CIA is ABC of Cybersecurity

What’s the first thing you learned in the English language?

A… B… C…

It could be the ABC-relevant alphabet in your native language.

You can only speak or write some words in English with the ABC. It’s not an entire language, but a good start. It does help to make connections, such as A for Apple. Now, you can learn something about Apple. Apple is a fruit.

It keeps doctors away. It’s usually red but also comes in green and yellow.

Apple is also a company that Android lovers hate! I share my ABC approach when anyone asks me how to start in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is a broad field with many domains. Jumping straight to learning random things can be overwhelming. Instead, begin with ABC.

The ABC of cybersecurity is CIA – confidentiality, integrity and availability.

The CIA focuses on information security. It’s why organisations, institutions and governments spend millions of dollars on cybersecurity jobs.

It gives you clarity on WHY before you dive into HOW.

Confidentiality is about data security. Learn how a web browser establishes a secure session using symmetric and asymmetric encryption keys with a web browser. It’s not everything about the cryptography domain. But it’s a good start.

Integrity ensures that information is not altered or tampered with during transit. Learn how digital signature works in email security. Understand the meaning of non-repudiation.

Availability ensures that your or your company’s data is always available. The data is secure and has integrity, but what if it becomes unavailable? Learn how RAID works. Understand the difference between business continuity and disaster recovery.

You can simplify your CISSP learning with the ABC approach. It’s the best way to connect with roots.

In my CISSP world, every concept is a story, an art piece, or a visual representation. Join the CISSP As An Art (CaaART) tribe, the first visual-only CISSP course.