Free Cybersecurity Courses and Webinars
Cyber security is the protection of your hardware, software and data from unauthorized access and cyber attacks. Hear from cybersecurity experts on how to prevent attacks, practice cyber hygiene, patch vulnerabilities, detect threats, and respond to breaches faster. From network security to application security and data security, each element of cyber security plays into your organization's overall security posture.
Discover the latest collection of talks and videos on Cyber Security from industry experts.
TED Talks on cybersecurity
TED Talks are known for their compelling delivery, informative nature, and 18-minute time limits. They’re also completely free to watch. Platforms like YouTube and the TED website host dozens of TED and TEDx speeches on cybersecurity. In the Laws of cyber security, we rounded up 12 compelling TED and TEDx Talks that will appeal to professionals and those who are just curious about cybersecurity.
Stanford University’s free cybersecurity webinars and videos
We don’t all have the credentials to earn a degree from the elite California university, but that doesn’t mean the school’s educational resources are out of reach. As part of its professional certificate program in advanced computer security, Stanford offers free cybersecurity webinars and a video talk series featuring some of the university’s computer security experts. The school also has a deep bench of free videos on computer science and security on its YouTube channel.
Hear from thousands of thought leaders and experts by tuning in to BrightTALK’s comprehensive stream of cybersecurity-related webinars. Thousands of videos are available in the IT security stream, which is constantly being updated. Especially useful for professionals who are further along in their cybersecurity careers, BrightTALK’s also includes options for non-English speakers.
BeyondTrust’s webinar offerings
Cybersecurity solution provider BeyondTrust provides a variety of products to help companies protect themselves against cyber threats. And it offers a wide breadth of educational resources like webinars, white papers, data sheets, and case studies. The firm’s webinars examine best practices, expert tips for closing security gaps, and other applicable concepts that help organizations guard against attacks.
Computer Systems Security
Offered by Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Originally presented in 2014, this MIT course is offered entirely free to anyone. It spans a whole semester but can be taken at your own pace, and it’s taught by Professor Nickolai Zeldovich. For those interested in taking a college-level class in cybersecurity online at no charge from a leading university, this is your match. The free online cybersecurity course studies the design and implementation of secure systems and covers threat models, attacks, and tools for achieving the best level of security. Designed for seniors and Master of Engineering Students, it’s pretty advanced, and beginners may find it a little too robust.
MIT’s open-source classes and lectures are the same ones taught on campus, but you don’t need to be an MIT student to participate. The other advantage to MIT’s OCW is that there are no sign-ups or information to provide. You can start anywhere in your browser and take the course in its entirety or pick and choose the classes you want to participate in.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: One semester
Curriculum: Advanced
User Experience: Good
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
•World-class education at no charge
•Self-graded quizzes available to test your progress
•Lots of readings, lectures, labs, and other resources
Cons:
•May be too advanced for most beginners
Cybersecurity for Beginners
This free online cybersecurity course was developed by Heimdal Security and is geared toward home users and enterprises alike. It’s a bit different than some of the other self-paced courses on our list, as this one consists of five weeks of training, with lessons delivered to your email inbox every two days. Six main topics are covered, including:
• Setting up your security system and understanding the jargon
• Tools and tactics to protect you from malicious content
• Detecting and preventing various threats
• Protecting yourself and your children from cyber crimes
• Protecting your email, social media accounts, and personal data
• Avoiding and counteracting harmful viruses
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Five weeks
Curriculum: Introductory
User Experience: Good
Quality of Instruction: Good
Pros:
•Offered by an industry leader in cybersecurity
•Perfect for those who want to secure their home or business systems
•Offered via email in small increments
Cons:
•Geared toward end users rather than those on a career path
Cybersecurity Training
This open source training leaves much to be desired when it comes to user experience and navigating the site may be a challenge for students accustomed to a more structured learning platform. With that said, however, the content available on the site is extensive, which is why we’ve included it as one of the best free resources for learning cybersecurity.
There are 29 classes, 24 instructors, and 63 days of open source class materials available on everything related to cybersecurity. Motivated learners can uncover some terrific learning tools here by simply clicking around to see what is available. Coursework in network forensics, cellular security, intrusion detection, and hacking techniques are just a sampling of what is available. No sign up is necessary, and courses can be taken at your own pace by jumping in to whatever looks interesting. Open Security Training has classes available for all levels, from beginners to experts.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Varies
Curriculum: Introductory to Advanced
User Experience: Fair
Quality of Instruction: Good
Pros:
•Something for everyone
•Suitable for those who are looking for an ala carte experience
•No signups or commitments
Cons:
•User Experience could be improved upon
Mobile App Security
Mobile app security is one of the fastest-growing disciplines within the cybersecurity industry, and this short course also found on the Cybrary platform offers users a terrific overview of this particular specialization. It’s taught by Tony Ramirez, who holds a Masters in Cybersecurity and Forensics from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and it takes just a little over an hour to complete. The goal of the free online cybersecurity course is to teach students with little or no previous mobile app security knowledge to:
● Understand the basics of mobile threats
● Explain the various types of testing for mobile app security
● Develop security baselines within their organizations
● Begin the journey into the specialty of mobile app security
Cybrary’s sophisticated platform makes learning a breeze, and students who complete the course are eligible for a certificate of completion.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Time to Complete: One hour and 12 minutes
Curriculum: Introductory
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
•Take the course in an afternoon
•Perfect for those who want a solid foundation in mobile app security
•Entirely free course to introduce students to a specialized topic
Cons:
•Too short
Introduction to IT and Cybersecurity
This free IT and Cybersecurity training course is four hours and 21 minutes long and is ideal for beginners. The training introduces students to the industry by focusing on the four disciplines of IT and Cybersecurity:
• Systems administration
• Network engineering
• Incident response and forensics
• Offensive security and penetration testing
The course is overseen by Master Instructor at Cybrary, Ken Underhill and Senior Technical Instructor at FireEye, Joe Perry. These industry experts provide one of the best free online cybersecurity courses on our list that’s specifically designed to help those who are on the fence decide about the right career path for them. Students will find the Cybrary platform progresses in a logical, user-friendly sequence using engaging on-demand video.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Time to Complete: Four hours and 21 minutes
Curriculum: Introductory
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
•Certificate offered
•Short and engaging
•Drills down to the specifics of each career path in the field
Cons:
•Students must create an account to access the materials
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