In this opening chapter, we embarked on a journey to explore the foundational principles of cybersecurity and risk management, two essential pillars in safeguarding your digital realm. We began by understanding the fundamental concepts of cybersecurity and gained insight into the importance of cybersecurity in our world, both at an individual and organizational level. We delved into the essence of risk management, learning how to identify, assess, and mitigate risks. Understanding risk is a crucial step in making informed decisions about security measures. You explored the world of cyber threats, from malware to insider threats. Recognizing these threats and their telltale signs equips you to proactively protect systems and data. Then, you learned how to identify vulnerabilities in systems and processes using tools such as vulnerability scanners to proactively address weaknesses. Finally, we compared the NIST CSF and the NIST RMF, highlighting their purpose, components, and...