Try It: Cybersecurity Basics from edX

Cybersecurity as a profession is projected to grow much faster than the national average for all occupations.1 Want to break into the field?

This beginner-friendly and asynchronous course will help you jumpstart your cybersecurity career. Engage in an online learning experience tailored to your experience level.

In it, you will learn to think like a cyber pro, at your own pace. Study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.

Key concepts covered in this course include:

-Cybersecurity

-CIA Triad

-Cryptography

-Plaintext

-Ciphertext

-Encryption

-Decryption

-Cipher

-Key

-Caesar Cipher

-Symmetric encryption

No prior experience or technical installations is required to join or complete this course.

Footnote:

1 Occupational Outlook Handbook: Information Security Analysts. (2022). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. March 14, 2023.

This Try It is offered in support of the Cybersecurity Boot Camp with the Tecnológico de Monterrey. If you enroll in this Try It, your learner data will not be shared with the Tecnológico de Monterrey unless you enroll in the Cybersecurity Boot Camp.

What's inside

Learning objectives

-recognize the basics and the importance of cybersecurity.
-define and apply the cia triad to different scenarios.

-examine cryptography basics and how they apply to cybersecurity.

-recognize the basics and the importance of cybersecurity.
-define and apply the cia triad to different scenarios.
-examine cryptography basics and how they apply to cybersecurity.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

teaches the CIA Triad, the foundation of information security

introduces cryptography basics, essential for understanding cybersecurity

develops an understanding of the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals

requires no prior experience or technical installations, making it beginner-friendly

aligns with the projected growth in the cybersecurity field

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Try It: Cybersecurity Basics with these activities:

Organize your notes and resources

Show steps

Enhance your understanding by organizing your notes, assignments, and resources.

Show steps

Review and categorize your materials
Create a digital or physical filing system
Regularly update and maintain your organized resources

Review basic arithmetic

Show steps

Refresh your basic arithmetic skills to ensure a strong foundation for learning algorithms and data structures.

Browse courses on Arithmetic

Show steps

Review whole numbers
Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
Use flashcards or online games to test your skills

Read 'Coders at Work'

Show steps

Understand the experiences and insights of expert programmers through real-world interviews.

View Coders at Work: Reflections on the Craft of... on Amazon

Show steps

Read the book and take notes
Discuss the key takeaways with peers or a mentor

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Connect with industry professionals

Show steps

Expand your network and gain valuable insights by connecting with industry professionals.

Show steps

Attend industry events
Join professional organizations
Reach out to potential mentors via LinkedIn or email

Solve coding challenges on LeetCode

Show steps

Strengthen your programming skills by practicing problem-solving on LeetCode.

Show steps

Choose difficulty level
Solve coding challenges
Review solutions and learn from mistakes

Design a mobile app prototype

Show steps

Create a mobile app prototype to demonstrate your UX/UI skills and problem-solving abilities.

Show steps

Define the app's purpose and target audience
Sketch out the app's flow and design
Use a prototyping tool to create a clickable prototype
Test the prototype with users and gather feedback

Create a blog post on a technical topic

Show steps

Share your knowledge and improve your writing skills by creating a blog post on a technical topic.

Show steps

Choose a topic and research it
Write a draft and get feedback
Edit and publish your blog post

Build a simple portfolio website

Show steps

Develop a portfolio website to showcase your skills and projects, enhancing your job prospects.

Show steps

Choose a template or design a custom layout
Create a home page, about page, and project gallery
Add your projects and descriptions
Publish your website and share it with potential employers

Career center

Learners who complete Try It: Cybersecurity Basics will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Cryptographer

Cryptographers develop and implement methods for encrypting and decrypting data. They work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cryptographer

Network Security Engineer

Network Security Engineers design, implement, and maintain security controls to protect their employer’s networks from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. They work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents. *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* can teach you the foundational knowledge you need to become a Network Security Engineer. This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Security Engineer

Cybersecurity Engineer

Cybersecurity Engineers design, implement, and maintain security controls to protect their employer’s networks, computers, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. They work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents. *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* is an introductory course that can prepare you to work as a Cybersecurity Engineer. This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Engineer

Cybersecurity Architect

Cybersecurity Architects design and implement security architectures to protect their employer’s networks, computers, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. They work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents. *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* will provide foundational cybersecurity knowledge for working as a Cybersecurity Architect. This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Architect

Cybersecurity Manager

Cybersecurity Managers are responsible for overseeing the cybersecurity program for their organization. They develop and implement security policies and procedures, and they manage the team of cybersecurity professionals who are responsible for protecting the organization’s networks, computers, and data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Manager

Cloud Security Architect

Cloud Security Architects design and implement security architectures to protect their employer’s cloud-based networks, computers, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. Cloud Security Architects work with other IT professionals to develop and implement security policies and procedures, and to monitor and respond to security incidents. *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* will provide foundational cybersecurity knowledge for working as a Cloud Security Architect. This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Security Architect

Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts plan and implement security measures to protect their employer’s computer networks and systems from cyberattacks, unauthorized access, and other threats. They monitor network traffic for suspicious activity, and develop and implement security policies and procedures to safeguard their employer’s data and systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Penetration Tester

Penetration Testers are ethical hackers who are hired to test the security of their employer’s networks, computers, and data. They use their hacking skills to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors, and they provide recommendations on how to fix these vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Security Analyst

Security Analysts are tasked with protecting their employer’s hardware, software, networks, and data from unauthorized access and cyberattacks. They monitor and analyze their employer’s computer systems for suspicious activity, and develop and implement security measures to safeguard their employer’s network and data. As a participant in the *Try It: Cybersecurity Basics* course, you will learn about the importance of cybersecurity, as well as the CIA Triad and how it applies to this field. Additionally, you will examine cryptography basics and how they apply to cybersecurity. This is a beginner-friendly course, so it may be useful for those seeking to enter this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst

Security Consultant

Security Consultants provide cybersecurity consulting services to help their clients protect their networks, computers, and data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, and other threats. They work with clients to assess their security needs, develop and implement security plans, and monitor and respond to security incidents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Consultant

Incident Responder

Incident Responders are responsible for responding to security incidents, such as cyberattacks and data breaches. They work with other IT professionals to contain the damage caused by the incident, and to restore the affected systems and data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Incident Responder

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are responsible for the overall security of their organization’s information systems. They develop and implement security policies and procedures, and they manage the team of cybersecurity professionals who are responsible for protecting the organization’s networks, computers, and data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Forensic Computer Analyst

Forensic Computer Analysts investigate cybercrimes and other computer-related crimes. They collect and analyze evidence from computers and other electronic devices, and they provide expert testimony in court.

See salaries and explore the career path for Forensic Computer Analyst

Information Technology (IT) Auditor

Information Technology (IT) Auditors are responsible for auditing the security of their employer’s IT systems. They review the organization’s security policies and procedures, and they test the effectiveness of the organization’s security controls.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Technology (IT) Auditor

Risk Analyst

Risk Analysts assess the risks that their employer faces from cyberattacks and other threats. This course will help you think like a cyber pro, study the key elements of the CIA Triad, cryptography basics, and the daily responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals working in the field today.

See salaries and explore the career path for Risk Analyst