Everything we come into contact with, from wearable technology and mobile phones to home appliances and virtual assistants, seems to be online. Our computer systems are more vulnerable to cyber attacks, which include attempts to steal data, corrupt software, disrupt operations, and even physically harm hardware and network infrastructures, the more interconnected they are. Duane Wilson, a cybersecurity expert, provides an accessible introduction to cybersecurity issues for common users in this volume of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series. Wilson discusses internet usage risks, contemporary methods of defense against cyberattacks, and general guidelines for safer internet use.
Wilson outlines the tenets that guide all cybersecurity measures, including non-repudiation, confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, and availability (validating the source of information). He deconstructs the cyber kill chain and the many types of malware, explains how secrecy is achieved through cryptography, looks at the various layers of security, and evaluates cyber dangers, threats, and vulnerabilities. He examines certain online cybersecurity applications, such as end-to-end security protection, secure e-commerce transactions, smart devices with built-in security, and blockchain technology. Finally, Wilson discusses cybersecurity’s future, including the ongoing development of cyber defenses and recent research that could change the entire danger picture.
