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Cybersecurity basics flashcards

Protect your accounts, devices, data and work from everyday attacks.

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Beginner friendly, starts from zero
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Cybersecurity basicsStart from zero · 1 of 10

What is cybersecurity, in one plain sentence?

Cybersecurity is protecting your accounts, devices and data from people who want to steal, lock or misuse them.

Lock it, check it, copy it, update it.
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What you will learn

  1. Start from zero

    • What cybersecurity is4 cards
    • Key words4 cards
    • Getting ready2 cards

  2. Core basics

    • Core ideas3 cards
    • Passwords and accounts5 cards
    • Spotting scams4 cards
    • Devices and networks6 cards

  3. Next steps

    • Malware and ransomware3 cards
    • Cryptography basics4 cards
    • Network defence4 cards
    • Secure software basics4 cards
    • Reporting and response3 cards

  4. Go deeper

    • Frameworks and thinking4 cards
    • Modern attacks4 cards
    • Detection and response3 cards
    • Hardening and testing3 cards
    • Ethics, law and careers3 cards

Final test and certificate

10 questions drawn fresh from the whole topic, about 15 minutes. Sign in, score 80% or more and get a free certificate with your name and a public check link anyone can open, such as an employer or a teacher. Not signed in? Try a practice test from the cards.

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About these cards

  • Reviewed 26 October 2026
  • CoversNIST CSF 2.0NIST SP 800-63B-4OWASP Top 10:2025
How these cards are made

Cybersecurity basics at a glance

Cybersecurity is protecting accounts, devices and data from people who want to steal, lock or misuse them.

It is like keeping a home safe: strong locks (passwords and passkeys), a peephole before opening the door (checking messages), a spare key kept elsewhere (backups) and fixing broken windows quickly (updates).

Words you will meet

Attacker
A person or group trying to break in, steal or cause damage
Malware
Harmful software, like viruses or programs that lock your files
Phishing
A fake message that tricks you into giving secrets or clicking a bad link
Password manager
An app that creates and remembers strong passwords for you
Two-factor authentication
Logging in with a second proof, like a code or key, as well as a password
Encryption
Scrambling data so only someone with the right key can read it
Patch
An update that fixes a security hole
Backup
A separate copy of your files you can restore if they are lost or locked

The steps

  1. 1. Start from zero (10 cards): What cybersecurity is, why ordinary people are attacked and the words you will need.
  2. 2. Core basics (18 cards): Core ideas, passwords, MFA and passkeys, spotting scams, devices, Wi-Fi and backups.
  3. 3. Next steps (18 cards): Malware and ransomware, cryptography basics, network defence, secure code and reporting.
  4. 4. Go deeper (17 cards): Frameworks, threat modelling, modern attacks, detection and response, hardening and careers.
All 10 cards in Start from zero
What is cybersecurity, in one plain sentence?
Cybersecurity is protecting your accounts, devices and data from people who want to steal, lock or misuse them.
Why would anyone attack an ordinary person?
For money and data, not fame. Attackers send millions of scam messages automatically; they do not need you to be important, just one person who clicks.
Where do you meet cyber attacks in daily life?
A fake parcel SMS with a link, a caller pretending to be your bank asking for an OTP, a 'you won a prize' message, or a friend's hacked account asking for money.
Explain cybersecurity with a home picture.
Passwords and passkeys are locks, checking a message is looking through the peephole, updates fix broken windows, and backups are a spare key kept at a relative's house.
What are an attacker and malware?
An attacker is anyone trying to break in or cause harm. Malware is harmful software they use, like a virus that spreads or ransomware that locks your files for money.
What is phishing?
A fake email, SMS, call or chat message that pretends to be someone you trust, to make you click a bad link, share a password or OTP, or send money.
What do a password manager and two-factor authentication do?
A password manager makes and remembers a different strong password for every site. Two-factor authentication adds a second proof, like a code or key, so a stolen password alone is not enough.
What are encryption, patches and backups?
Encryption scrambles data so only the right key can read it. A patch is an update that fixes a security hole. A backup is a separate copy you can restore.
What do you need before you start?
Just your own phone and accounts to practise on. No coding is needed for most of this topic; the developer cards are clearly marked by their code.
What will you be able to do after this topic?
Spot scams, lock down accounts with MFA and passkeys, keep devices and backups safe, explain core security ideas, and avoid and report common attacks at work.
Cybersecurity basics cheatsheet

Personal security

  • Password manager Unique long password per site
  • Passkey / security key Phishing-resistant login
  • Authenticator app Better than SMS codes
  • Auto updates On for phone, laptop, browser, router
  • 3-2-1 backups 3 copies, 2 media, 1 offline
  • Screen lock PIN or biometrics on every device

Scam checks

  • Domain from the right Real owner before the first slash
  • OTP / PIN Never share, never needed to receive money
  • Urgent + unexpected Stop and verify
  • Call back Use the number on the card or official app
  • 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in Report fraud in India fast

Concepts

  • CIA Confidentiality, integrity, availability
  • Hash One-way fingerprint
  • Encryption Two-way with a key
  • Least privilege Only needed access
  • Zero trust Verify every request
  • Defence in depth Many independent layers

Commands

  • sha256sum file Check a file's fingerprint
  • ssh-keygen -t ed25519 Make a modern SSH key
  • git log -p -- .env Find a leaked secret in history
  • PasswordAuthentication no SSH keys only
  • PermitRootLogin no No direct root SSH

Frameworks

  • NIST CSF 2.0 Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover
  • STRIDE Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Info disclosure, DoS, Elevation
  • OWASP Top 10:2025 Top web app risks
  • CVE / CVSS Vulnerability ID / severity score
  • NIST SP 800-61r3 Incident response guide
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