Introduction
This is a list of what a cyber security analyst views as the top 10 cybersecurity concepts that every person concerned with security should understand. These concepts are:
- The CIA Triad
- The network layer model
- OWASP
- Defense in Depth
- Least Privilege
- Threat Modeling
- Risk Management
- Incident Response
- Penetration Testing
- Identity and Access Managment (IAM)
The CIA Triad
The CIA Triad is used to guide an organization’s security efforts by ensuring that information is kept confidential, has integrity, and is available when needed.
As a security analyst, it’s important to understand the importance of each of the components and how they can be maintained to protect sensitive information.
For more information, check out our definition of the CIA Triad.
The network layer model
There are different models for understanding how networks function, but the most commonly used is the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model, which has seven layers.
Each layer has specific functions and communicates with the layers above and below it.
A security analyst should know how to identify vulnerabilities and implement controls in each layer.
OWASP
The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on improving software security.
It provides a list of the top ten web application security risks, along with information on how to prevent or mitigate these risks. A security analyst should be familiar with these risks and how to address them.
Checkout out our short article on OWASP.
Defense In Depth
Defense in depth is a security strategy that involves layering multiple security controls to protect against various types of attacks
Check out our short article on defense in depth.
Least privilege
The Least Privilege principle involves granting users or applications only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their required tasks, which reduces the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.
Threat modeling
Threat modeling is a process of identifying and prioritizing potential threats to a system, analyzing the likelihood and impact of each threat, and developing strategies to mitigate them.
Risk Management
Risk management is the process of identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risks to an organization’s assets, and developing strategies to manage those risks.
Incident Response
Incident response is a process of identifying, investigating, and responding to security incidents.
The goal of incident response is to minimizing damage and restoring normal operations as quickly as possible.
Penetration Testing
Penetration testing is a type of security testing in which a skilled ethical hacker attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in a system to identify weaknesses and potential attack vectors.
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Identity and access management (IAM) refers to the policies, procedures, and technologies used to manage and control user identities and access to resources, with the goal of ensuring that only authorized users have access to sensitive data and systems
Why Understand the top 10 Cyber Security Concepts
The top 10 cybersecurity concepts form the basis of security plans for an organization as well as the main points of many of the certifications associated with cybersecurity such as the COMPTIA Security+ certification.
