1. Introduction to Cybersecurity

• What is Cybersecurity?
• Importance of Cybersecurity in the Digital Age
• Key Cybersecurity Concepts (CIA Triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)
• Types of Cybersecurity Threats (Malware, Phishing, Man-in-the-Middle attacks, etc.)
• Understanding Attack Surfaces and Attack Vectors

2. Basic Networking Concepts

• Overview of Networking Fundamentals
• OSI and TCP/IP Models
• IP Addressing, Subnetting, and DNS
• Network Devices: Routers, Switches, Firewalls, and Access Points
• Network Ports, Protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SSH)
• Packet Analysis and Traffic Monitoring (Wireshark basics)

3. Cyber Threats and Attack Vectors

• Malware Types: Viruses, Worms, Trojans, Ransomware, Spyware
• Social Engineering Attacks: Phishing, Baiting, Pretexting, and Tailgating
• DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) Attacks
• SQL Injection and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
• Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks

4. Cryptography Basics

• Understanding Encryption and Decryption
• Symmetric vs Asymmetric Encryption
• Hashing Algorithms (SHA-256, MD5)
• Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
• SSL/TLS and Secure Communication
• Digital Signatures and Certificates

5. Operating System Security

• Windows and Linux Security Basics
• User Accounts and Permissions
• Hardening Operating Systems (patching, disabling unnecessary services)
• Firewalls and Antivirus Tools
• Logging and Monitoring System Events
• File Encryption and Disk Encryption (BitLocker, LUKS)

6. Network Security

• Firewall Basics and Types (Stateful, Stateless, Application-level)
• VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and Secure Remote Access
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS)
• Network Segmentation and VLANs
• Wireless Security Protocols (WPA3, WPA2, WEP)
• Honeypots and Network Forensics

7. Identity and Access Management (IAM)

• Authentication vs Authorization
• Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)
• Password Policies and Best Practices
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
• Identity Providers (IdP) and Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Directory Services (Active Directory basics)

8. Web Application Security

• OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities
o SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
o Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
o Broken Authentication and Session Management
• Secure Coding Practices
• Web Application Firewalls (WAF)
• HTTPS and Securing Web Traffic

9. Incident Response and Management

• Introduction to Incident Response
• Steps in the Incident Response Lifecycle (Preparation, Detection, Containment, Recovery, etc.)
• Creating and Testing Incident Response Plans
• Logging and Monitoring Tools (SIEM basics)
• Post-Incident Analysis and Reporting

10. Security Policies and Compliance

• Importance of Cybersecurity Policies
• Data Privacy and Protection (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
• Security Standards (ISO/IEC 27001, NIST)
• Implementing Security Policies in an Organization
• Risk Management and Vulnerability Assessments

11. Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing

• Basics of Ethical Hacking
• Reconnaissance Techniques
• Scanning and Enumeration
• Vulnerability Assessment Tools (Nmap, Nessus)

• Exploitation and Gaining Access
• Post-Exploitation and Privilege Escalation

12. Cloud Security Basics

• Introduction to Cloud Computing
• Cloud Security Challenges (Public, Private, Hybrid)
• Shared Responsibility Model in Cloud Security
• Securing Cloud Infrastructure (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Data Encryption in the Cloud
• Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)

13. Cybersecurity Tools and Techniques

• Antivirus and Endpoint Protection
• Encryption Tools (VeraCrypt, OpenSSL)
• Packet Capture and Analysis Tools (Wireshark)
• Vulnerability Scanning Tools (Nessus, OpenVAS)
• Penetration Testing Tools (Metasploit, Burp Suite)
• Network Monitoring Tools (Nagios, Zabbix)

14. Cybersecurity Career Paths and Certifications

• Overview of Cybersecurity Roles (Security Analyst, Pen Tester, SOC Analyst, etc.)
• Essential Cybersecurity Certifications
o CompTIA Security+
o Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
o Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
o Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate
• Building a Career in Cybersecurity: Resume Tips, Networking, and Interview Preparation

15. Capstone Project

• Setting up a Virtual Lab for Cybersecurity
• Hands-on Penetration Testing on a Vulnerable Machine (e.g., Metasploitable, DVWA)
• Simulating and Mitigating a Cyberattack
• Conducting a Risk Assessment on a Mock Organization