Introduction
The need to communicate and share knowledge has been with us since we first learned to make marks on a surface. As we’ve grown and spread from settlements to towns to cities, so has the size of the communication network needed to help share news and ideas. From a horseback rider delivering a letter to a neighboring city, to the invention of the telegram, and finally the internet and email, we’ve built bigger and more complex networks. Today, the world is a far smaller place thanks to its largest network, the internet.
Protecting your network is essential in today’s modern online world where information is a valuable currency. Every day, networks are bombarded by thousands of cyberattacks. For the most part these attacks are thwarted, but occasionally, the news headlines will report on the theft of data.
Here you’ll discover the different types of networks, the means by which you connect with them, and how data moves around a network. You’ll get an idea of the types of attacks cybercriminals use to break into a network, and the tools available to help you stop them.
By the end of this module, you'll understand how to:
- Describe the basics of networks.
- Describe the threats to network security.
- Describe ways to protect your network.
- Describe ways to securely connect to, and communicate over, a network.