CE | Cybersecurity Essentials Scope and Sequence
Version 3.0
Introduction
Every day, Cybersecurity threats are growing in complexity and scale. In their Global Risks Report (2021) publication, even the World Economic Forum listed Cybersecurity failure among the top 5 global risks, along with threats like extreme weather and infectious diseases. At the same time, organizations everywhere seek new cybersecurity talent. However, due to a skill gap, a predicted 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs globally will likely go unfilled by 2025.
Educators are critical to helping close this skills gap by kickstarting the cybersecurity career journeys of their students. Cybersecurity Essentials 3.0 has been designed to help educators prepare students to take the first stepping stone on their cybersecurity career journey. After completing the course, students can find job roles such as:
- Junior Cybersecurity Analyst
- Cybersecurity Technician
- Cybersecurity Support
- Cybersecurity Specialist
- Tier 1 Help Desk Support
Or, they can continue their education toward associate and professional-level cybersecurity job roles with courses like CyberOps Associate, Network Security, etc.
Target Audience
The Cybersecurity Essentials 3.0 course is designed for learners as a starting point for cybersecurity careers. It equips learners with entry-level job skills across the three-course domains:
- Endpoint Security
- Network Defense
- Cyber Threat Management
These domains provide an integrated and comprehensive learning experience for an entry-level Junior Cybersecurity Analyst role. Course topics include:
- Cybersecurity threats and attacks
- Threat mitigation
- Vulnerabilities in protocols and network services
- Linux and Windows endpoint security
- Common network defense measures and architectures
- Vulnerability and risk management
- Cybersecurity incident response
The course includes hands-on labs using Virtual Machines, Packet Tracer activities, and research-based lab experiences. The course is appropriate for learners of many ages and education levels, primarily at high schools, colleges, and NGOs focusing on retraining opportunities.
Prerequisites
Learners are expected to have the following skills:
- High school reading level
- Basic computer literacy
- Basic PC operating system navigation skills
- Basic internet usage skills
- Knowledge of TCP/IP networking, including network protocols, services, processes, and basic configuration of networking devices such as routers and switches
Certification Alignment
This course aligns with Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity certification objectives.
Course Description
In this course, learners develop workforce readiness skills and build a foundation for success in cybersecurity-related careers. With video and rich interactive media support, participants learn, apply, and practice cybersecurity knowledge and skills through a series of in-depth, hands-on experiences and simulated activities that reinforce their learning.
Cybersecurity Essentials teaches comprehensive cybersecurity concepts and skills at the entry level, from threat mitigation and defense to post-incident forensics. Learners will progress from basic cybersecurity concepts to experiences in assessing vulnerabilities and risks later in the curriculum.
Course Objectives
Cybersecurity Essentials prepares students to take their first stepping stone toward entry-level roles or continue their education toward associate and professional-level job roles. These course materials assist in developing the skills necessary to:
- Explain how threat actors execute some of the most common types of cyber attacks.
- Explain network security principles.
- Explain how TCP/IP vulnerabilities enable network attacks.
- Recommend measures to mitigate threats.
- Troubleshoot a wireless network.
- Explain how devices and services are used to enhance network security.
- Use Windows administrative tools.
- Implement basic Linux security.
- Evaluate endpoint protection and the impacts of malware.
- Use cybersecurity best practices to improve confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
- Explain approaches to network security defense.
- Implement some of the various aspects of system and network defense.
- Configure local and server-based access control.
- Implement access control lists (ACLs) to filter traffic and mitigate network attacks.
- Explain how firewalls are implemented to provide network security.
- Implement Zone-Based Policy Firewall using the CLI.
- Recommend cloud security requirements based on a given cloud scenario.
- Determine the cryptographic techniques that are required to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity.
- Explain how security technologies affect security monitoring.
- Use different types of logs and records to store information regarding hosts and the network.
- Explain the process of evaluating alerts.
- Create documents and policies related to cybersecurity governance and compliance.
- Use tools for network security testing.
- Evaluate threat intelligence sources.
- Explain how endpoint vulnerabilities are assessed and managed.
- Select security controls based on risk assessment outcomes.
- Use incident response models and forensic techniques to investigate security incidents.
Equipment Requirements
Hands-on labs require computers capable of running virtualization software (VirtualBox or UTM) with at least 4GB of RAM and 20GB of free disk space. Labs that require more complex networking environments use the Packet Tracer network simulation tool. Other learning experiences require focused internet-based research and the completion of lab documents.
Optional Lab Equipment:
- Microsoft Windows host
Software:
- Oracle Virtual Box or UTM
- Lab virtual machine OVA file
- Packet Tracer 8.2.1 or higher
Course Outline
Domain One: Endpoint Security
Module 1: Cybersecurity Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks
1.1 Common Threats
1.2 Deception
1.3 Cyber Attacks
1.4 Wireless and Mobile Device Attacks
1.5 Application Attacks
Module 2: Securing Networks
2.1 Current State of Affairs
2.2 Who is Attacking Our Network?
Module 3: Attacking the Foundation
3.1 IP PDU Details
3.2 IP Vulnerabilities
3.3 TCP and UDP Vulnerabilities
Domain Two: Network Defense
Module 4: Attacking What We Do
4.1 IP Services
4.2 Enterprise Services
4.3 Mitigating Common Network Attacks
Module 5: Wireless Network Communication Devices
5.1 Wireless Communications
5.2 WLAN Threats
5.3 Secure WLANs
Module 6: Network Security Infrastructure
6.1 Security Devices
6.2 Security Services
Module 7: The Windows Operating System
7.1 Windows History
7.2 Windows Architecture and Operations
7.3 Windows Configuration and Monitoring
7.4 Windows Security
Module 8: Linux Overview
8.1 Linux Basics
8.2 Working in the Linux Shell
8.3 Linux Servers and Clients
8.4 Basic Server Administration
8.5 The Linux File System
8.6 Working with the Linux GUI
8.7 Working on a Linux Host
Module 9: System and Endpoint Protection
9.1 Defending Systems and Devices
9.2 Antimalware Protection
9.3 Host-based Intrusion Prevention
9.4 Application Security
Domain Two: Network Defense
Module 11: Understanding Defense
11.1 Defense-in-Depth
11.2 Cybersecurity Operations Management
11.3 Security Policies, Regulations, and Standards
Module 12: System and Network Defense
12.1 Physical Security
12.2 Application Security
12.3 Network Hardening: Services and Protocols
12.4 Network Hardening: Segmentation
12.5 Hardening Wireless and Mobile Devices
12.6 Cybersecurity Resilience
12.7 Embedded and Specialized Systems
Module 13: Access Control
13.1 Access Controls
13.2 Access Control Concepts
13.3 Account Management
13.4 AAA usage and operation
Module 14: Access Control Lists
14.1 Introduction to Access Control Lists
14.2 Wildcard Masking
14.3 Configure ACLs
14.4 Named Standard IPv4 ACL Syntax
14.5 Implement ACLs
14.6 Mitigate Attacks with ACLs
14.7 IPv6 ACLs
Module 15: Firewall Technologies
15.1 Secure Networks with Firewalls
15.2 Firewalls in Network Design
Module 16: Zone-Based Policy Firewalls
16.1 ZPF Overview
16.2 ZPF Operation
16.3 Configure a ZPF
Module 17: Cloud Security
17.1 Virtualization and Cloud Computing
17.2 The Domains of Cloud Security
17.3 Cloud Infrastructure Security
17.4 Cloud Application Security
17.5 Cloud Data Security
17.6 Protecting VMs
Module 18: Cryptography
18.1 Confidentiality
18.2 Obscuring Data
18.3 Integrity and Authenticity
18.4 Hashing
18.5 Public Key Cryptography
18.6 Authorities and the PKI Trust System
18.7 Applications and Impacts of Cryptography
Module 20: Network Security Data
19.1 Monitoring Common Protocols
19.2 Security Technologies
20.1 Types of Security Data
20.2 End Device Logs
20.3 Network Logs
Module 21: Evaluating Alerts
21.1 Source of Alerts
21.2 Overview of Alert Evaluation
Domain Three: Cyber Threat Management
Module 22: Governance and Compliance
22.1 Governance
22.2 The Ethics of Cybersecurity
22.3 IT Security Management Framework
Module 23: Network Security Testing
23.1 Security Assessments
23.2 Network Security Testing Techniques
23.3 Network Security Testing Tools
23.4 Penetration Testing
Module 24: Threat Intelligence
24.1 Information Sources
24.2 Threat Intelligence Services
Module 25: Endpoint Vulnerability Assessment
25.1 Network and Server Profiling
25.2 Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS)
25.3 Secure Device Management
Module 26: Risk Management and Security Controls
26.1 Risk Management
26.2 Risk Assessment
26.3 Security Controls
Module 27: Digital Forensics and Incident Analysis and Response
27.1 Evidence Handling and Attack Attribution
27.2 The Cyber Kill Chain
27.3 The Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis
27.4 Incident Response
27.5 Disaster Recovery