Network Security - Introduction to Network Security (edX)

This is the 4th course in the intermediate, undergraduate-level offering that makes up the larger Cybersecurity Fundamentals MicroBachelors Program. We recommend taking them in order, unless you have a background in these areas already and feel comfortable skipping ahead.

- Information Security - Introduction to Information Security

- Information Security - Authentication and Access Control

- Information Security - Advanced Topics

- Network Security - Introduction to Network Security

- Network Security - Protocols

- Network Security - Advanced Topics

- Penetration Testing - Discovering Vulnerabilities

- Penetration Testing - Exploitation

- Penetration Testing - Post Exploitation

These topics build upon the learnings that are taught in the introductory-level Computer Science Fundamentals MicroBachelors program, offered by the same instructor.

We move on to the next stage of the network attack methodology, which is exploitation.

Next, we cover standard attack techniques, attacks such as Denial of Service, DNS attacks, and client-side attacks, and the tools used to carry out these exploitations. We conclude by focusing on the steps attackers take after they initially compromise a system.

This course is part of the Cybersecurity Fundamentals MicroBachelors® Program.

What you'll learn

1. Describe how "social engineering" can be used to compromise security

2. Define the CIA triad

3. Identify and plan to manage risks in common situations

4. Define a threat tree and threat matrix and explain how they are used

5. Define an attack tree, explain how boolean and continuous node values are used in attack trees, and demonstrate how an attack tree can be used to determine vulnerabilities

6. Explain why it is important for network engineers to understand cyber attack strategies.

7. List and summarize the stages of network attack methodology

8. Identify the information an attacker might collect during network reconnaissance

9. Describe at least two "low tech" ways of performing reconnaissance on a target

10. Perform a WHOIS query and extract the IP address of a DNS server

11. List at least three publicly available tools used for gathering information on targets

12. Define port scanning and describe the process used to determine whether a port is open

13. Define a proxy server

14. Define IP spoofing, ingress filtering, and session hijacking

15. Define a Denial of Service attack and explain the difference between a DoS and DDoS attack

16. State the relationship between DoS attacks and geopolitical events

17. List at least two vulnerability attacks used in DoS attacks

18. Define SYN flooding and explain how it can be protected against

19. Describe what happens during a standard DDoS attack

20. Explain how DNS poisoning can be used in phishing attacks

21. Describe how URLs can be obfuscated to make a phishing attack more likely to succeed

22. List at least two tools used to assess vulnerabilities in networks

23. Summarize the typical goals of post-exploitation activity

24. Describe the strategies attackers use to maintain access to a compromised system

25. Define trojans, viruses, worms, and blended threats

26. List the typical objectives of trojan creators

27. Define rootkits

28. Give examples of common uses of Netcat

29. Define wrappers

30. Summarize common data exfiltration methods

31. Summarize how attackers can remove evidence of system compromise in Windows and Unix systems

Syllabus

Week 1 - Introduction to Network Security

Week 2 - How Networks are Attacked - Part I

Week 3 - How Networks are Attacked - Part II

Week 4 - How Networks are Attacked - Part III

Week 5 - Final Exam