CyBOK. For the community, by the community
Since 2017, more than 115 experts from across the world have committed energy into establishing this open and freely accessible resource. The Body of Knowledge codifies the foundational knowledge in cyber security for education and professional training. It is funded by the National Cyber Security Programme and supported by the UK Cyber Security Council.
CyBOK version 1.0 and associated resources were launched in October 2019 with 19 Knowledge Areas (KAs) following broad community engagement. In response to further feedback and input, the current version, CyBOK v1.1, was released in July 2021, expanding the framework with two new KAs: Applied Cryptography and Formal Methods for Security. CyBOK v1.1 remains the latest version available.
Knowledgebase
CyBOK Version 1.1
CyBOK Version 1.1 including all 21 knowledge areas is now available to download.
About CyBOK
An increasing political, societal and economic concern, cyber attacks cost an estimated $400 billion (according to Lloyds) to global economies. The scale of the issue was further highlighted recently when the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists factored cyber attacks into their decision to move the symbolic Doomsday Clock closer to midnight.
However, there is a long-recognised skills gap within the cyber security sector, an issue that experts agree is compounded by a fragmented and incoherent foundational knowledge for this relatively immature field.
Mature scientific disciplines, such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology have long-established foundational knowledge and clear learning steps from pupils studying GCSEs at secondary school to undergraduate degrees at university, and beyond.
Aims of the CyBOK project
CyBOK is a guide to the body of knowledge – the knowledge that it codifies already exists in literature such as textbooks, academic research articles, technical reports, white papers and standards. The project’s focus is, therefore, on mapping established knowledge and not fully replicating everything that has ever been written on the subject. The CyBOK project team undertook an extensive exercise involving a mapping and analysis of relevant texts as well as a range of community consultations both in the UK and internationally via workshops, an online survey, interviews and position papers. These activities provided an in-depth understanding of the community’s collective view of the 19 top-level Knowledge Areas (KAs) that should be in the scope of CyBOK, and CyBOK v1.0 was released in October 2019.
Following community feedback and direct input after this release, two new KAs (Applied Cryptography and Formal Methods for Security) were produced, and one KA (Network Security) underwent a major revision; in July 2021, CyBOK v1.1 was published, with 21 KAs spanning five categories. The current phase of the project focuses on dissemination and promotion of CyBOK, along with ongoing evolution and maintenance of the KAs and other materials, and consideration of the longer-term future of CyBOK. Our vision continues to be for CyBOK to become an established, internationally recognised resource for all the security community sectors (academia, industry and government).
Frequently asked questions
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