Cybersecurity For Dummies

Cybersecurity For Dummies

by Joseph Steinberg
Released October 2019
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781119560326

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Book description

Protect your business and family against cyber attacks

Cybersecurity is the protection against the unauthorized or criminal use of electronic data and the practice of ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information. Being "cyber-secure" means that a person or organization has both protected itself against attacks by cyber criminals and other online scoundrels, and ensured that it has the ability to recover if it is attacked.

If keeping your business or your family safe from cybersecurity threats is on your to-do list, Cybersecurity For Dummies will introduce you to the basics of becoming cyber-secure! You’ll learn what threats exist, and how to identify, protect against, detect, and respond to these threats, as well as how to recover if you have been breached!

  • The who and why of cybersecurity threats
  • Basic cybersecurity concepts
  • What to do to be cyber-secure
  • Cybersecurity careers
  • What to think about to stay cybersecure in the future

Now is the time to identify vulnerabilities that may make you a victim of cyber-crime — and to defend yourself before it is too late.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. Foolish Assumptions
    3. Conventions Used in This Book
    4. Icons Used in This Book
    5. Beyond This Book
    6. Where to Go from Here
  3. Part 1: Getting Started with Cybersecurity
    1. Chapter 1: What Exactly Is Cybersecurity?
      1. Cybersecurity Means Different Things to Different Folks
      2. Cybersecurity Is a Constantly Moving Target
      3. Looking at the Risks That Cybersecurity Mitigates
    2. Chapter 2: Getting to Know Common Cyberattacks
      1. Attacks That Inflict Damage
      2. Impersonation
      3. Interception
      4. Data Theft
      5. Malware
      6. Poisoned Web Service Attacks
      7. Network Infrastructure Poisoning
      8. Malvertising
      9. Exploiting Maintenance Difficulties
      10. Advanced Attacks
    3. Chapter 3: Bad Guys and Accidental Bad Guys: The Folks You Must Defend Against
      1. Bad Guys and Good Guys Are Relative Terms
      2. Bad Guys Up to No Good
      3. Cyberattackers and Their Colored Hats
      4. Monetizing Their Actions
      5. Dealing with Nonmalicious Threats
      6. Defending against These Attackers
      7. Addressing Risks through Various Methods
  4. Part 2: Improving Your Own Personal Security
    1. Chapter 4: Evaluating Your Current Cybersecurity Posture
      1. Identifying Ways You May Be Less than Secure
      2. Identifying Risks
      3. Protecting against Risks
      4. Evaluating Your Current Security Measures
      5. Privacy 101
      6. Banking Online Safely
      7. Safely Using Smart Devices
    2. Chapter 5: Enhancing Physical Security
      1. Understanding Why Physical Security Matters
      2. Taking Inventory
      3. Locating Your Vulnerable Data
      4. Creating and Executing a Physical Security Plan
      5. Implementing Physical Security
      6. Security for Mobile Devices
      7. Realizing That Insiders Pose the Greatest Risks
  5. Part 3: Protecting Yourself from Yourself
    1. Chapter 6: Securing Your Accounts
      1. Realizing That You’re a Target
      2. Securing Your External Accounts
      3. Securing Data Associated with User Accounts
      4. Securing Data with Parties That You’ve Interacted With
      5. Securing Data at Parties That You Haven’t Interacted With
    2. Chapter 7: Passwords
      1. Passwords: The Primary Form of Authentication
      2. Avoiding Simplistic Passwords
      3. Password Considerations
      4. Creating Memorable, Strong Passwords
      5. Knowing When to Change Your Password
      6. Changing Passwords after a Breach
      7. Providing Passwords to Humans
      8. Storing Passwords
      9. Transmitting Passwords
      10. Discovering Alternatives to Passwords
    3. Chapter 8: Preventing Social Engineering
      1. Don’t Trust Technology More than You Would People
      2. Types of Social Engineering Attacks
      3. Six Principles Social Engineers Exploit
      4. Don’t Overshare on Social Media
      5. Leaking Data by Sharing Information as Part of Viral Trends
      6. Identifying Fake Social Media Connections
      7. Using Bogus Information
      8. Using Security Software
      9. General Cyberhygiene Can Help Prevent Social Engineering
  6. Part 4: Cybersecurity for Businesses and Organizations
    1. Chapter 9: Securing Your Small Business
      1. Making Sure Someone Is in Charge
      2. Watching Out for Employees
      3. Considering Cyber Insurance
      4. Complying with Regulations and Compliance
      5. Handling Internet Access
      6. Managing Power Issues
    2. Chapter 10: Cybersecurity and Big Businesses
      1. Utilizing Technological Complexity
      2. Managing Custom Systems
      3. Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery
      4. Looking at Regulations
      5. Deeper Pockets — and Insured
      6. Considering Employees, Consultants, and Partners
      7. Looking at the Chief Information Security Officer’s Role
  7. Part 5: Handling a Security Incident (This Is a When, Not an If)
    1. Chapter 11: Identifying a Security Breach
      1. Identifying Overt Breaches
      2. Detecting Covert Breaches
    2. Chapter 12: Recovering from a Security Breach
      1. An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth Many Tons of Response
      2. Stay Calm and Act Now with Wisdom
      3. Bring in a Pro
      4. Recovering from a Breach without a Pro’s Help
      5. Reinstall Damaged Software
      6. Dealing with Stolen Information
      7. Recovering When Your Data Is Compromised at a Third Party
  8. Part 6: Backing Up and Recovery
    1. Chapter 13: Backing Up
      1. Backing Up Is a Must
      2. Looking at the Different Types of Backups
      3. Exploring Backup Tools
      4. Knowing Where to Back Up
      5. Knowing Where Not to Store Backups
      6. Encrypting Backups
      7. Figuring Out How Often You Should Backup
      8. Disposing of Backups
      9. Testing Backups
      10. Conducting Cryptocurrency Backups
      11. Backing Up Passwords
      12. Creating a Boot Disk
    2. Chapter 14: Resetting Your Device
      1. Exploring Two Types of Resets
      2. Rebuild Your Device after a Hard Reset
    3. Chapter 15: Restoring from Backups
      1. You Will Need to Restore
      2. Wait! Do Not Restore Yet!
      3. Restoring from Full Backups of Systems
      4. Restoring from Incremental Backups
      5. Dealing with Deletions
      6. Excluding Files and Folders
      7. Understanding Archives
      8. Restoring Using Backup Tools
      9. Returning Backups to Their Proper Locations
      10. Restoring to Non-Original Locations
      11. Never Leave Your Backups Connected
      12. Restoring from Encrypted Backups
      13. Testing Backups
      14. Restoring Cryptocurrency
      15. Booting from a Boot Disk
  9. Part 7: Looking toward the Future
    1. Chapter 16: Pursuing a Cybersecurity Career
      1. Professional Roles in Cybersecurity
      2. Exploring Career Paths
      3. Starting Out in Information Security
      4. Exploring Popular Certifications
      5. Overcoming a Criminal Record
      6. Looking at Other Professions with a Cybersecurity Focus
    2. Chapter 17: Emerging Technologies Bring New Threats
      1. Relying on the Internet of Things
      2. Using Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain
      3. Optimizing Artificial Intelligence
      4. Experiencing Virtual Reality
      5. Transforming Experiences with Augmented Reality
  10. Part 8: The Part of Tens
    1. Chapter 18: Ten Ways You Can Improve Your Cybersecurity without Spending a Fortune
      1. Understand That You Are a Target
      2. Use Security Software
      3. Encrypt Sensitive Information
      4. Back Up Often
      5. Do Not Share Passwords and Other Login Credentials
      6. Use Proper Authentication
      7. Use Social Media Wisely
      8. Segregate Internet Access
      9. Use Public Wi-Fi Safely
      10. Hire a Pro
    2. Chapter 19: Ten Lessons from Major Cybersecurity Breaches
      1. Marriott
      2. Target
      3. Sony Pictures
      4. Office of Personnel Management
      5. Anthem
    3. Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Safely Use Public Wi-Fi
      1. Use Your Cellphone as a Mobile Hotspot
      2. Turn Off Wi-Fi Connectivity When You’re Not Using Wi-Fi
      3. Don’t Perform Sensitive Tasks over Public Wi-Fi
      4. Don’t Reset Passwords When Using Public Wi-Fi
      5. Use a VPN Service
      6. Use Tor
      7. Use Encryption
      8. Turn Off Sharing
      9. Have Information Security Software on Any Devices Connected to Public Wi-Fi Networks
      10. Understand the Difference between True Public Wi-Fi and Shared Wi-Fi
  11. Index
  12. About the Author
  13. Connect with Dummies
  14. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Cybersecurity For Dummies
  • Author(s): Joseph Steinberg
  • Release date: October 2019
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781119560326