Protecting Devices, Data, and Identity

This unit develops practical resilience skills for individuals and small networks by addressing nonmalicious threats, device hygiene, authentication, backup and recovery, and content-based threats such as deepfakes, malvertising, and fake news. Students will practice configuring protections, testing recovery, and evaluating social engineering and network risks to prepare for more advanced cybersecurity work.

Learning Objectives

• analyze risks posed by nonmalicious threats and emerging technologies (IoT, AR/VR, trackers, malvertising, deepfakes) by conducting threat assessments that categorize likelihood and potential impact and recommend prioritized mitigations
• apply secure authentication and credential-management techniques—including password managers, secure transmission practices, alternatives to passwords, and MFA best-practices—by configuring accounts and demonstrating secure storage and transmission procedures
• demonstrate comprehensive backup and recovery procedures by creating, encrypting, testing, and restoring backups across local, network, and cloud media, documenting backup frequency, exclusions, safe storage, and restoration to original and non-original locations
• evaluate social engineering and network-based threats (public/shared Wi‑Fi, bogus updates, virtual kidnappings) and implement layered defenses—such as security software, disabled sharing, segregated access, safe public Wi‑Fi practices, and incident escalation—through simulated scenarios and mitigation plans