Study Guide - 100-160 CCST-Cybersecurity (eBook)

Cisco Certified Support Technician - Cybersecurity

Anand Vemula (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
92 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
9780000957849 (ISBN)

Infos

This comprehensive study guide is specifically designed for individuals preparing for the 100-160 CCST-Cybersecurity certification exam offered by Cisco. It provides a structured and in-depth exploration of all key concepts, tools, and best practices needed to succeed in the exam and build foundational skills in cybersecurity.

The guide begins with a clear overview of the CCST-Cybersecurity certification, detailing the exam domains and offering strategic study tips. It covers essential cybersecurity concepts such as the CIA triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability), threats, vulnerabilities, and risk management. Readers gain practical insights into the core principles of security including least privilege, defense in depth, and the incident response lifecycle.

The guide delves into network fundamentals-covering topologies, protocols like TCP/IP and DNS, ports, services, and both IPv4/IPv6 addressing. It also discusses network security tools such as firewalls, ACLs, VPNs, DMZs, and encryption techniques. Subsequent chapters explore endpoint security, authentication mechanisms, access controls, SIEM tools, IDS/IPS systems, and common utilities like Wireshark and Nmap.

Real-world threats like malware, phishing, DDoS, and MITM attacks are explained alongside methods of detection, prevention, and mitigation. Topics such as cloud security, GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance), legal considerations, and cyber ethics are thoroughly addressed. Each chapter includes clearly explained concepts and over 150 multiple-choice questions to reinforce learning.

Textauszug

 2: Essential Cybersecurity Concepts

2.1 What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting systems, networks, devices, and data from digital attacks. These attacks are usually intended to access, steal, alter, or destroy sensitive information; interrupt services; or manipulate digital systems. With the increasing reliance on digital systems for communication, commerce, government, and daily life, cybersecurity has become a critical component of modern IT infrastructure.

Cybersecurity is a broad domain encompassing technologies, processes, and practices designed to defend against a wide range of threats. This includes preventing unauthorized access, data breaches, denial of service (DoS) attacks, malware infections, and other cyber incidents. The field requires knowledge of networks, operating systems, cryptography, incident response, risk management, and security tools.

Cybersecurity is not just a technical problem. It also involves human factors, such as policy development, user awareness, legal and ethical compliance, and organizational behavior. Effective cybersecurity involves a layered defense approach—often called “defense in depth”—which incorporates multiple security controls at various levels (e.g., physical, network, application, user).

In modern organizations, cybersecurity supports:

• Protection of personal and corporate data
• Continuity of business operations
• Regulatory compliance
• Trust in digital platforms and services
• National and economic security

2.2 CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)

The CIA Triad is a foundational model in cybersecurity representing the three core principles that guide security strategies and decisions:

Confidentiality

Confidentiality ensures that data is only accessible to authorized individuals and entities. It protects sensitive information from unauthorized access or disclosure. Techniques to maintain confidentiality include:

• Encryption: Data is encoded so it can only be read by someone with the decryption key.
• Access control mechanisms: Includes authentication (verifying identity) and authorization (assigning permissions).
• Data classification: Marking and handling data according to sensitivity (e.g., public, internal, confidential).
• Security policies: Guidelines for handling, storing, and transmitting sensitive data.

Violation of confidentiality can result in:

• Identity theft
• Corporate espionage
• Exposure of personal, financial, or medical records
• Regulatory penalties

Integrity

Integrity ensures that information is accurate, consistent, and unaltered from its original form. This principle protects data from being modified, either maliciously or accidentally.

Integrity mechanisms include:

• Checksums and hash functions: Used to detect data tampering by comparing expected and actual values.
• Digital signatures: Cryptographic techniques that verify the origin and integrity of a message or document.
• Version control: Helps track changes and maintain data consistency over time.
• Audit trails and logs: Track access and changes to data, providing accountability.

Compromise of integrity can lead to:

• Misleading financial records
• Corrupt configuration files
• Loss of credibility in systems or data
• Misinformed decision-making

Availability

Availability ensures that systems, data, and services are accessible when needed. It focuses on keeping IT resources operational for authorized users, especially in mission-critical environments.

Key availability strategies include:

• Redundancy and failover systems: Backup systems that activate if the primary system fails.
• Load balancing: Distributing traffic to avoid overloading any one server or service.
• Disaster recovery and business continuity plans: Procedures to restore operations after incidents.
• Patching and maintenance: Preventing outages due to software flaws or misconfigurations.

Threats to availability include:

• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks
• Hardware failures
• Ransomware locking systems or files
• Natural disasters affecting physical infrastructure

All three elements of the CIA Triad must be balanced. Over-prioritizing one may compromise the others. For example, excessive access controls (confidentiality) could reduce usability (availability).

2.3 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Risk

Understanding the distinction and relationship between threats, vulnerabilities, and risk is crucial to cybersecurity.

Threats

A threat is any potential danger that can exploit a vulnerability to cause harm to a system, network, or data. Threats can be natural, human-made, internal, or external.

Examples of threats include:

• Hackers attempting unauthorized access
• Malware infections
• Insider threats (employees misusing access)
• Social engineering attacks
• Phishing emails
• Natural disasters disrupting infrastructure
• System failures due to human error or design flaws

Threats are categorized as:

• Intentional threats (e.g., cybercriminals, nation-state actors)
• Unintentional threats (e.g., employee mistakes)
• Environmental threats (e.g., earthquakes, floods)

Understanding threat actors is also critical. Threat actors include script kiddies, hacktivists, organized crime groups, insider threats, and advanced persistent threats (APTs).

Vulnerabilities

A vulnerability is a weakness or flaw in a system that can be exploited by a threat to gain unauthorized access or cause damage.

Types of vulnerabilities:

• Software bugs (e.g., buffer overflows)
• Unpatched systems or outdated software
• Misconfigured firewalls or servers
• Weak passwords or no authentication
• Default settings left unchanged
• Physical security lapses

Vulnerabilities can be:

• Technical (software bugs, insecure APIs)
• Human (lack of training, social engineering)
• Organizational (lack of policies, poor access control)

Organizations perform vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify and address these weaknesses before they are exploited.

Risk

Risk is the potential for loss or damage when a threat exploits a vulnerability. It is the combination of the likelihood of an event and the impact it would have.

Risk = Threat × Vulnerability × Impact

For example, if a company stores sensitive customer data but does not encrypt it (vulnerability), and there is an external hacker trying to steal data (threat), the risk of a data breach is high.

Organizations conduct risk assessments to:

• Identify and prioritize risks
• Determine controls to mitigate or transfer risk
• Support strategic decision-making

There are several risk management strategies:

• Risk avoidance: Eliminating risky activities
• Risk reduction: Implementing controls to lower risk
• Risk transfer: Using cyber insurance or outsourcing
• Risk acceptance: Acknowledging risk when mitigation is not cost-effective

By understanding the relationship between threats, vulnerabilities, and risks, cybersecurity teams can make informed decisions about where to focus protection efforts.

2.4 Cybersecurity Roles and Responsibilities

The cybersecurity domain includes a wide range of roles, each focused on specific aspects of protecting information systems. These roles require different skill sets and responsibilities, from technical expertise to policy development and risk analysis.

Security Analyst

A Security Analyst is responsible for monitoring networks and systems for suspicious activity, responding to alerts, and ensuring security tools are working effectively. They often work in a Security Operations Center...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 17.5.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Pädagogik
• ISBN-13: 9780000957849 / 9780000957849