Understanding Cyber Security part 4 - Network Programming

Hands-on network communication - understanding IP and TCP network communication

What you'll learn
- Develop TCP-based client and server applications in Python using the Socket library
- Identify the TCP session in coding, including three-way handshake, data exchange, and graceful termination
- Understand the concept of port, perform port search, binding and scanning to evaluate vulnerabilities
- Assess and implement multiple client applications using threads or the Select concept and understand their pros and cons
- Understand the pros and cons of implementing TCP vs UDP applications and compare their execution
- Craft and send custom TCP/IP packets using Scapy to simulate network attacks, test protocol behavior, or evaluate security defenses

Requirements
- Basic Python knowledge is required
- Attending "Understanding Cyber Security part 1 and 2" is recommended

Description
This is the fourth course in a six-part series on network communication, which includes the following modules:Network Fundamentals, The power of Wireshark, TCP/IP Protocols, Network Communication Programming with Python, Web Protocols in Action, andCyber Attack Analysis. Together, these courses provide a comprehensive foundation in networking, combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on skills for analyzing, building, and defending networked systems. This series is designed for students who wish to develop a deep and practical understanding of how modern networks operate, how data flows across systems, and how vulnerabilities in these networks can be detected and mitigated.

Thisfourthcourse focuses onprogramming network communication over TCP and UCP using Python’s socket libraryand theScapypacket manipulation framework. Students will begin by writing TCP and UCP clients and servers, handling connection setup, message exchange, and graceful teardown. They will then progress to crafting and sendingcustom raw and TCP/IPpackets using Scapy, enabling precise control over packet headers, flags, and payloads for testing, simulation, and security analysis.

Building on concepts from earlier courses, students will integrate programming with protocol analysis—usingWiresharkto capture and correlate their Python-generated traffic with real packet flows. Special emphasis will be placed on simulating and detecting TCP-based attack vectors, including SYN floods, stealth scans, and sequence number prediction.

This combination oflow-level protocol programmingandhands-on traffic analysisprepares students for advanced topics in intrusion detection, secure protocol design, and custom network tool development in later courses.

Who this course is for:
- This course is intended for every high school and university student, seeking knowledge and knowhow in cybersecurity. It strives to facilitate learning by thinking and understanding, and to promote students' proficiency in handling complex ideas and mastering cybersecurity software projects.
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