ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the nuts and bolts of the CSEC2017 body of knowledge. An authoritative body of knowledge is an important tool for every profession. That is because that body of knowledge conveys the wide range of interconnected knowledge elements that must be mastered by the members of a profession. This has been particularly difficult in the case of cybersecurity, because cybersecurity subject matter has the potential to reach into many of the nooks and crannies of the computing profession. In that respect then, an explicit statement of the essential knowledge skill and ability requirements for the specific discipline of cybersecurity becomes a critical element of the teaching and learning process.
The key factor is the common acceptance of the CSEC as a standard model for cybersecurity education. This is a critical issue because a well-defined and commonly accepted model of best practice is essential as a stable point of reference for defining the curricula and research agendas for the field. It is also the reason why a universally understood and commonly accepted knowledge framework provides indispensable advice about the bases that need to get touched in the teaching and learning process.
Therefore, this chapter presents the background and application of bodies of knowledge. It details the importance of bodies of knowledge in shaping new fields. It explains how bodies of knowledge affect the development of curricula, and it provides a rationale and the various potential applications of a common body of knowledge for cybersecurity in education. Finally, it summarizes the knowledge areas of the CSEC and their constituent units.
