Introduction to cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Definition

  • Cybersecurity (or security) is about ensuring:

    • Confidentiality: Protecting information from unauthorized access.

      • Example: Requiring complex passwords.

    • Integrity: Maintaining the accuracy and completeness of information.

    • Availability: Ensuring information is accessible when needed.

  • This involves protecting:

    • Networks

    • Devices

    • People

    • Data

  • From:

    • Unauthorized access

    • Criminal exploitation

Threat Actors

  • Definition: Any person or group who presents a security risk.

Security Teams: Protecting Against Threats

  • Security teams protect against both external and internal threats.

External Threats

  • Come from outside the organization.

  • Involve attempts to gain unauthorized access to:

    • Private information

    • Networks

    • Devices

Internal Threats

  • Sources:

    • Current or former employees

    • External vendors

    • Trusted partners

  • Types:

    • Accidental: Example: Employee clicking a compromised link.

    • Intentional: Example: Unauthorized data access or system abuse.

  • Security professionals help organizations:

    • Mitigate threats

    • Reduce the impact of threats

Regulatory Compliance

  • Security teams ensure compliance with:

    • Regulatory compliance (laws and guidelines requiring specific security standards).

  • Benefits of Compliance:

    • Avoiding fines and audits

    • Upholding ethical obligations to protect users

Maintaining and Improving Business Productivity

  • Security teams establish plans for business continuity.

  • This allows people to continue their jobs, even during events like data breaches.

Reducing Expenses

  • Being security-conscious reduces expenses related to risk, such as:

    • Recovering from data loss

    • Operational downtime

    • Potentially avoiding fines

Maintaining Brand Trust

  • Compromised services or customer data can:

    • Lower trust in the organization

    • Damage the brand

    • Hurt the business long-term

  • Loss of customer trust may also lead to less revenue.

Common Security Roles

  • Potential job titles after completing the certificate program:

    • Security Analyst or Specialist

    • Cyber Security Analyst

    • Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst

    • Information Security Analyst