1 00:00:00,090 --> 00:00:02,820 In this lesson, we're going to cover accounting. 2 00:00:02,820 --> 00:00:05,250 Now, accounting in cybersecurity is a security measure 3 00:00:05,250 --> 00:00:07,950 that ensures all user activities during a communication 4 00:00:07,950 --> 00:00:11,220 or transaction are properly tracked and recorded. 5 00:00:11,220 --> 00:00:13,470 Essentially, accounting focuses on monitoring 6 00:00:13,470 --> 00:00:15,000 and logging the actions of users 7 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,970 or entities during their digital interactions. 8 00:00:17,970 --> 00:00:19,260 Let's imagine you just received 9 00:00:19,260 --> 00:00:21,630 two different bank statements from your online bank. 10 00:00:21,630 --> 00:00:22,470 The first one states 11 00:00:22,470 --> 00:00:24,270 that you spent a thousand dollars last month 12 00:00:24,270 --> 00:00:25,800 but they didn't provide any details 13 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,650 on the specific transaction, dates, times, locations 14 00:00:28,650 --> 00:00:29,760 or amounts. 15 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:31,050 Your second statement though 16 00:00:31,050 --> 00:00:32,790 came with a complete transaction log 17 00:00:32,790 --> 00:00:35,430 showcasing every deposit, withdrawal and purchase 18 00:00:35,430 --> 00:00:37,080 that you've made over the last 30 days 19 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:40,530 with their associated dates, times, locations, and amounts. 20 00:00:40,530 --> 00:00:41,970 Now, which of these two bank statements 21 00:00:41,970 --> 00:00:43,560 would give you more confidence and clarity 22 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,200 about your financial activity over the last month? 23 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:47,700 Well, if you're like most people, 24 00:00:47,700 --> 00:00:49,620 you probably prefer the second bank statement 25 00:00:49,620 --> 00:00:51,270 with all the supporting details 26 00:00:51,270 --> 00:00:54,090 because now you know exactly what happened and where. 27 00:00:54,090 --> 00:00:55,740 This gives you more trust in the validity 28 00:00:55,740 --> 00:00:57,060 of this bank statement too 29 00:00:57,060 --> 00:00:59,340 because it provides more transparency, security 30 00:00:59,340 --> 00:01:00,780 and accountability. 31 00:01:00,780 --> 00:01:02,790 This is exactly what we're aiming to achieve 32 00:01:02,790 --> 00:01:05,790 by utilizing accounting inside of our organizations. 33 00:01:05,790 --> 00:01:07,980 You see, accounting isn't just about keeping tabs 34 00:01:07,980 --> 00:01:08,813 on your money, 35 00:01:08,813 --> 00:01:10,980 it's about monitoring and logging every action 36 00:01:10,980 --> 00:01:13,230 that a user makes within a given system. 37 00:01:13,230 --> 00:01:14,460 These actions can include things 38 00:01:14,460 --> 00:01:16,800 like logging into the system, accessing files, 39 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:18,600 modifying configuration settings, 40 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,070 downloading or installing software 41 00:01:20,070 --> 00:01:22,080 or even attempting unauthorized actions 42 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,780 across the organization's systems and networks. 43 00:01:24,780 --> 00:01:27,570 Your organization should use a robust accounting system 44 00:01:27,570 --> 00:01:29,130 so that you can create an audit trail, 45 00:01:29,130 --> 00:01:32,100 maintain regulatory compliance, conduct forensic analysis, 46 00:01:32,100 --> 00:01:33,630 perform resource optimization 47 00:01:33,630 --> 00:01:35,970 and achieve user accountability. 48 00:01:35,970 --> 00:01:37,890 First, we have an audit trail. 49 00:01:37,890 --> 00:01:40,440 Now an accounting system is used to create an audit trail 50 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:42,060 that provides a chronological record 51 00:01:42,060 --> 00:01:44,070 of all of your user activities that can be used 52 00:01:44,070 --> 00:01:47,400 to trace any changes, unauthorized access or anomalies 53 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,250 back to a specific user or point in time. 54 00:01:50,250 --> 00:01:52,530 Second, we have regulatory compliance. 55 00:01:52,530 --> 00:01:55,020 Now, many industries and countries have strict regulations 56 00:01:55,020 --> 00:01:57,120 regarding data protection and privacy. 57 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,040 By using an effective accounting system, 58 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:00,480 we can ensure that our organizations 59 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,010 are adhering to these regulations 60 00:02:02,010 --> 00:02:03,540 by maintaining a comprehensive record 61 00:02:03,540 --> 00:02:05,700 of all of their users' activities. 62 00:02:05,700 --> 00:02:07,710 Third, we have forensic analysis. 63 00:02:07,710 --> 00:02:09,840 In the unfortunate event of a security breach, 64 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:11,400 a detailed accounting and event log 65 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,140 can help our cybersecurity experts 66 00:02:13,140 --> 00:02:14,850 understand exactly what happened, 67 00:02:14,850 --> 00:02:17,130 how it happened, and how to prevent similar incidents 68 00:02:17,130 --> 00:02:19,200 from occurring again in the future. 69 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,510 Fourth, we have resource optimization. 70 00:02:21,510 --> 00:02:24,240 By tracking which resources like bandwidth or cloud storage 71 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:26,100 are being utilized and by whom, 72 00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:28,170 organizations can make more informed decisions 73 00:02:28,170 --> 00:02:30,690 on resource allocation to ensure that system performance 74 00:02:30,690 --> 00:02:33,840 is being optimized and your costs are being minimized. 75 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,450 Fifth and finally, we have user accountability. 76 00:02:36,450 --> 00:02:38,940 With a thorough accounting system in place, users will know 77 00:02:38,940 --> 00:02:41,100 that their actions are being monitored and logged, 78 00:02:41,100 --> 00:02:41,933 which in turn 79 00:02:41,933 --> 00:02:44,400 can also deter potential misuse and ensure adherence 80 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,190 with your organization's cybersecurity policies. 81 00:02:47,190 --> 00:02:48,480 Now, to perform accounting, 82 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,040 we're usually going to use different technologies 83 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,560 like Syslog servers, Network analysis tools 84 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,080 and Security Information and Event Management systems 85 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:56,700 known as a SIEM. 86 00:02:56,700 --> 00:02:59,010 Syslog servers are going to be used to aggregate logs 87 00:02:59,010 --> 00:03:01,260 from across various network devices and systems 88 00:03:01,260 --> 00:03:03,300 so that system administrators can analyze them 89 00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:06,660 to detect patterns or anomalies in the organization systems. 90 00:03:06,660 --> 00:03:09,420 Network analyzers like Wireshark can be used to capture 91 00:03:09,420 --> 00:03:12,030 and analyze network traffic so that network administrators 92 00:03:12,030 --> 00:03:14,520 can gain detailed insights into all the data moving 93 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:15,990 across their network. 94 00:03:15,990 --> 00:03:18,330 And a security information and event management system 95 00:03:18,330 --> 00:03:21,000 known as SIEM will provide us with a real-time analysis 96 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:22,680 of our security alerts that are generated 97 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,350 by various hardware and software infrastructure pieces 98 00:03:25,350 --> 00:03:27,180 inside of our organization. 99 00:03:27,180 --> 00:03:29,160 So remember, accounting is used to ensure 100 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,310 that every action within a system is tracked and recorded. 101 00:03:32,310 --> 00:03:34,890 This meticulous record keeping provides transparency, 102 00:03:34,890 --> 00:03:38,040 enables regulatory compliance, aids in forensic analysis, 103 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:39,450 ensures resource optimization 104 00:03:39,450 --> 00:03:41,940 and holds users accountable for their actions. 105 00:03:41,940 --> 00:03:43,380 Just as you'd want a detailed statement 106 00:03:43,380 --> 00:03:45,840 of your bank transactions to ensure financial transparency 107 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:48,270 in the digital world, accounting stands as a testament 108 00:03:48,270 --> 00:03:50,490 to a system's integrity and security. 109 00:03:50,490 --> 00:03:52,140 It's a pivotal component of security 110 00:03:52,140 --> 00:03:54,060 and it's used to ensure that every transaction 111 00:03:54,060 --> 00:03:56,790 and every interaction is transparent, traceable 112 00:03:56,790 --> 00:03:57,813 and trustworthy.