“The more you know, the more you know you don't know.”

—Aristotle

“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.”

—Einstein

If you have ever been a fisherman or been friends with or related to a fisherman, you know one of their favorite things is their tackle box … and telling stories. If you ask a question about anything in that tackle box, be prepared to be entertained while you listen to stories of past fishing expeditions, how big was the one that got away, the one that did get caught, and future plans to use certain hooks, feathers, and wiggly things. A great fisherman learns to adapt to the situation they are in, and it takes special knowledge of all the fun things in that tackle box—when and where and how to use them—to be successful in their endeavor.

In cybersecurity, we have our own form of a tackle box. We have our own versions of wiggly things. To be successful, we have to learn when and where and how to use our tools and adapt to the technical situation we find ourselves in. It can take time to develop the expertise to know when to use which tool, and what product to find vulnerabilities, fix them, and, when necessary, catch the bad guys.

There are so many philosophies, frameworks, compliances, and vendors. How do you know when to use which wiggly thing? Once you know which wiggly thing to use, how do you use it? This book will teach you how to apply best‐practice cybersecurity strategies and scenarios in a multitude of situations and which open source tools are most beneficial to protect our dynamic and multifaceted environments.

This book will take a simple and strategic look at best practices and readily available tools that are accessible to both cybersecurity management and hands‐on professionals—whether they be new to the industry or simply are looking to gain expertise.