Intro-to-Cyber

Numeral Systems
This module introduces how computers represent and process data using different number systems. Students learn binary fundamentals, convert between decimal and binary, and understand bits, bytes, and larger units of digital information. The module also covers hexadecimal notation and its applications in memory addressing, color codes, and malware analysis, as well as Base64 encoding for secure data transmission.
 

IP Addresses
Students explore the Internet Protocol addressing system that enables device communication across networks. The module covers IPv4 address structure, subnet masks, and CIDR notation, as well as the distinctions between private address ranges (RFC 1918), public routable addresses, and special-purpose addresses like loopback and link-local ranges. Students learn to identify address classes and understand network segmentation principles.
  

Network Services
This module examines essential network protocols and services that enable internet functionality. Students learn how DNS translates domain names to IP addresses, how DHCP dynamically assigns network configurations, and how application-layer protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP facilitate data transfer. The module emphasizes the security characteristics and vulnerabilities associated with each service.
  

CMD Commands
Students gain proficiency with Windows Command Prompt networking utilities for troubleshooting and network reconnaissance. The module covers ping for testing connectivity, tracert for mapping network paths, ipconfig for viewing local network configuration, nslookup for DNS queries, and netstat for examining active connections. Practical exercises reinforce command syntax and output interpretation.
  

OSINT
This module introduces open-source intelligence gathering techniques used in security assessments and penetration testing. Students learn to use Shodan, the search engine for internet-connected devices, to discover exposed systems, services, and potential vulnerabilities across the public internet. The module emphasizes the security implications of device exposure and the importance of proper network hardening.
  

Google
Students master advanced Google search operators (Google Dorking) to locate sensitive information inadvertently exposed online. The module covers search syntax for finding specific file types, exposed directories, configuration files, and vulnerable web applications. Students learn both the offensive security applications of these techniques and the defensive measures organizations should implement to prevent information leakage.
 

Hash and Encoding
This module explores cryptographic hash functions and data encoding schemes critical to cybersecurity. Students examine MD5, SHA family hashes, and their applications in password storage, file integrity verification, and digital forensics. The module covers ASCII and Unicode character encoding standards, hexadecimal representation, and Base64 encoding, emphasizing how attackers and defenders use these techniques in practice.
 

Network Traffic
Students learn to capture, analyze, and interpret network packet data using Wireshark, the industry-standard protocol analyzer. The module begins with basic packet capture and progresses to advanced filtering techniques using display filters and capture filters. Students examine TCP handshakes, HTTP transactions, and DNS queries at the packet level, developing the skills to identify normal versus suspicious network behavior.
  

OSI Model
This module provides a comprehensive understanding of network communication through standardized reference models. Students learn the seven layers of the OSI model and how they map to the four layers of the TCP/IP model, understanding the functions performed at each layer from physical transmission through application-level protocols. The module emphasizes how security controls operate at different layers and how attackers target vulnerabilities across the network stack.