Introduction to Cyber Security

Study Notes

Cyber security is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks.
These attacks are targeted at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information.
Often, the motive is to extort money from users or interrupt normal business processes.

Crucial in today's digital age.
Protection of sensitive data is essential.
It reduces financial losses, preserves business reputation, ensures compliance with regulations, and safeguards national security.

The CIA Triad stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.
The CIA Triad is a model to guide information security policies within organizations.

The protection of information from unauthorized access and disclosure.
Confidentiality ensures sensitive data is only accessible to authorized individuals.
Methods to ensure confidentiality include:
- Encryption: Data encryption ensures that even if intercepted, it cannot be read without the decryption key.
- Access Controls: Implementation of strict access controls restricts access to data only to authorized individuals.
- Authentication Mechanisms: Using strong authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication, ensures authorized users can access sensitive information.

Integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency, and trustworthiness of data.
Integrity ensures that data is not altered in an unauthorized manner, maintaining accuracy and reliability.
Methods to ensure integrity include:
- Hashing: Verifying the integrity of data by comparing the original hash value with the current one.
- Digital Signatures: Verification of the authenticity and integrity of messages, software, or digital documents.
- Checksums: Verification of the integrity of files during transmission by comparing checksums calculated at the source and destination.

Availability ensures information and resources are accessible to authorized users when needed.
Availability guarantees system functionality and data availability when required by users or processes.
Methods to ensure availability include:
- Redundancy: Implementing redundant systems, such as backup servers and data replication, ensures service availability even if a component fails.
- Disaster Recovery Plans: Having a disaster recovery plan in place enables an organization to quickly recover from disruptions, such as cyber-attacks and natural disasters.