- CIA Triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability.
2. Types of Threats
- Malware: viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware.
- Social Engineering: phishing, pretexting, baiting.
- Network Attacks: DoS, DDoS, man-in-the-middle.
- Insider threats, web attacks (SQLi, XSS).
3. Cyber Attack Stages
- Reconnaissance, Weaponization, Delivery, Exploitation,
Installation, Command & Control, Actions on Objectives.
4. Security Principles
- Least Privilege, Defense in Depth, Zero Trust.
- Risk management: identify, assess, mitigate.
5. Security Devices
- Firewalls, IDS/IPS, Endpoint Protection, VPN.
6. Cryptography Basics
- Symmetric vs Asymmetric encryption.
- Hashing (SHA-256).
- Digital signatures for authenticity.
7. Policies & Compliance
- Password policy, AUP, BYOD, IR policy.
- GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA.
8. Cybersecurity Careers
- SOC Analyst, Cybersecurity Analyst, Penetration Tester,
Threat Hunter, IR Analyst, Security Engineer.
9. Basic Tools
- Wireshark, Linux terminal, Windows security tools,
MFA, password managers.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Cybersecurity protects systems & data.
- Threats come from people, malware, and network attacks.
- Security requires strong policies and layered defenses.
- Encryption & IAM are core skills.