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Try It

Cybersecurity Basics

Cybersecurity as a profession is projected to grow much faster than the national average for all occupations.1 Want to break into the field?

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Cybersecurity as a profession is projected to grow much faster than the national average for all occupations.1 Want to break into the field?

This beginner-friendly and asynchronous course will help you jumpstart your cybersecurity career. Engage in an online learning experience tailored to your experience level.

In it, you will learn to think like a cyber pro, at your own pace. Study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.

Key concepts covered in this course include:

-Cybersecurity

-CIA Triad

-Cryptography

-Plaintext

-Ciphertext

-Encryption

-Decryption

-Cipher

-Key

-Caesar Cipher

-Symmetric encryption

No prior experience or technical installations is required to join or complete this course.

Footnote:

1 Occupational Outlook Handbook: Information Security Analysts. (2022). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. March 14, 2023.

This Try It is offered in support of the Cybersecurity Boot Camp with the Tecnológico de Monterrey. If you enroll in this Try It, your learner data will not be shared with the Tecnológico de Monterrey unless you enroll in the Cybersecurity Boot Camp.

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • -recognize the basics and the importance of cybersecurity.
  • -define and apply the cia triad to different scenarios.
  • -examine cryptography basics and how they apply to cybersecurity.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
teaches the CIA Triad, the foundation of information security
introduces cryptography basics, essential for understanding cybersecurity
develops an understanding of the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals
requires no prior experience or technical installations, making it beginner-friendly
aligns with the projected growth in the cybersecurity field

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Activities

Coming soon We're preparing activities for Try It: Cybersecurity Basics. These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

Career center

Learners who complete Try It: Cybersecurity Basics will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Cryptographer
Cryptographers develop and implement methods for encrypting and decrypting data. They work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents.
Network Security Engineer
Network Security Engineers design, implement, and maintain security controls to protect their employer’s networks from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. They work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents. *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* can teach you the foundational knowledge you need to become a Network Security Engineer.  This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.
Cybersecurity Engineer
Cybersecurity Engineers design, implement, and maintain security controls to protect their employer’s networks, computers, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. They work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents. *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* is an introductory course that can prepare you to work as a Cybersecurity Engineer.  This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today. 
Cybersecurity Architect
Cybersecurity Architects design and implement security architectures to protect their employer’s networks, computers, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. They work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents. *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* will provide foundational cybersecurity knowledge for working as a Cybersecurity Architect. This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.
Cybersecurity Manager
Cybersecurity Managers are responsible for overseeing the cybersecurity program for their organization. They develop and implement security policies and procedures, and they manage the team of cybersecurity professionals who are responsible for protecting the organization’s networks, computers, and data.
Cloud Security Architect
Cloud Security Architects design and implement security architectures to protect their employer’s cloud-based networks, computers, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. Cloud Security Architects work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents. *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* will provide foundational cybersecurity knowledge for working as a Cloud Security Architect. This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.
Information Security Analyst
Information Security Analysts plan and implement security measures to protect their employer’s computer networks and systems from cyberattacks, unauthorized access, and other threats. They monitor network traffic for suspicious activity, and develop and implement security policies and procedures to safeguard their employer’s data and systems.
Penetration Tester
Penetration Testers are ethical hackers who are hired to test the security of their employer’s networks, computers, and data. They use their hacking skills to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors, and they provide recommendations on how to fix these vulnerabilities.
Security Analyst
Security Analysts are tasked with protecting their employer’s hardware, software, networks, and data from unauthorized access and cyberattacks. They monitor and analyze their employer’s computer systems for suspicious activity, and develop and implement security measures to safeguard their employer’s network and data. As a participant in the *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* course, you will learn about the importance of cybersecurity, as well as the CIA Triad and how it applies to this field. Additionally, you will examine cryptography basics and how they apply to cybersecurity. This is a beginner-friendly course, so it may be useful for those seeking to enter this field.
Security Consultant
Security Consultants provide cybersecurity consulting services to help their clients protect their networks, computers, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. They work with clients to assess their security needs, develop and implement security plans, and monitor and respond to security incidents.
Incident Responder
Incident Responders are responsible for responding to security incidents, such as cyberattacks and data breaches. They work with other IT professionals to contain the damage caused by the incident, and to restore the affected systems and data.
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are responsible for the overall security of their organization’s information systems. They develop and implement security policies and procedures, and they manage the team of cybersecurity professionals who are responsible for protecting the organization’s networks, computers, and data.
Forensic Computer Analyst
Forensic Computer Analysts investigate cybercrimes and other computer-related crimes. They collect and analyze evidence from computers and other electronic devices, and they provide expert testimony in court.
Information Technology (IT) Auditor
Information Technology (IT) Auditors are responsible for auditing the security of their employer’s IT systems. They review the organization’s security policies and procedures, and they test the effectiveness of the organization’s security controls.
Risk Analyst
Risk Analysts assess the risks that their employer faces from cyberattacks and other threats. This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.

Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Try It: Cybersecurity Basics.
Offers a valuable resource for the beginning cryptography student and is one of the most useful books available for anyone looking for a cryptography reference.
Beginner-friendly introduction to the principles, practices, and technologies of network security. It is commonly used as a text in a variety of graduate and undergraduate programs.
Offers a comprehensive guide to hacking techniques and countermeasures. Especially useful as a reference, it can aid students interested in moving into cybersecurity from an offensive standpoint.
This CERT guide offers authoritative guidance on incident response and recovery processes. Often used as a reference, its insight into the topic is invaluable to cybersecurity professionals.
Widely adopted as a textbook for courses in computer security, this resource covers a broad range of security topics, providing current, in-depth information and guidance.
Approaches security from the perspective of engineering, providing a holistic view of system security. Useful a a reference for applying security principles in software engineering.
Provides insight into the human element of security, exploring social engineering and deception techniques from both the attacker's and defender's perspectives.
This guide provides a practical introduction to ethical hacking and penetration testing techniques. Helpful for those interested in developing hands-on skills in this area.
A classic reference guide to ethical hacking techniques, this book is particularly valuable to those seeking deeper technical exploration of the topic.
This introduction to security analysis focuses on formal methods, offering a solid grounding in the mathematical foundations of cybersecurity.
Another resource from Stallings, this book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of cryptography and network security principles and practices.
This handbook valuable resource for those seeking in-depth theoretical and practical coverage of cryptography. A technical reference of great utility.
Provides a clear and concise overview of network security assessment techniques and tools, making it a solid choice for those getting started in this aspect of cybersecurity.

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