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CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity
David J. Malan
David J. Malan
This is CS50's introduction to cybersecurity for technical and non-technical audiences alike. Learn how to protect your own data, devices, and systems from today's threats and how to recognize and evaluate tomorrow's as well, both at home and at work. Learn to view cybersecurity not in absolute terms but relative, a function of risks and rewards (for an adversary) and costs and benefits (for you). Learn to recognize cybersecurity as a trade-off with usability itself. Course presents both high-level and low-level examples of threats, providing students with all they need know technically to understand both. Assignments inspired by real-world events.
Register for this course and see more details by visiting:
OpenCourser.com/course/b1cw7l/cs50
What's inside
Learning objectives
- Hacking, cracking
- Social engineering, phishing attacks
- Passcodes, passwords, sso
- Brute-force attacks, dictionary attacks
- Biometrics
- Multi-factor authentication, password managers
- Ethical hacking
- (distributed) denial-of-service attacks
- Viruses, worms, botnets
- Sql injection attacks
- Port-scanning
- Proxies, firewalls
- Automatic updates
- Closed-source, open-source software
- Buffer-overflow attacks
- Secure deletion
- Hashing, salting
- Secret-key, public-key encryption, digital signatures
- Full-disk encryption, ransomware
- Cookies, sessions, incognito mode
- Anonymization, de-identification
- Verification
- Operating systems, app stores
- Hacking, cracking
- Social engineering, phishing attacks
- Passcodes, passwords, sso
- Brute-force attacks, dictionary attacks
- Biometrics
- Multi-factor authentication, password managers
- Ethical hacking
- (distributed) denial-of-service attacks
- Viruses, worms, botnets
- Sql injection attacks
- Port-scanning
- Proxies, firewalls
- Automatic updates
- Closed-source, open-source software
- Buffer-overflow attacks
- Secure deletion
- Hashing, salting
- Secret-key, public-key encryption, digital signatures
- Full-disk encryption, ransomware
- Cookies, sessions, incognito mode
- Anonymization, de-identification
- Verification
- Operating systems, app stores
Good to know
Good to know
Know what's good ,
what to watch for , and
possible dealbreakers
Taught by instructors who are recognized for their work in cybersecurity education
Develops knowledge and skills in cybersecurity that are highly relevant to industry and academia
Builds a strong foundation for beginners in cybersecurity
Examines cybersecurity concepts and practices from both a high-level and low-level perspective
Provides hands-on assignments inspired by real-world cybersecurity events
Teaches ethical hacking techniques that can be valuable for cybersecurity professionals
Save this course
Save CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity to your list so you can find it easily later:
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Activities
Be better prepared
before
your course. Deepen your understanding
during
and
after
it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered
in CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity with these
activities:
Organize and review course materials thoroughly
Show steps
Enhance your learning by systematically organizing and reviewing course materials, ensuring a deeper understanding of key concepts.
Show steps
-
Gather and organize all course materials, including lecture notes, assignments, and readings.
-
Review the materials regularly, taking notes and highlighting important information.
-
Identify areas where further clarification or understanding is needed.
-
Seek additional resources or support from instructors or peers for clarification.
Review concepts of cryptography
Show steps
Review mathematical concepts, algorithms, and protocols to strengthen your foundation in cryptography.
Browse courses on
Cryptography
Show steps
-
Re-read relevant sections from course materials or textbooks on encryption algorithms, hash functions, and digital signatures.
-
Go through practice problems and exercises to test your understanding of key concepts.
Attend a workshop on password management best practices
Show steps
Enhance your knowledge of password security best practices and techniques to protect your accounts and data from compromise.
Browse courses on
Password Management
Show steps
-
Identify and register for a workshop on password management.
-
Attend the workshop and actively participate in the activities.
-
Implement the learned techniques and recommendations to improve your password security.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Follow tutorials on ethical hacking techniques
Show steps
Enhance your understanding of ethical hacking principles and techniques through guided tutorials to develop a practical skillset.
Browse courses on
Ethical Hacking
Show steps
-
Identify reputable online resources or platforms offering tutorials on ethical hacking.
-
Select a specific tutorial that aligns with your learning goals.
-
Follow the tutorial step-by-step, taking notes and experimenting with the techniques.
-
Apply the learned techniques in a safe and controlled environment, such as a virtual lab.
Practice cracking hashed passwords using tools
Show steps
Gain hands-on experience in cracking hashed passwords using various tools to improve your understanding of password security.
Browse courses on
Password Cracking
Show steps
-
Set up a lab environment with necessary tools like hashcat or John the Ripper.
-
Obtain a dataset of hashed passwords.
-
Configure and run the tools to crack the passwords, experimenting with different attack strategies.
-
Analyze the results and identify effective password-cracking techniques.
Design and implement a security plan for a small organization
Show steps
Apply your knowledge of cybersecurity principles to create a comprehensive security plan that addresses real-world scenarios.
Browse courses on
Cybersecurity Policy
Show steps
-
Identify the organization's assets, threats, and vulnerabilities.
-
Develop a risk assessment and mitigation strategy.
-
Design and implement security controls to protect against identified risks.
-
Document the security plan and communicate it to stakeholders.
Build a simple intrusion detection system using open-source tools
Show steps
Gain practical experience in developing a security solution by building an intrusion detection system using open-source tools.
Show steps
-
Research and select suitable open-source tools for building an intrusion detection system.
-
Configure and deploy the tools to collect and analyze network traffic.
-
Develop detection rules and fine-tune the system to minimize false positives.
-
Monitor the system and respond to security incidents as necessary.
Organize and review course materials thoroughly
Show steps
Enhance your learning by systematically organizing and reviewing course materials, ensuring a deeper understanding of key concepts.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Gather and organize all course materials, including lecture notes, assignments, and readings.
- Review the materials regularly, taking notes and highlighting important information.
- Identify areas where further clarification or understanding is needed.
- Seek additional resources or support from instructors or peers for clarification.
Review concepts of cryptography
Show steps
Review mathematical concepts, algorithms, and protocols to strengthen your foundation in cryptography.
Browse courses on
Cryptography
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Re-read relevant sections from course materials or textbooks on encryption algorithms, hash functions, and digital signatures.
- Go through practice problems and exercises to test your understanding of key concepts.
Attend a workshop on password management best practices
Show steps
Enhance your knowledge of password security best practices and techniques to protect your accounts and data from compromise.
Browse courses on
Password Management
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify and register for a workshop on password management.
- Attend the workshop and actively participate in the activities.
- Implement the learned techniques and recommendations to improve your password security.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Follow tutorials on ethical hacking techniques
Show steps
Enhance your understanding of ethical hacking principles and techniques through guided tutorials to develop a practical skillset.
Browse courses on
Ethical Hacking
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify reputable online resources or platforms offering tutorials on ethical hacking.
- Select a specific tutorial that aligns with your learning goals.
- Follow the tutorial step-by-step, taking notes and experimenting with the techniques.
- Apply the learned techniques in a safe and controlled environment, such as a virtual lab.
Practice cracking hashed passwords using tools
Show steps
Gain hands-on experience in cracking hashed passwords using various tools to improve your understanding of password security.
Browse courses on
Password Cracking
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Set up a lab environment with necessary tools like hashcat or John the Ripper.
- Obtain a dataset of hashed passwords.
- Configure and run the tools to crack the passwords, experimenting with different attack strategies.
- Analyze the results and identify effective password-cracking techniques.
Design and implement a security plan for a small organization
Show steps
Apply your knowledge of cybersecurity principles to create a comprehensive security plan that addresses real-world scenarios.
Browse courses on
Cybersecurity Policy
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify the organization's assets, threats, and vulnerabilities.
- Develop a risk assessment and mitigation strategy.
- Design and implement security controls to protect against identified risks.
- Document the security plan and communicate it to stakeholders.
Build a simple intrusion detection system using open-source tools
Show steps
Gain practical experience in developing a security solution by building an intrusion detection system using open-source tools.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Research and select suitable open-source tools for building an intrusion detection system.
- Configure and deploy the tools to collect and analyze network traffic.
- Develop detection rules and fine-tune the system to minimize false positives.
- Monitor the system and respond to security incidents as necessary.
Career center
Learners who complete CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity will develop knowledge and skills
that may be useful to these careers:
Cryptographer
Cryptographer
Cryptography and data protection are key topics in CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity. Cryptographers work in a wide variety of jobs with responsibilities that include implementation of cryptographic algorithms, designing and implementing security protocols, evaluating the security of cryptographic systems, and performing cryptanalysis, which is the study of finding flaws in cryptographic systems. This course helps build a foundation in cryptography and can provide valuable knowledge for professionals in this field. For example, the syllabus covers hashing, salting, secret-key, public-key encryption, and digital signatures.
Security Analyst
Security Analyst
Security analysts are responsible for identifying, analyzing, and mitigating security risks to an organization's computer systems and networks. This course provides the skills needed to detect and prevent security breaches, such as knowledge of hacking and cracking, social engineering, phishing attacks, and password attacks. Course content can directly help with security risk assessments and incident response planning.
Cybersecurity Engineer
Cybersecurity Engineer
Cybersecurity engineers design, implement, and maintain security measures to protect computer systems and networks. This course provides a strong understanding of the principles of cybersecurity, including topics such as ethical hacking, viruses, worms, botnets, and denial-of-service attacks. This foundational knowledge can be a helpful starting point for building a career in cybersecurity engineering.
Software Engineer (Security)
Software Engineer (Security)
Software engineers with a specialization in security focus on designing and developing software that is secure from vulnerabilities and attacks. This course provides essential knowledge of security principles, such as secure deletion, buffer-overflow attacks, SQL injection attacks, and port-scanning. It can also help build a foundation for best practices in software security.
Forensic Computer Analyst
Forensic Computer Analyst
Forensic computer analysts investigate computer-related crimes, such as hacking, fraud, and identity theft. This course can provide valuable knowledge in areas such as secure deletion, closed-source versus open-source software, anonymization, and de-identification, which are relevant to the field of digital forensics.
Network Security Specialist
Network Security Specialist
Network security specialists design, implement, and maintain network security measures to protect against unauthorized access, attacks, and data breaches. This course can provide valuable knowledge of relevant topics such as proxies, firewalls, and denial-of-service attacks. It may also help in understanding network security protocols and monitoring tools.
Cybersecurity Consultant
Cybersecurity Consultant
Cybersecurity consultants provide advice and guidance to organizations on how to protect their computer systems and networks from security threats. This course provides knowledge of various cybersecurity topics, including risk assessment, incident response, and security audits. It can help build a solid foundation for providing consulting services in the field of cybersecurity.
Penetration Tester
Penetration Tester
Penetration testers are ethical hackers who are hired to test an organization's security systems and identify vulnerabilities. This course provides knowledge of hacking and cracking techniques, as well as tools and methods used in penetration testing. It can help build a foundation for a career in penetration testing.
IT Auditor
IT Auditor
IT auditors assess an organization's information systems and controls to ensure compliance with security standards and regulations. This course can provide knowledge of topics such as security risk assessments, password management, and data protection, which are essential for IT auditors to have a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity.
Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Data protection officers are responsible for overseeing an organization's compliance with data protection laws and regulations. This course provides knowledge of topics such as data privacy, anonymization, and de-identification, which are crucial for understanding data protection principles and best practices.
Security Architect
Security Architect
Security architects design and implement security measures for an organization's computer systems and networks. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity principles and best practices. It can help build a foundation for developing secure network architectures and implementing security solutions.
Information Security Manager
Information Security Manager
Information security managers are responsible for overseeing an organization's information security program and ensuring compliance with security standards and regulations. This course provides knowledge of security risk management, incident response, and security audits. It can help build a strong foundation for managing an organization's information security.
Incident Responder
Incident Responder
Incident responders are responsible for responding to and handling security breaches and other cybersecurity incidents. This course provides knowledge of incident response procedures, including threat detection, containment, eradication, and recovery. It can help build a strong foundation for managing cybersecurity incidents effectively.
Cybersecurity Researcher
Cybersecurity Researcher
Cybersecurity researchers work in academia and industry to identify and develop solutions to new and emerging cybersecurity threats. This course provides a strong understanding of cybersecurity principles and best practices. It can help build a foundation for conducting research in the field of cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity Educator
Cybersecurity Educator
Cybersecurity educators teach cybersecurity concepts and principles to students at various levels. This course provides a comprehensive overview of cybersecurity, including topics such as ethical hacking, cryptography, and network security. It can help build a foundation for developing and delivering cybersecurity curriculum.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/b1cw7l/cs50
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
CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity.
This advanced textbook delves into the technical aspects of designing and implementing secure systems, exploring topics such as threat modeling, risk assessment, software vulnerabilities, and incident response. It is valuable for learners interested in a deeper understanding of cybersecurity engineering principles.
Save
This practical guide provides hands-on experience with penetration testing techniques, covering topics such as reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and exploitation. It is suitable for learners who want to develop a deeper understanding of ethical hacking and the methodologies used by security professionals to identify and mitigate security weaknesses.
Save
Explores the psychological and social aspects of cybersecurity, focusing on techniques used by attackers to manipulate human behavior and gain access to sensitive information. It is valuable for learners interested in understanding and defending against social engineering attacks.
This textbook focuses on secure coding practices, providing guidance on how to write secure software code. It covers topics such as input validation, error handling, and secure data storage, helping learners develop the skills necessary to write secure and reliable software applications.
This practical guide provides hands-on experience with cryptographic algorithms and techniques, covering topics such as symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing, digital signatures, and key management. It is suitable for learners seeking to develop a strong foundation in cryptography and its applications in cybersecurity.
Save
This thought-provoking book examines the privacy implications of data collection and surveillance in the digital age. It explores the ethical, social, and legal issues surrounding the use of personal data and raises awareness about the importance of protecting privacy in the face of advancing technology.
Save
Focuses on the human aspect of cybersecurity, exploring the psychological techniques used by attackers to manipulate and deceive their victims. It provides valuable insights into the social engineering tactics used in many cyberattacks, helping learners understand and defend against these threats.
This beginner-friendly guide provides a step-by-step approach to penetration testing, covering topics such as reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and exploitation. It includes practical exercises and real-world examples, making it a good choice for learners who want to develop hands-on skills in cybersecurity.
Save
This autobiography tells the story of one of the most famous hackers in history, who spent years evading the FBI and breaking into some of the world's most secure computer systems. It provides a firsthand account of the motivations and techniques of a skilled hacker, offering valuable insights into the mind of an attacker.
This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of network security concepts and technologies, covering topics such as network protocols, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and VPNs. It is valuable for learners seeking a deeper understanding of network security architectures and best practices.
Save
This classic memoir recounts the author's real-life experience tracking down a hacker who infiltrated his computer system. It provides a fascinating and engaging introduction to the world of cybersecurity and the challenges of defending against cyberattacks.
This practical guide provides insights into the tools and techniques used by hackers, as well as strategies for incident response and recovery. It is suitable for learners interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the attacker's perspective and developing effective defense mechanisms.
This textbook provides a sociological perspective on cybercrime, examining the motivations and behaviors of cybercriminals. It explores topics such as cyberbullying, identity theft, and financial fraud, offering insights into the human factors that drive cybercriminal activity.
Save
This popular thriller novel explores the world of cryptography and codebreaking, featuring a brilliant cryptographer who must race against time to prevent a terrorist attack. It provides an entertaining and accessible introduction to the concepts of encryption and decryption, making it a good choice for learners seeking a more creative approach to understanding cybersecurity.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/b1cw7l/cs50
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Effort
2 to 6 hours per week for 5 weeks
Level
Introductory
Via
edX
Institution
Harvard University
Instructor
David J. Malan
Session
October 1, 2023
- December 31, 2024
Language
English
Transcripts
English
Español
Français
Português
Deutsch
中文
العربية
हिंदी
Türkçe
తెలుగు
Bahasa Indonesia
Kiswahili
Good to know
Taught by instructors who are recognized for their work in cybersecurity education
Develops knowledge and skills in cybersecurity that are highly relevant to industry and academia
Builds a strong foundation for beginners in cybersecurity
Examines cybersecurity concepts and practices from both a high-level and low-level perspective
Provides hands-on assignments inspired by real-world cybersecurity events
Teaches ethical hacking techniques that can be valuable for cybersecurity professionals
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