A Brief Guide on Cyber Security Foundational Courses
Cyber security is an important topic, and the skills required to be a cyber-security professional are often not taught in school. Cyber security foundational courses are in high demand, with major companies looking for skilled cyber security experts. Whether you want to take a career as a cyber-security professional or wish to learn about this area of computer science for personal reasons, many free online courses can help you understand the basics.
A Brief Guide on Cyber Security Foundational Courses
Cyber Security Foundational Courses
Introduction to Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science is a course on the basics of computer science, and Dr. Paul Hilfinger teaches it from Stanford. This course teaches you what computers are and how they work, including programming concepts and algorithms. It also discusses the hardware that runs computers, from the CPU to memory chips.
Introduction to Cybersecurity
The course offered is Introduction to Cyber security, which teaches cyber security fundamentals. The course covers operating systems and networks, cryptography, threats and vulnerabilities, and more. The topics help students gain a better understanding of how cyber security works in different contexts.
Another course offered is Network Security Tools. This course covers four major areas: network scanning and surveillance, system hacking; web application security; and mobile device security. It also introduces cryptography, malware analysis, intrusion detection systems, honeypots, forensics investigations, cryptography attacks, and much more.
Basic Data Privacy and Security Concepts
Data privacy and security are crucial topics in cybersecurity. To better understand why data privacy and security are essential, it helps first to understand the basic concepts of these two topics.
Data Privacy: Data Privacy is the concept that people have the right to control their data, including what they share with others and how they share it.
Security: Security is defined as the efforts to protect something or someone from harm or danger. Cyber security professionals are responsible for protecting a company’s computer systems and internet networks against cyberattacks.
In this introductory course, you’ll learn about data privacy laws and five ways companies can protect themselves against cyber attacks. The system is free, takes less than an hour to complete, and covers some of the most critical topics in cybersecurity.
Cryptography and Encryption
One of the most critical topics in cybersecurity is cryptography. This course, “Cryptography and Encryption,” introduces the basics of cryptography by looking at its history, how it works, and what it’s used for. You’ll also learn about encryption methods like public-key encryption and RSA encryption. The areas covered in this course will help you understand the importance of cryptography and use it practically.
Digital Forensics
Digital Forensics is the science of capturing, storing, and analyzing data from any digital device that may have been involved in a crime. These devices include cell phones, computers, laptops, and servers. The course covers computer software to analyze many types of digital evidence such as social media posts, chat logs, and internet searches.
Web Application Security
An online course that teaches students about web application security. This course covers SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and session management.
Website Vulnerabilities
Website vulnerabilities are a significant concern for companies in today’s digital world. As websites become more prominent, it becomes easier for hackers to attack them. There has been a considerable rise in website vulnerabilities that malicious actors have exploited.
Web Application Penetration Testing
It provides comprehensive information about all the steps in the process. This course covers topics from the basics, like how to use the Metasploit Framework, to more advanced issues like database exploitation and Windows privilege escalation. The system also gives you hands-on exercises designed to help you practice this hacking methodology.
Social Engineering
One of the standard hacking techniques is social engineering. Social engineering is when a hacker pretends to be someone else, like a customer service representative, to get a user to divulge private information. They might call you and say your account has been breached and that your data will be deleted if you don’t provide them with your username and password.
Common Types of Attacks
Cyber security professionals are tasked with safeguarding digital information security, including sensitive data and intellectual property. One example of a common type of attack is phishing, which occurs when an individual receives a message that seems to be from a trusted source but is constructed to steal your information.
Ethical Hacking and Type of Ethical Hackers
One of the first courses you can take is the “Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing Course.” Security professionals typically use the skills taught in this course to test the vulnerability of a plan before they exploit those vulnerabilities.
This course also includes a section on types of hackers, which is helpful if you’re looking for an overview of the hacking world. There are three general types of hackers: Black hat hackers, White hat hackers, and Grey hat hackers.
Conclusion
With cyber security becoming a more prevalent topic in the media, it is not surprising that people want to learn more about it. Having a general understanding of the possible types of attacks and how to combat them can help you protect yourself and your devices. Cyber security courses can be an excellent place to start.
