Why this matters
Security adverts from Ghanaian telcos, banks and IT firms keep naming the same foundations: networking, Windows, Linux, firewalls and logs. An alert that says "unusual connection from 10.0.4.17 on port 3389" means nothing unless you know what an IP address, a port and remote desktop are. Your IT support knowledge is the base; this section turns it towards defence.
The defender's view of systems
In IT support you ask "how do I make this work?". In security you add "how could this be misused, and how would I notice?". The same knowledge serves both questions.
- Networks carry every attack and every alert. You need to read addresses, ports and protocols, and understand what a firewall allows or blocks.
- Windows runs most office computers in Ghana. Defenders need to know accounts, updates, built in protection and, most of all, the event logs that record logins and changes.
- Linux runs many servers, cloud systems and security tools. Defenders need the command line to read and search log files.
How this section works on modest hardware
This is the first section where a computer really helps. Wireshark, virtual machines and the Linux command line are easier on a laptop. If you only have a phone right now:
- Read the lessons and do the "read the evidence" tasks, which use short logs you can study on a phone screen.