Cybersecurity Fundamentals - Dr. Nikhil Kumar Rajput

Core Security Concepts

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Information Security Principles

Understand the CIA triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability) and fundamental security principles.

Confidentiality mechanisms
Data integrity protection
Availability assurance
Authentication methods
Authorization frameworks

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Cryptography & Encryption

Master symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hash functions, and digital signatures.

AES & RSA algorithms
Hash functions (SHA-256)
Digital signatures
PKI infrastructure
Key management

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Network Security

Secure network communications, firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection systems.

Firewall configuration
VPN protocols
IDS/IPS systems
Network monitoring
Wireless security

🖥️

System Security

Operating system hardening, access controls, and endpoint protection strategies.

OS hardening techniques
Access control models
Privilege escalation prevention
Endpoint security
Vulnerability management

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Ethical Hacking

Penetration testing methodologies, vulnerability assessment, and responsible disclosure.

Penetration testing phases
Vulnerability scanning
Social engineering
Web application testing
Report writing

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Digital Forensics

Evidence collection, analysis techniques, and incident response procedures.

Evidence acquisition
Memory analysis
Network forensics
Mobile device forensics
Legal considerations

Security Tools & Technologies

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Kali Linux

Penetration testing platform

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Wireshark

Network protocol analyzer

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Nmap

Network discovery scanner

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Burp Suite

Web application testing

⚡

Metasploit

Exploitation framework

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John the Ripper

Password cracking tool

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OWASP ZAP

Web app security scanner

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Autopsy

Digital forensics platform

🧪 Hands-on Security Labs

Lab 1: Network Scanning

Learn to discover network hosts, open ports, and services using Nmap and other reconnaissance tools.

Lab 2: Vulnerability Assessment

Use OpenVAS and Nessus to identify security vulnerabilities in network systems and applications.

Lab 3: Web Application Testing

Exploit common web vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, and CSRF using Burp Suite and OWASP ZAP.

Lab 4: Cryptographic Attacks

Implement and analyze various cryptographic attacks including frequency analysis and birthday attacks.

Lab 5: Incident Response

Practice incident handling, evidence collection, and forensic analysis using realistic scenarios.

Lab 6: Malware Analysis

Analyze malicious software in controlled environments to understand attack vectors and behaviors.

Security Frameworks & Standards

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NIST Cybersecurity Framework

Comprehensive framework for managing cybersecurity risks across organizations.

Identify critical assets
Protect systems and data
Detect security events
Respond to incidents
Recover from attacks

⚖️

Compliance & Regulations

Understanding legal and regulatory requirements for cybersecurity.

GDPR compliance
HIPAA requirements
SOX regulations
PCI DSS standards
ISO 27001 framework

# Example: Basic network scanning with Python and Nmap
import nmap

def scan_network(target):
    nm = nmap.PortScanner()
    
    # Basic SYN scan
    nm.scan(target, '1-1000', '-sS')
    
    for host in nm.all_hosts():
        print(f'Host: {host}')
        print(f'State: {nm[host].state()}')
        
        for protocol in nm[host].all_protocols():
            ports = nm[host][protocol].keys()
            for port in ports:
                state = nm[host][protocol][port]['state']
                print(f'Port {port}: {state}')

# Usage
scan_network('192.168.1.0/24')
            

Career Paths in Cybersecurity

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Security Analyst

Monitor and analyze security events, investigate incidents, and maintain security systems.

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Penetration Tester

Ethical hacking to identify vulnerabilities in systems and applications.

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Digital Forensics Investigator

Investigate cybercrimes and analyze digital evidence for legal proceedings.

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Security Architect

Design and implement comprehensive security solutions for organizations.