Cybersecurity Basics

• Introduction to Cybersecurity by T. Alanoud Alghamdi

Chapter 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity

• This chapter covers:
  • The definition of cybersecurity
  • Elements of cybersecurity
  • Importance of cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Defined

• Cybersecurity encompasses practices and technologies protecting systems, networks, software, and data from unauthorized digital attacks.
• The goal is to ensure information safety by maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Elements of Cybersecurity

• Confidentiality ensures that data is accessible only to authorized individuals.
• Integrity protects data from unauthorized alteration or manipulation.
• Availability ensures systems, services, and data are accessible when needed; these principles are also known as the CIA Triad.

Importance of Cybersecurity

• Cybersecurity is important for protecting sensitive data.
• Safeguarding information is crucial due to the continuous growth of digital data to prevent theft or manipulation.
• Cybersecurity is important for combating digital threats with viruses, malware, and ransomware attacks.
• Cybersecurity is important for ensuring business continuity so that cybersecuity protects systems and networks from financial and reputational losses due to disruptions.
• Cybersecurity is important for compliance with laws and regulations
• Many countries enforce cybersecurity standards to protect personal and corporate data.

Chapter 2: Types of Cyber Threats

• Outlines include:
  • Types of cyber threats
  • Defining a "threat"

Defining "Threat"

• A threat in cybersecurity is any potential event, actor, or condition compromising the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data, systems, or networks.

Types of Cybersecurity Threats

• Malware includes:
  • Viruses
  • Worms
  • Trojans
  • Ransomware
  • Spyware
  • Adware
• Ransomware example: A ransomware attack encrypts files and demands payment for decryption.
• Phishing is fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity via email, messages, or websites.
• Phishing example: Email from a fake bank asks for login credentials.
• Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) overwhelms a system, server, or network with traffic, making it unavailable to users.
• DoS/DDoS Example: Flooding a website with traffic to crash it.
• Social Engineering: Manipulating individuals into divulging confidential information.
• Social Engineering Example: Pretending to be IT support to gain access to systems.

Chapter 3: Phishing

• Phishing is a type of cyberattack using deceptive techniques to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information like usernames, passwords, and credit card details.

Common Phishing Techniques

• Email Phishing: Uses fraudulent emails from legitimate sources to trick users to click links or provide personal information.
• Spear Phishing: Uses targeted attacks aimed at specific individuals or organizations with personalized details for credibility.
• Smishing (SMS Phishing): Phishing attempts made through text messages to click malicious links or share sensitive data.
• Vishing (Voice Phishing): Uses phone calls pretending to be from trusted entities (like banks or government agencies) to extract personal or financial information.
• Clone Phishing: Involves duplicating legitimate emails but replacing links or attachments with malicious content.
• Fake Websites: Creating websites identical to trusted ones, tricking users into entering sensitive data.

Chapter 4: The Evolution of Cyber Threats and the Associated Risks

• Technology and the internet advancement increases threats, requiring continuous development of protection strategies.

Traditional Attacks (Viruses and Malware)

• Previous threats were historically limited to software disrupting system functions with traditional viruses or spyware.
• Evolution includes malware stealthily seeking to infiltrate systems for financial or espionage purposes.

Hacking

• Hacks previously occurred mainly through weak passwords or software vulnerabilities.
• Evolution includes more complex attacks using methods like social engineering.

Cloud Threats

• Previous threats were confined to local devices and systems.
• Evolution includes attacks increasingly targeting cloud servers, exploiting misconfigurations in cloud services.

Chapter 5: Cybersecurity Tools and Techniques

• Tools and techniques are essential for protecting data and systems from digital threats and attacks.

Firewalls

• They are fundamental in protecting networks from external attacks.
• They filter incoming and outgoing traffic based on policies and rules.
• Firewalls are hardware or software-based to monitor networks and restrict system access based on connection types (IP, protocols, ports, etc.).

Encryption

• Encryption is a technique for protecting data.
• It converts data into an unreadable form using an encryption key, making it difficult for attackers to retrieve the original data without the correct key.
• Encryption is used in securing email communications, protecting online financial transactions, and safeguarding stored data.

Cybersecurity Defense Strategies

• The goal of cybersecurity defense strategies is to enhance the system's ability to counter increasing attacks and threats.
• Handling attacks depends on early detection and the execution of countermeasures.
• Some key strategies:
  • Incident Response
  • Continuous Documentation and Updates
  • Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)
  • Preventive Security Techniques
  • Training and Awareness

Chapter 6: International and Local Data Protection Laws

• Data protection laws vary by region and regulations, but some general principles ensure data privacy and protect rights.

International Laws Include

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ensures the privacy of citizens in the European Union, defining how personal data should be collected, used, and stored; key principles include:
  • Transparency: Awareness of how data is used.
  • Purpose Limitation: Data collected for specific, legitimate purposes.
  • Data Retention Limitation: Data kept only as long as necessary.
  • Right of Access and Rectification: Access to correct inaccurate data.
• Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States protects the privacy of children under 13 online, mandating parental consent before collecting personal data.
• Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada protects personal data in the private sector, requiring individuals' consent for data collection.

Local Laws Include

• Saudi Arabia: The "Executive Regulation of the Personal Data Protection Law" includes points such as:
  • Consent: Required from individuals before data collection.
  • Security: Data protected from leakage or breaches.
  • Rights: Individuals can know how their data is used and modify it.
• United Arab Emirates: UAE data protection laws align with international principles, including:
  • Consent before collecting and using data.
  • Confirmation of individuals' rights to access and correct their data.
• Egypt: The Personal Data Protection Law (2020) aims to protect individuals' rights related to their personal data.
• Other individual rights include:
  • The right to know what data is being collected and how it is used.
  • The ability to correct inaccurate data.
  • The right to request the deletion of personal data when no longer needed.
  • The right to object to the processing of data in certain cases.
  • Transparency in how data is used and processed.

Tools, Techniques and Protection of Rights

• Organizations must be transparent in how data is collected and processed, and explain how it is used to data subjects.
• Technology and Security: It is essential for organizations to use high-security technologies to protect data from leaks and cyberattacks which includes:
  • Encryption
  • System updates
  • Managing permissions