Cyber security is the protection and maintenance of computer systems and networks. It’s important tohave a good understanding of these systems to be able to protect them. The idea of securing computer systems is not necessarily against hackers’ attacks, but to ensure that the systems are always in good state and made available for their purpose.

As such, it’s important to know how every moving part of the system and the system as a whole works. This knowledge allows us to diagnose, detect attacks, analyze flows, and to be able to come up with propositions for good setups or solutions in case the system becomes compromised. Aside human attackers, there is quite a number of natural phenomena that can temper with any computing systems: magnetic fields, water, electricity, radiations, earthquake, tornados, fire, etc. It’s, hence, your duty as a cyber security professional, to come up with rescue and recovery plans in case of any eventual catastropy.

We will start this course by exploring the fundamental element of a computer system: the computer.