Introduction to Cybersecurity Essentials

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These attacks typically include business interruptions or the theft, tampering, or destruction of sensitive information. Ransomware attacks are on the rise and are predicted to cost victims more than $265 billion (USD) annually by 2031. And that is just one type of threat we all need to protect against. The need for organizations to implement effective security practices has never been more important or urgent. This module will teach you the skills you need to identify basic security threats and choose the best security practices to address those threats. This week, you’ll learn the difference between data, information, and insights and how companies leverage all three to help guide their business decisions. You’ll learn how to maintain data integrity and keep data confidential. You’ll also begin to learn about the different types of attacks and breaches that threaten today’s organizations and their data.

Unfortunately, there’s no single solution for effective cybersecurity. The best practice is to use multiple layers of security. Some great first steps you can take to improve security and build a solid foundation to protect against cyberattacks are to use strong passwords, good password management, and multi-factor authentication. You should also limit access to data and resources to only those people who need them. Your security plan can be further rounded out and strengthened by using techniques such as device hardening, and encryption, and by educating employees about cyberthreats as a regular part of their training.  This week, you’ll learn more about security, including password management, creating effective passwords, and securing devices. You’ll learn the differences between authentication, authorization, and accounting, and how these concepts help secure devices and validate logons. You’ll also learn how encryption can help secure data transmissions and how to manage email and spam.

From people, to computers, to mobile phones, and the Internet of Things, everything is connected. Today there are more devices than people. For some, mobile phones and tablets have replaced traditional desktop computers and laptops. The web is where people and businesses get things done and it’s always on, 24 hours a day. The Internet can be an awesome place to go for entertainment, learning, and other online experiences. But the Internet isn’t safe. Hackers, phishing, identity theft, security leaks, privacy issues, and more are valid reasons to consistently practice safe browsing to protect yourself. This week, you will learn about safety concerns with applications and public browsing, including managing plug-ins, extensions, and toolbars. You will learn about web browser security configurations, cookies, and computer caches.

In this module, you will explore major data breach case studies and gain insights into common data vulnerabilities. You will attempt a final quiz based on the previous three modules, followed by a final hands-on project where you will resolve three IT support tickets by troubleshooting Windows updates, clearing the browser cache, and configuring the Windows Defender Firewall in a Windows Server environment. Screenshots from the lab will be uploaded and evaluated by an AI grading tool.