1.3 Describe security terms
📘Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate (200-201 CBROPS)
Definition:
Runbook Automation (RBA) is the use of automated workflows to perform repetitive IT or security tasks, instead of doing them manually. A runbook is essentially a step-by-step guide or procedure that describes how to handle a specific task or incident.
- Key idea: Automate routine tasks to save time and reduce human error.
Why it’s important in cybersecurity:
- Security analysts often perform repetitive tasks, such as checking logs, blocking IPs, or analyzing alerts.
- RBA lets you automatically respond to alerts based on predefined rules.
- Helps in incident response by making it faster and consistent.
How it’s used in IT security:
- Automatic alert triage
- Example: A security system flags a suspicious login attempt.
- RBA automatically checks if the IP is known, if the user is authorized, and categorizes the alert.
- Blocking malicious activity
- Example: If a malware file is detected, RBA can automatically isolate the affected system from the network.
- Generating reports
- Example: Every day at 8:00 AM, RBA generates a summary of all blocked threats and sends it to the security team.
Exam tips:
- RBA is not AI; it follows predefined steps.
- It is used in incident response, alert handling, and IT workflow automation.
- Keywords to remember: automate, workflow, incident response, alerts, consistency.
2. Reverse Engineering
Definition:
Reverse engineering is the process of analyzing software, files, or malware to understand how it works. You break it down to see its behavior, structure, or code logic.
- Key idea: Take something apart to figure out how it works or to find weaknesses.
Why it’s important in cybersecurity:
- Often used to analyze malware.
- Helps security teams identify how malware infects systems, what damage it does, and how to defend against it.
How it’s used in IT security:
- Malware analysis
- Example: A suspicious
.exefile is found on a system. Reverse engineering can show what the malware does, like stealing passwords or deleting files.
- Example: A suspicious
- Understanding exploits
- Example: If an attacker uses a new exploit, reverse engineering can reveal how it bypasses security controls.
- Developing defenses
- Example: Once malware behavior is understood, you can update antivirus signatures or firewall rules to block it.
Exam tips:
- Reverse engineering is not hacking; it’s analyzing.
- Common tools: disassemblers, debuggers, sandboxes.
- Keywords to remember: malware analysis, code behavior, understand attacks, defense strategy.
3. Anomaly Detection
Definition:
Anomaly detection is the process of finding unusual patterns or behaviors in systems, networks, or data that don’t match the normal activity.
- Key idea: Detect what is unusual or abnormal in IT systems, which could indicate a security threat.
Why it’s important in cybersecurity:
- Many attacks don’t match known attack patterns.
- Anomaly detection helps spot suspicious activity before it becomes a major incident.
How it’s used in IT security:
- Network monitoring
- Example: A user suddenly downloads 10 GB of data at 2:00 AM, which is unusual. The system flags this as an anomaly.
- Behavioral monitoring
- Example: A device that normally sends emails to internal users starts sending emails to unknown external addresses. This is abnormal behavior.
- Fraud detection
- Example: Multiple failed login attempts from different locations at the same time are detected as anomalies.
Exam tips:
- Anomaly detection can be manual or automated, but most modern tools are automated using AI or machine learning.
- Keywords to remember: unusual activity, pattern, detect, suspicious behavior.
- Anomaly detection is often part of SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems.
Quick Comparison Table (for easy exam recall)
| Term | What it Does | Example in IT Security | Key Exam Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBA | Automates tasks using pre-defined steps | Automatically isolate infected systems | Automate, workflow, incident response |
| Reverse Engineering | Analyzes software/malware to understand it | Disassemble malware to see what it does | Malware analysis, understand attacks, defense |
| Anomaly Detection | Finds unusual behavior in systems or networks | Flag unusual login patterns | Unusual activity, detect, suspicious |
✅ Summary for exam:
- RBA: Automates repetitive security tasks.
- Reverse Engineering: Breaks down malware or software to understand it.
- Anomaly Detection: Spots unusual patterns that could indicate threats.
All three help speed up detection, response, and understanding of threats in cybersecurity.
