Wireshark
Wireshark is an industry standard tool for capturing packets across a local network. It is a great way to apply the understanding of packets you gained from this course to a real world scenario.
This free online YouTube course outlines the basic utility of wireshark and the powerful things it is capable of. It includes instructions for downloading and various cool tricks to make packet analysis easier.
DNS poisoning
In this course we discussed IP addresses on a local area network but how do computers identify themselves outside of your home? DNS or Domain Name Service is the protocol for identifying server’s public ip addresses with human readable urls. In a nutshell the url “facebook.com” has an associated ip address for your area that your computer needs to route you to the correct server where everything your friends and family post about is stored. DNS allows this process to happen efficiently every time you search the web. This article further outlines the idea behind DNS and how hackers exploit its mechanics to route internet users to malicious sites.
https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/dns-cache-poisoning/
Careers in Cyber Security
Cyber security is a massive field that is growing quickly as the internet continues to explode. The concepts you learned in this class are the building blocks for understanding how to secure/penetrate vulnerable networks. This webpage from the government of Canada outlines the various career opportunities in cyber security and the next steps you can take to achieve them. If you are interested in how your passion for computer networks can become a highly lucrative job, click the link below.
https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/cyber-security-career-guide?external_link=true