INTRODUCTION – Cybersecurity Rules and Programming Languages
Take a path for discoverance while you learn about those tools usually used by cybersecurity analysts in the determination and mitigation of risks. Learn security information and event management as tools enable you to use one of these important resources. It should also look at how the network protocol analyzers function, then how they come in to be used in analyzing and securing network communications.
You will learn about some languages such as Python and SQL, and this will be an added value to your competitive skills in being able to analyze the challenges in cybersecurity more effectively. This process provides for a complete toolkit for risk identification and mitigation in the cyberspace. Enroll with Coursera and start learning!
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the common tools in entry-level security analysts
Understand the purposes of commonly used tools - Explore entry-level interaction of the common programming languages used by security analysts
- Discuss in what ways entry-level security analysts apply tools and programming in mitigating risks
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: IMPORTANT CYBERSECURITY TOOLS
1. What tool is designed to capture and analyze data traffic within a network?
- Structured Query Language (SQL)
- security information and event management (SIEM)
- playbook
- network protocol analyzer (packet sniffer) (CORRECT)
Packet sniffers or network protocol analyzers are tools by which data traffic is captured and analyzed in a network; thus they allow cyber security analysts to check the network communications for troubleshooting, monitoring, and security testing.
2. What type of tool uses dashboards to organize data into categories and allows analysts to identify potential security incidents as they happen?
- SIEM (CORRECT)
- network protocol analyzers (packet sniffers)
- Linux
- Python
The dashboards of SIEM tools categorize the data in such a way that the analysts are able easily spot any potential breach or security incident happening at that moment. These dashboards act as a live view into the network activities as well as help in detecting and responding to threats effectively.
3. What can cybersecurity professionals use logs for?
- To analyze data traffic within a network
- To select which security team members will respond to an incident
- To identify vulnerabilities and potential security breaches (CORRECT)
- To research and optimize processing capabilities within a network
They can also provide insight into unpatched vulnerabilities, potential security breaches, and other security incidents that might take place. The logs provide information that will identify the unusual activity, monitor system behavior, and diagnose an incident-specific improvement in security posture.
4. Fill in the blank: A _____ is a manual that provides details about operational actions.
- playbook (CORRECT)
- checklist
- case history
- directory
The playbook is a picture of operational action plans describing incident handling before, during, and after an event. The playbook also ensures consistent and efficient responses to particular types of security events.
5. Which of the following can be used to perform repetitive, time-consuming tasks and/or request information from a database? Select two answers.
- CIA
- SQL (CORRECT)
- Python (CORRECT)
- Linux
Python and SQL are capable of being employed in automating repetitive tasks requiring a lot of time or querying databases in search of particular data. Python is quite useful for scripting and automation while SQL is useful for retrieving, updating, and managing data in relational databases.
PORTFOLIO ACTIVITY: DRAFT A PROFESSIONAL STATEMENT
1. Your professional statement includes strengths.
- Yes (CORRECT)
- No
Correct!
2. Your professional statement includes values.
- Yes (CORRECT)
- No
Correct!
3. Your professional statement explains your interest in the cybersecurity profession.
- Yes (CORRECT)
- No
Correct!
4. Your professional statement explains how your strengths, values, and interest in the field of cybersecurity can meet the security goals of an organization.
- Yes (CORRECT)
- No
Correct!
5. Your professional statement is free from grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
- Yes (CORRECT)
- No
Correct!
MODULE 4 CHALLENGE
1. Which of the following statements correctly describes logs? Select two answers.
- A log is used as a formal guide to incident response.
- Security professionals use logs to automate tasks.
- A business might log each time an employee accesses web-based services. (CORRECT)
- Logs helps identify vulnerabilities and potential security breaches. (CORRECT)
Correct!
2. Which of the following tasks can be performed using SIEM tools? Select three answers.
- Notifying authorities of illegal activity
- Performing incident analysis (CORRECT)
- Proactively searching for threats (CORRECT)
- Providing alerts for specific types of risks (CORRECT)
Correct!
3. A cybersecurity analyst needs to collect data from multiple places to analyze filtered events and patterns. What type of tool should they use?
- network protocol analyzer (packet sniffer)
- Playbook
- Security information and event management (SIEM) (CORRECT)
- Linux operating system
Correct!
4. Fill in the blank: A security professional uses a _____ as a manual to guide operational activities.
- spreadsheet
- review
- playbook (CORRECT)
- toolkit
Correct!
5. As a security analyst, you are tasked with auditing your organization’s network to identify security related issues. How might a network protocol analyzer (packet sniffer) help you perform this task?
- By removing malware and viruses from the network
- By automating tasks that reduce human error
- By simulating attacks on connected devices
- By capturing and analyzing data traffic on the network (CORRECT)
Correct!
6. What are some key benefits of programming languages? Select all that apply.
- They reduce the risk of human error. (CORRECT)
- They complete tasks faster than if working manually. (CORRECT)
- They are used to design security policies.
- They can be used to create a specific set of instructions for a computer to execute tasks. (CORRECT)
Correct!
7. Fill in the blank: Linux relies on a(n) _____ as the primary user interface.
- dashboard
- ciphertext
- error log
- command line (CORRECT)
Correct!
8. Fill in the blank: A database is a _____ of organized data stored in a computer system.
- collection (CORRECT)
- frame
- model
- visualization
Correct!
9. What are some key benefits of using Python to perform security tasks? Select all that apply.
- It simplifies repetitive tasks. (CORRECT)
- It makes static data more dynamic.
- It is designed for high levels of accuracy. (CORRECT)
- It helps security professionals be more accurate. (CORRECT)
Correct!
10. A cybersecurity analyst is tasked with proactively searching for threats and performing incident analysis. What type of tool should they use?
- Security information and event management (SIEM) (CORRECT)
- Linux operating system
- Structured Query Language (SQL)
- Chain of custody playbook
Correct!
11. Fill in the blank: A security team uses a _____ to help them document organizational processes from beginning to end.
- graph
- playbook (CORRECT)
- legend
- toolkit
Correct!
12. As a security analyst, you are monitoring network traffic and detect a large number of failed login attempts. Which of the following tools would help you investigate this incident? Select two answers.
- An antivirus software
- A cryptographic encoder
- An intrusion detection system (IDS) (CORRECT)
- A network protocol analyzer (packet sniffer) (CORRECT)
Correct!
13. A security team wants to examine logs to understand what is occurring within their systems. Why might they choose Linux to perform this task? Select two answers.
- It is open source. (CORRECT)
- It is an efficient programming language.
- It allows for text-based commands by users. (CORRECT)
- It is proprietary.
Correct!
14. What are some key benefits of using Python to perform security tasks? Select all that apply.
- It clearly maps data.
- It saves time. (CORRECT)
- It captures and analyzes data traffic within a network.
- It helps ensure accuracy. (CORRECT)
Correct!
15. Fill in the blank: To request information from a _____, security professionals can use SQL.
- dashboard
- spreadsheet
- network
- database (CORRECT)
Correct!
16. As a security analyst, you are monitoring network traffic to ensure that SPII data is not being accessed by unauthorized users. What does this scenario describe?
- Using a network protocol analyzer (packet sniffer) (CORRECT)
- Programming with code
- Calculating with formulas
- Gathering data in a spreadsheet
Correct!
17. What are some key benefits of programming languages? Select all that apply.
- Execute repetitive processes very accurately (CORRECT)
- Complete repetitive tasks with a high degree of efficiency (CORRECT)
- Can be used to create a specific set of instructions for a computer to execute tasks (CORRECT)
- To provide details about any operational action
Correct!
18. What term is used to describe publicly available systems, such as Linux?
- Unregulated
- Free-for-all
- Restricted Open-source (CORRECT)
Correct!
19. Fill in the blank: Security professionals use _____ to help them manage a security incident before, during, and after it has occurred.
- programming
- spreadsheets
- playbooks (CORRECT)
- charts
Correct!
20. Fill in the blank: Instead of reviewing pages and pages of logs to determine if there are any new security threats, analysts can use _____ tools, which provide alerts for specific types of threats and risks.
- security information and event management (SIEM) (CORRECT)
- network protocol analyzer (packet sniffer)
- operating system
- programming language
Correct!
21. Fill in the blank: Security professionals can use _____ to interact with and request information from a database.
- network protocol analyzers (packet sniffers)
- playbooks
- SQL (CORRECT)
- logs
Correct!
22. What do security professionals use to interact with and request information from a database?
- Confidentiality, integrity, availability (CIA) triad
- Structured Query Language (SQL)
- Linux
- Python
Correct!