Cybersecurity 101 – Day 0: Introduction to Networking and Protocols

The Building Blocks of Cybersecurity

Every byte of data you send or receive travels through a complex web of networks and protocols. But what makes this possible? Let’s break it down. The key to all of this is networking and protocols. Networking at is most basic level is two electronic devices communicating with one another. Protocols can be thought of as rules that computers use to communicate with each other. There are many more details and nuances than that, some of which we will go into in this series.

Having an understanding of networks and protocols is essential when it comes to cybersecurity. Lets face it, computers would be much more secure if we disconnected every machine from every network. At that point you would need to be able to touch a device to perform any malicious acts. However, this isn’t practical as we have learned and understand there are amazing benefits when we connect devices and people together.

Cybersecurity professionals take the perspective of identifying and either reducing, mitigating, or accepting risk. We are able to do this by first understanding the underlying technologies as this series progresses we will be exploring those technologies so that we can understand how to secure them.

Definitions

Network – A network is a collection of devices (computers, servers, routers, switches, etc..) that are connected to shared resources and information.
Protocol – A protocol is a predefined set of rules to determine how computers should send, receive and interpret information.

Series Format

This series will follow a daily format to breakdown the complex topics into small, digestible chunks. Each day can be read independently, however, they are laid out in a progressive method to allow for development of understanding.

The progression of the initial section of Cybersecurity 101 series will look like this:
Day 0: Introduction to Networking and Protocols: The Building Blocks of Cybersecurity
Day 1: What is a Network?
Day 2: The Role of Protocols
Day 3: The OSI and TCP/IP Models
Day 4: Networking in Action
Day 5: Putting it All Together: Hands-On Activity: Explore Your Local Network and Take-Aways