Study by subject
Cybersecurity
In cybersecurity you learn the CIA triad, attack types, ATT&CK tactics, encryption algorithms and the phases of an incident by heart. Lumi asks them back until you can recall them without notes.
How to turn this subject into cards
Make one card per concept with its definition in one sentence, and one card per attack with its principle, an example and the defence. ATT&CK tactics go in the order of the attack chain, one card per tactic. For the phases of an incident, one card per step with what you do in it. The trap is mixing up two neighbouring ideas, like encryption and hashing, because you only read them. With Lumi you have to explain the difference from memory before seeing the answer (Karpicke and Roediger, 2008). Add a comparison card every time you hesitate between two terms. Come back to the confused notions several times, on different days (Cepeda et al., 2006).
What you need to know by heart
- The CIA triad and the principle of least privilege.
- Common attacks, phishing, SQL injection, ransomware, denial of service, and their defences.
- The MITRE ATT&CK tactics in the order of the attack chain.
- Symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing and signatures.
- The phases of incident response, from preparation to lessons learned, with IT certifications for ports.
How Lumi helps you remember it
You teach your cards to Lumi, the CIA triad, attacks, tactics, encryption. It forgets over time, like you do, then quizzes you right before you would forget. As the exam or the interview approaches, the Mist settles over what you know less well and Lumi asks that first. You arrive able to explain each idea from memory.
Example cards
Three cards the way you would write them, with the answer Lumi expects.
What does CIA stand for in information security?
Confidentiality, integrity and availability.
What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?
Symmetric uses one key, asymmetric uses a public and private key pair.
Which port does SSH use?
Port 22.
Example card
Try it, Lumi turns it into fill in the blank questions in your browser.
Cybersecurity · teach this card to Lumi
The CIA triad stands for confidentiality, integrity and availability. Symmetric encryption uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt. Asymmetric encryption uses a pair made of a public key and a private key. Phishing is a social engineering attack that tricks the victim into giving up information or opening a malicious link.
Lumi’s question
The CIA triad stands for confidentiality, _____ and availability.
Pick the missing word
Answer right to light Lumi up
Its lamp fades when a fact slips away.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I remember the MITRE ATT&CK tactics?
- Learn them in the order of the attack chain, one card per tactic with an example technique. Lumi asks the sequence back in order, which anchors the logic.
- Do flashcards help with hands-on lab practice too?
- Yes, for commands, ports and the steps of a method. You keep the lab for hands-on skills and Lumi for what you need to have in your head.
- How do I tell two close ideas apart?
- Write a card that sets the two against each other with one sentence for each. Lumi asks it on different days until the difference sticks (Cepeda et al., 2006).
Read next
Sources
- Karpicke, Roediger (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865). doi.org/10.1126/science.1152408
- Cepeda, Pashler, Vul, Wixted, Rohrer (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks. A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3). doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354
Teach this to Lumi
Give Lumi your cybersecurity notes, it gives them back as questions at the right moment.