Unit 924: Comprehensive Cybersecurity Fundamentals

1. Introduction to Cybersecurity

1.1. Overview of Cybersecurity

• Definition and scope
• Importance of protecting data and systems

1.2. Evolution of Cybersecurity

• Historical perspective
• Emerging trends and technologies

1.3. Common Cyber Attacks

• Malware, viruses, worms
• Phishing and spear phishing
• Ransomware attacks

1.4. Basic Cybersecurity Principles

• Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (CIA Triad)
• Authentication and authorization
• Defense in depth

2. Cyber Threat Landscape

2.1. Types of Cyber Threats

• Malware (trojans, spyware, adware)
• Phishing and social engineering
• Ransomware
• Insider threats

2.2. Motivations Behind Cyber Attacks

• Financial gain
• Political/ideological motives
• Espionage
• Disruption and sabotage

2.3. Impact of Cyber Threats

• On individuals: identity theft, privacy invasion
• On organizations: financial loss, reputational damage

3. Security Frameworks and Standards

3.1. NIST Cybersecurity Framework

• Framework core functions (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover)
• Implementation tiers and profiles

3.2. ISO/IEC 27001

• Information Security Management System (ISMS)
• Risk assessment and treatment

3.3. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

• Key principles and requirements
• Impact on organizations

4. Data Encryption and Cryptography

4.1. Principles of Encryption

• Symmetric vs asymmetric encryption
• Hashing and salting

4.2. Encryption Algorithms

• AES, DES, RSA, ECC

4.3. Key Management

• Generation, distribution, storage
• Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

4.4. Digital Signatures

• Purpose and functioning
• Use cases

4.5. Encryption Applications

• Data at rest encryption
• Data in transit encryption (TLS/SSL)

5. Network Security

5.1. Firewalls

• Types: packet filtering, stateful, next-gen
• Firewall policies

5.2. Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)

• Signature-based vs anomaly-based
• Deployment strategies

5.3. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

• Purpose and types
• Encryption and tunneling protocols

5.4. Secure Network Protocols

• HTTPS, SSH, IPsec

6. Incident Response and Disaster Recovery

6.1. Incident Response Plans

• Preparation, detection, analysis, containment, eradication, recovery

6.2. Disaster Recovery Strategies

• Backup and restoration
• Business continuity planning

6.3. Mitigating Impact of Cyber Incidents

• Communication protocols
• Lessons learned and improvements

7. Privacy Laws and Regulations

7.1. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

• Scope and applicability
• Rights of data subjects

7.2. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

• Key provisions
• Business obligations

7.3. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

• Privacy and security rules

7.4. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

• Requirements for protecting children's data

7.5. Organizational Compliance Obligations

• Data protection officers
• Reporting and penalties

8. Secure Software Development

8.1. Secure Coding Principles

• Input validation
• Error handling
• Least privilege

8.2. Secure Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

• Planning, design, implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance

8.3. Tools for Identifying Security Flaws

• Static and dynamic analysis tools
• Penetration testing

9. Cloud Security

9.1. Unique Security Challenges in Cloud Computing

• Multi-tenancy
• Data privacy and compliance

9.2. Shared Responsibility Model

• Responsibilities of providers vs customers

9.3. Data Encryption in the Cloud

• Encryption techniques and key management

9.4. Cloud Security Controls

• Identity and access management (IAM)
• Monitoring and logging
• Incident response in cloud environments