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Introduction to Cybersecurity (Vigenere)

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Networking Fundamentals
Description

In this lesson, students will explore at a high-level what the internet is and how the internet works.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand what the internet is
  • Understand how the internet works
Description

In this lesson, students will explore the hardware that makes up the internet and the characteristics of that hardware that define our experience on the internet.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Discuss and answer questions about the hardware that powers the internet
Description

In this lesson, students will explore how internet hardware communicates using Internet Addresses and the Internet Protocol.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Discuss the necessity of internet protocols
  • Recognize the hierarchy of elements in an IP address
Description

In this lesson, students will explore the DNS system and how it maps human readable domain names into actual accessible IP addresses.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand the DNS system and how it works
  • Recognize the DNS system as an abstraction
Description

In this lesson, students explore how messages get from one address on the internet to another.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain how computers communicate using routers
  • Explain what considerations are made when choosing a route
  • Discuss how routers are fault-tolerant because of redundancy
Description

In this lesson, students learn about the last piece of the puzzle for how the Internet works: Packets and Protocols. All information sent over the internet is broken down into small groups of bits called packets. The format for creating and reading packets is defined by open protocols so that all devices can read packets from all other devices.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the packet process and how protocols (TCP/IP and HTTP) are vital to the exchange of information on the Internet
  • Explain the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
Description

In this lesson, students learn how all of the pieces of the puzzle (IP addresses, the DNS system, routing, and packets and protocols) fit together to send information over the internet. Students will extend these new concepts to consider net neutrality and its ramifications on cybersecurity.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Describe the process that occurs when typing in a URL, from sending a request and response over the Internet to viewing a webpage
  • Explain what net neutrality is and any implications for cybersecurity
Description

In this lesson, students are presented with different ways that the Internet impacts their lives. The Internet affects the way that people communicate (emails, social media, video chat) and collaborate to solve problems. It has revolutionized the way that people can learn and even buy things. Because the Internet is present in almost every facet of people’s lives, there are severe ethical and legal concerns that derive from the Internet.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Analyze the different ways that the Internet impacts their lives by learning about how the Internet contributes to collaboration, communication, etc
  • Evaluate whether the Internet has a more positive or negative effect on their community by citing examples from the lesson
  • Explain what the digital divide is and articulate their own opinions related to it
Description

In this lesson, students are presented with the main ways that networks are attacked: social engineering and DoS or DDoS. They will build on their knowledge of how the internet works by shifting the focus from understanding the internet and networks to safeguarding networks from malicious attackers.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between a vulnerability and an exploit
  • Understand typical social engineering techniques used to bring down a network
  • Explain what a DOS or DDoS attack is and why it can be especially devastating and far reaching for organizations
Description

In this lesson, students explore what a network administrator career entails.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the AAA (authentication, authorization, accounting) protocol and how it supports network security
  • Read a network log and analyze it for basic intrusion detection
  • Establish basic firewall rules for a network
  • Explain what an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) does to support network security
  • Explain in basic terms what a network administrator does
Description

In this lesson, students complete a summative assessment of the unit’s learning objectives.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Prove their knowledge of networking fundamentals concepts through a multiple choice quiz