Understanding the fundamentals helps you apply new techniques in novel ways.

The labs in this category acquaint you with technologies that form the basis of cybersecurity, including encryption, exploit techniques, anomaly detection, and networking. You will use these enabling technologies throughout other CYRIN labs, exercises, and attack scenarios, as well as in your career at large.

The labs in this category assume basic knowledge of Windows and Linux systems, sufficient to use a command line / terminal and text editor. The Getting Started with CYRIN lab can help you with these prerequisites.

Students will learn the basics of cryptography, the science of encryption or the "hiding of information".  Cryptography is the underpinnings of data security and privacy in the modern world.   The lab begins with historical cryptographic techniques and progresses to modern digital cryptography.  Topics covered include substitution codes, symmetric and asymmetric key cryptographic systems, and steganography (the hiding of messages in seemingly innocuous images, video, audio or text files). Applications of cryptographic techniques in blockchains, password security, and data integrity are also explored.

Prerequisites

The Getting Started with CYRIN lab for a basic understanding of Linux and the Linux command line.  

Expected Duration

2 hours, self-paced. Pause and continue at any time.
2 CPEs awarded on successful completion.

Educational Lab