Uncovering the Secrets of Cybersecurity: My Journey to Becoming (ISC)2 Certified

Last year, I embarked on a journey to become (ISC)2 certified in cybersecurity through a self-paced training program. This program is part of an initiative to train and certify one million cybersecurity entry-level professionals to help fill the workforce gap in the industry.

As I dove into the training, I realized that there were basic concepts that upheld the field of cybersecurity, one of which is the CIA triad. The C in CIA stands for Confidentiality, which pertains to permitting authorized access to information while at the same time protecting it from improper disclosure. The I in CIA stands for Integrity, which ensures that information is recorded, used, and maintained in a way that ensures its completeness, accuracy, internal consistency, and usefulness for a stated purpose. Lastly, the A in CIA stands for Availability, which means that systems and data are accessible at the time users need them.

As a cybersecurity professional, our obligation is to regulate access, protect the data that needs protection, yet permit access to authorized individuals. Information can also be classified into different categories such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and classified or sensitive information. PII pertains to any data about an individual that could be used to identify them, PHI pertains to information regarding one’s health status, while classified or sensitive information includes trade secrets, research, business plans, and intellectual property.

For example, your National Identification Number (NIN) and Social Security Number (SSN) in Nigeria and the USA, passport number, driver’s license, and the like are examples of PII. The condition of your health leaked to the public is a PHI, and an application source code leak is classified information.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my journey and learned something new about cybersecurity. Happy reading! Till we meet again.