Empowering Cybersecurity Professionals with Real World Attack Tactics

Summary

The transcript discusses an annual curriculum review with top executives, emphasizing the importance of staying updated with new trends in education. It highlights a hands-on approach to cybersecurity training, where students learn to set up phishing emails and payloads to better understand and defend against cyber attacks. The class involves practical exercises using Kali Linux, culminating in a two-week final project where students must breach live targets given only IP numbers, showcasing their ability to find vulnerabilities and infiltrate systems.

Takeaways

• 📚 Regular curriculum review meetings with C-level executives ensure the course content stays current with industry trends.
• 🔍 The importance of understanding cyber attack techniques is emphasized for better defense strategies.
• 💻 Hands-on learning is a key component of the curriculum, with practical exercises like setting up phishing emails.
• 🎓 Students are taught using Kali Linux, which may be unfamiliar to some, highlighting the diversity of tools in cybersecurity.
• 🚀 A two-week final project involves live targets, challenging students to breach IP addresses with no prior information.
• 🤝 Collaboration is encouraged as students work in teams to scan and breach IPs within a limited timeframe.
• 🎯 The goal is for students to develop the ability to assess targets and devise strategies to infiltrate systems.
• 📈 The class aims to improve students' problem-solving skills and their understanding of potential vulnerabilities.
• 🏆 Success in the class is measured by the ability to find a way into all five targets, promoting thorough and comprehensive learning.
• 🌐 The curriculum is designed to keep pace with the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, adapting to new trends and technologies.

Q & A

How often does the meeting with C-level executives occur?

The meetings with C-level executives, including CEOs, CIOs, and CTOs, happen on a yearly basis.

What is the purpose of discussing the curriculum with C-level executives?

The purpose is to present the competencies, skills, and learning outcomes being taught, to identify any gaps, and to receive recommendations on changes or new trends.

What is the significance of teaching red team cyber attack techniques in the classroom?

Teaching red team cyber attack techniques helps students become better defenders by understanding potential vulnerabilities and attacks they might face.

Which operating system is used for the red team cyber attack class?

The class uses Kali Linux, which some students might not have experience with.

What was the specific lab exercise mentioned in the transcript?

The lab exercise involved setting up a phishing email with a payload to deliver and take over a system.

How does the class culminate for the students?

The class ends with a two-week final project where students have to scan and breach live targets given by their IP numbers.

What is the main objective of the final project?

The main objective is for students to assess the targets, identify vulnerabilities, and find a way to breach and gain access to the systems.

What is the expectation for the final project outcomes?

Students are expected to successfully breach all five given IP addresses, demonstrating their understanding and ability to find vulnerabilities.

How do students generally perform in the final project?

Most students perform exceptionally well by the end of the class, indicating the effectiveness of the hands-on learning approach.

Why is it important for students to understand both attacking and defending in cybersecurity?

Understanding both sides is crucial as it provides a comprehensive view of cybersecurity threats and defenses, enabling students to better protect systems against real-world attacks.

What are some of the new trends that C-level executives might recommend for curriculum changes?

While not specified in the transcript, C-level executives might recommend updates to reflect the latest technologies, methodologies, and threats in the cybersecurity landscape.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Curriculum Review and Real-World Application

The paragraph discusses an annual meeting with C-level executives and CTOs to review and update the curriculum, ensuring it remains current with new trends and recommendations. It highlights the importance of staying on top of industry changes and the inclusion of hands-on, real-world exercises in the classroom. A specific example is given of a red team cyber attack class, where students learn to set up phishing emails and payloads to better understand and defend against cyber threats. The class culminates in a two-week final project where students use IP addresses to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in live targets.

Keywords

💡Curriculum

The term 'curriculum' refers to the complete range of courses and subjects offered by an educational institution or program. In the context of the video, it signifies the structured plan of the courses and competencies taught, which is reviewed and updated annually in collaboration with C-level executives like CEOs, CIOs, and CTOs to ensure relevance and alignment with industry trends.

💡Competencies

Competencies are the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities that students are expected to acquire through their education. They serve as benchmarks for measuring learning outcomes and are crucial for aligning educational programs with industry needs. In the video, competencies are part of the curriculum review process, ensuring that the taught skills remain current and relevant.

💡Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. This field is critical in today's digital age, where threats like hacking and data breaches are common. The video specifically mentions a 'red team cyber attack class,' which is a hands-on approach to teaching students about cybersecurity by simulating real-world attack scenarios.

💡Red Team

A 'red team' in cybersecurity is a group of experts who assume the role of potential adversaries and attempt to breach an organization's security measures. This is done to identify vulnerabilities and improve defenses. The video script mentions a class where students are trained as 'red teamers,' learning offensive tactics to become better defenders.

💡Phishing Email

A phishing email is a type of cyber attack where attackers send deceptive messages to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security. In the video, the lab exercise on setting up a phishing email is used as a hands-on learning experience to teach students about the tactics used in such attacks and how to defend against them.

💡Payload

In cybersecurity, a payload is the part of a cyber attack that contains the actual harmful code or data designed to be executed or delivered once a vulnerability is exploited. The video script mentions setting up a payload as part of the hands-on training to take over a system, illustrating the process attackers might use and how defenders can counteract it.

💡Command and Control

Command and control (C2) refers to the ability of an attacker to remotely manage and control a compromised system or network. In cybersecurity training, understanding C2 is crucial for both attackers and defenders to know how to establish and maintain control over a target system. The script mentions 'commander and take over a box' as part of the training, indicating the hands-on experience students get in gaining and maintaining control over compromised systems.

💡Linux

Linux is an open-source operating system that is widely used in servers, supercomputers, and embedded devices. It is known for its stability and security features. In the context of the video, Linux is the platform on which the cybersecurity class is conducted, indicating its importance in the field of cybersecurity and the need for students to be familiar with it.

💡Kali Linux

Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution designed for penetration testing and digital forensics. It comes preloaded with various security and penetration testing tools, making it a popular choice among cybersecurity professionals and students. The video script highlights the use of Kali Linux in the classroom, emphasizing its role in practical, hands-on cybersecurity training.

💡Hands-On Learning

Hands-on learning is an educational approach where students engage in practical activities and experiences rather than just receiving theoretical knowledge. This method is particularly effective in fields like cybersecurity, where understanding complex concepts is often best achieved through direct application and experimentation. The video script emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning through real-world scenarios and exercises.

💡Final Project

A final project is a culminating assignment or presentation that demonstrates a student's understanding and mastery of a subject or course material. In the context of the video, the final project involves students applying their cybersecurity knowledge to real targets, showcasing their ability to assess vulnerabilities and breach systems within a given timeframe.

💡Breaching IP

Breaching IP refers to the act of infiltrating or gaining unauthorized access to a network or system by exploiting vulnerabilities. In cybersecurity training, this concept is crucial as it teaches students about the methods attackers use and how to identify and protect against such breaches. The video script describes a hands-on exercise where students must find a way to breach IP addresses, emphasizing the importance of understanding both offensive and defensive cybersecurity strategies.

Highlights

Annual meetings with C-level executives to discuss curriculum and industry trends.

CEOs, CIOs, and CTOs provide feedback and recommendations on the curriculum.

The importance of staying updated with new trends in the tech industry.

Teaching red team cyber attack techniques to improve defensive skills.

Understanding potential cyber threats to take security more seriously.

Practical lab exercises on setting up phishing emails and payloads.

Using Kali Linux for hands-on training, which some may not have prior experience with.

A two-week final project involving live targets and IP scanning.

Students are tasked with breaching IPs within a limited time frame.

The challenge of finding a way into all five given IP addresses.

Most students achieve exceptional results by the end of the class.

The class culminates in a practical application of攻防技术.

Students learn to assess targets and strategize breaches.

The class emphasizes real-world, hands-on experience in cybersecurity.

The use of Kali Linux highlights the importance of Linux in cybersecurity training.

The class prepares students for the reality of cybersecurity threats.

Transcripts

so we're meeting with them yearly we

literally say here's the curriculum

here's what we're teaching here's the

competencies and skills and learning

outcomes what are we missing we point

blank a andan these are cesos these are

cios these are CTO and they're they're

saying yeah this stuff looks great

here's the new trends here's what we'd

recommend you change and all that stuff

so we work hard to try to make sure we

stay on top of that game for sure for

sure now you mentioned some of the real

world Hands-On stuff what's some of the

stuff that's taking place the classroom

that's that is that Hands-On stuff yeah

I'll say so I'll say interestingly I'll

give you a couple examples so like last

night I was teaching a red team cyber so

attack class so we teach which not

people are like why are you teaching

people to attack um the reasons we teach

people to attack is because then you can

become a better Defender when you

understand what can be done to you you

say you certainly realize like how

serious you need to take this right so

one of the things we're we're going

through and I had a student last night

in class asking hey I'm trying to run

this and I'm having some troubles with

the lab so we're talking through it so

that particular lab was how to set up a

fishing email okay how to set up a

payload and so that you can deliver that

and then commander and take over a box

that's what it's about so we actually

walk them through that we do that on

Cali so that particular class we spend a

ton of time in Cali Linux so which again

depending on programs some people never

touch Cali and they never Touch Linux

but so that's one example that class is

going to culminate um it actually starts

so they have a a two- week final project

where we set up live targets all they do

is get an IP number so it's kind of like

a telephone number on your phone um they

get their IP number and I say here's

five IPS your team has two nights to

scan those IPS and breach those IPS and

you have to find I'm giving you nothing

other than the IP number so at the

culmination of the class they should be

able to assess those targets and figure

out how are they going to breach and get

in and and I tell them there is a way in

on all five you have to find it um so

and it's interesting so they of course

we have varying degrees of success most

of them do exceptionally well by the

time we get done with that particular

class