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CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity

4.7 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Based on 3 ratings
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David J. Malan

This is CS50's introduction to cybersecurity for technical and non-technical audiences alike. Learn how to protect your own data, devices, and systems from today's threats and how to recognize and evaluate tomorrow's as well, both at home and at work. Learn to view cybersecurity not in absolute terms but relative, a function of risks and rewards (for an adversary) and costs and benefits (for you). Learn to recognize cybersecurity as a trade-off with usability itself. Course presents both high-level and low-level examples of threats, providing students with all they need know technically to understand both. Assignments inspired by real-world events.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Hacking, cracking
  • Social engineering, phishing attacks
  • Passcodes, passwords, sso
  • Brute-force attacks, dictionary attacks
  • Biometrics
  • Multi-factor authentication, password managers
  • Ethical hacking
  • (distributed) denial-of-service attacks
  • Viruses, worms, botnets
  • Sql injection attacks
  • Port-scanning
  • Proxies, firewalls
  • Automatic updates
  • Closed-source, open-source software
  • Buffer-overflow attacks
  • Secure deletion
  • Hashing, salting
  • Secret-key, public-key encryption, digital signatures
  • Full-disk encryption, ransomware
  • Cookies, sessions, incognito mode
  • Anonymization, de-identification
  • Verification
  • Operating systems, app stores

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Taught by instructors who are recognized for their work in cybersecurity education
Develops knowledge and skills in cybersecurity that are highly relevant to industry and academia
Builds a strong foundation for beginners in cybersecurity
Examines cybersecurity concepts and practices from both a high-level and low-level perspective
Provides hands-on assignments inspired by real-world cybersecurity events
Teaches ethical hacking techniques that can be valuable for cybersecurity professionals

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Reviews summary

Cs50's accessible and practical cybersecurity introduction

According to learners, CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity is a highly praised course that offers a thorough and accessible introduction to essential cybersecurity concepts. Students consistently highlight the engaging lectures by David Malan and the clear explanations that make complex topics understandable for both technical and non-technical audiences. The course is noted for its real-world examples and practical, hands-on assignments, which greatly enhance learning. While some learners with prior experience desired deeper technical dives, the consensus is that it provides a strong foundational understanding for anyone seeking to improve their digital security awareness.
Course has addressed past technical issues, improving user experience.
"Some older reviews mentioned setup issues, but I didn't experience many problems with the latest version. Seems like they've updated some things."
Labs and projects are effective, though some found less engaging.
"The hands-on labs are brilliant for practical understanding."
"The problem sets really test your understanding."
"I found some of the 'hands-on' aspects less engaging than I hoped. It felt more theoretical at times."
Assignments and examples apply directly to real-life scenarios.
"The final project was challenging but rewarding, applying everything learned."
"The real-world examples were a huge plus."
"Assignments inspired by real-world events... this is exactly what I needed to boost my security awareness."
David Malan's explanations are clear and captivating.
"The instructor, David Malan, explains complex concepts in a way that truly clicks..."
"The instructor's passion shines through, making even dry topics interesting."
"The explanations were clear, and the lectures were well-produced."
Complex concepts are explained clearly for diverse learners.
"Absolutely fantastic! This course provides an incredibly thorough yet accessible introduction to cybersecurity."
"As a complete beginner, I was worried this would be too technical, but CS50 delivered!"
"It truly bridges the gap between technical and non-technical."
Offers broad coverage but may lack advanced technical detail.
"My only minor gripe is that some topics could have gone deeper, but for an 'introduction,' it's more than sufficient."
"If you're looking for deep technical skills, you might need to supplement it."
"I found the technical depth lacking in certain areas... might feel too basic."

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 CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity with these activities:
Organize and review course materials thoroughly
Enhance your learning by systematically organizing and reviewing course materials, ensuring a deeper understanding of key concepts.
Show steps
  • Gather and organize all course materials, including lecture notes, assignments, and readings.
  • Review the materials regularly, taking notes and highlighting important information.
  • Identify areas where further clarification or understanding is needed.
  • Seek additional resources or support from instructors or peers for clarification.
Review concepts of cryptography
Review mathematical concepts, algorithms, and protocols to strengthen your foundation in cryptography.
Browse courses on Cryptography
Show steps
  • Re-read relevant sections from course materials or textbooks on encryption algorithms, hash functions, and digital signatures.
  • Go through practice problems and exercises to test your understanding of key concepts.
Attend a workshop on password management best practices
Enhance your knowledge of password security best practices and techniques to protect your accounts and data from compromise.
Browse courses on Password Management
Show steps
  • Identify and register for a workshop on password management.
  • Attend the workshop and actively participate in the activities.
  • Implement the learned techniques and recommendations to improve your password security.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Follow tutorials on ethical hacking techniques
Enhance your understanding of ethical hacking principles and techniques through guided tutorials to develop a practical skillset.
Browse courses on Ethical Hacking
Show steps
  • Identify reputable online resources or platforms offering tutorials on ethical hacking.
  • Select a specific tutorial that aligns with your learning goals.
  • Follow the tutorial step-by-step, taking notes and experimenting with the techniques.
  • Apply the learned techniques in a safe and controlled environment, such as a virtual lab.
Practice cracking hashed passwords using tools
Gain hands-on experience in cracking hashed passwords using various tools to improve your understanding of password security.
Browse courses on Password Cracking
Show steps
  • Set up a lab environment with necessary tools like hashcat or John the Ripper.
  • Obtain a dataset of hashed passwords.
  • Configure and run the tools to crack the passwords, experimenting with different attack strategies.
  • Analyze the results and identify effective password-cracking techniques.
Design and implement a security plan for a small organization
Apply your knowledge of cybersecurity principles to create a comprehensive security plan that addresses real-world scenarios.
Browse courses on Cybersecurity Policy
Show steps
  • Identify the organization's assets, threats, and vulnerabilities.
  • Develop a risk assessment and mitigation strategy.
  • Design and implement security controls to protect against identified risks.
  • Document the security plan and communicate it to stakeholders.
Build a simple intrusion detection system using open-source tools
Gain practical experience in developing a security solution by building an intrusion detection system using open-source tools.
Show steps
  • Research and select suitable open-source tools for building an intrusion detection system.
  • Configure and deploy the tools to collect and analyze network traffic.
  • Develop detection rules and fine-tune the system to minimize false positives.
  • Monitor the system and respond to security incidents as necessary.

Career center

Learners who complete CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Cryptographer
Cryptography and data protection are key topics in CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity. Cryptographers work in a wide variety of jobs with responsibilities that include implementation of cryptographic algorithms, designing and implementing security protocols, evaluating the security of cryptographic systems, and performing cryptanalysis, which is the study of finding flaws in cryptographic systems. This course helps build a foundation in cryptography and can provide valuable knowledge for professionals in this field. For example, the syllabus covers hashing, salting, secret-key, public-key encryption, and digital signatures.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cryptographer
Security Analyst
Security analysts are responsible for identifying, analyzing, and mitigating security risks to an organization's computer systems and networks. This course provides the skills needed to detect and prevent security breaches, such as knowledge of hacking and cracking, social engineering, phishing attacks, and password attacks. Course content can directly help with security risk assessments and incident response planning.
See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst
Cybersecurity Engineer
Cybersecurity engineers design, implement, and maintain security measures to protect computer systems and networks. This course provides a strong understanding of the principles of cybersecurity, including topics such as ethical hacking, viruses, worms, botnets, and denial-of-service attacks. This foundational knowledge can be a helpful starting point for building a career in cybersecurity engineering.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Engineer
Software Engineer (Security)
Software engineers with a specialization in security focus on designing and developing software that is secure from vulnerabilities and attacks. This course provides essential knowledge of security principles, such as secure deletion, buffer-overflow attacks, SQL injection attacks, and port-scanning. It can also help build a foundation for best practices in software security.
See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer (Security)
Forensic Computer Analyst
Forensic computer analysts investigate computer-related crimes, such as hacking, fraud, and identity theft. This course can provide valuable knowledge in areas such as secure deletion, closed-source versus open-source software, anonymization, and de-identification, which are relevant to the field of digital forensics.
See salaries and explore the career path for Forensic Computer Analyst
Network Security Specialist
Network security specialists design, implement, and maintain network security measures to protect against unauthorized access, attacks, and data breaches. This course can provide valuable knowledge of relevant topics such as proxies, firewalls, and denial-of-service attacks. It may also help in understanding network security protocols and monitoring tools.
See salaries and explore the career path for Network Security Specialist
IT Auditor
IT auditors assess an organization's information systems and controls to ensure compliance with security standards and regulations. This course can provide knowledge of topics such as security risk assessments, password management, and data protection, which are essential for IT auditors to have a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity.
See salaries and explore the career path for IT Auditor
Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Data protection officers are responsible for overseeing an organization's compliance with data protection laws and regulations. This course provides knowledge of topics such as data privacy, anonymization, and de-identification, which are crucial for understanding data protection principles and best practices.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Cybersecurity Consultant
Cybersecurity consultants provide advice and guidance to organizations on how to protect their computer systems and networks from security threats. This course provides knowledge of various cybersecurity topics, including risk assessment, incident response, and security audits. It can help build a solid foundation for providing consulting services in the field of cybersecurity.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Consultant
Penetration Tester
Penetration testers are ethical hackers who are hired to test an organization's security systems and identify vulnerabilities. This course provides knowledge of hacking and cracking techniques, as well as tools and methods used in penetration testing. It can help build a foundation for a career in penetration testing.
See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester
Security Architect
Security architects design and implement security measures for an organization's computer systems and networks. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity principles and best practices. It can help build a foundation for developing secure network architectures and implementing security solutions.
See salaries and explore the career path for Security Architect
Incident Responder
Incident responders are responsible for responding to and handling security breaches and other cybersecurity incidents. This course provides knowledge of incident response procedures, including threat detection, containment, eradication, and recovery. It can help build a strong foundation for managing cybersecurity incidents effectively.
See salaries and explore the career path for Incident Responder
Information Security Manager
Information security managers are responsible for overseeing an organization's information security program and ensuring compliance with security standards and regulations. This course provides knowledge of security risk management, incident response, and security audits. It can help build a strong foundation for managing an organization's information security.
See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Manager
Cybersecurity Educator
Cybersecurity educators teach cybersecurity concepts and principles to students at various levels. This course provides a comprehensive overview of cybersecurity, including topics such as ethical hacking, cryptography, and network security. It can help build a foundation for developing and delivering cybersecurity curriculum.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Educator
Cybersecurity Researcher
Cybersecurity researchers work in academia and industry to identify and develop solutions to new and emerging cybersecurity threats. This course provides a strong understanding of cybersecurity principles and best practices. It can help build a foundation for conducting research in the field of cybersecurity.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Researcher

Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity.
Security Engineering and Tobias on Locks Two-Book...
Save
This advanced textbook delves into the technical aspects of designing and implementing secure systems, exploring topics such as threat modeling, risk assessment, software vulnerabilities, and incident response. It is valuable for learners interested in a deeper understanding of cybersecurity engineering principles.
Security Engineering and Tobias on Locks Two-Book...
Hardcover
$$$$
Cover image
Penetration Testing
Save
This practical guide provides hands-on experience with penetration testing techniques, covering topics such as reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and exploitation. It is suitable for learners who want to develop a deeper understanding of ethical hacking and the methodologies used by security professionals to identify and mitigate security weaknesses.
Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to...
Paperback
$$
Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Human Hacking
Save
Explores the psychological and social aspects of cybersecurity, focusing on techniques used by attackers to manipulate human behavior and gain access to sensitive information. It is valuable for learners interested in understanding and defending against social engineering attacks.
Human Hacking
Paperback
Check
Human Hacking
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Designing and Developing Secure Azure Solutions
Save
This textbook focuses on secure coding practices, providing guidance on how to write secure software code. It covers topics such as input validation, error handling, and secure data storage, helping learners develop the skills necessary to write secure and reliable software applications.
Designing and Developing Secure Azure Solutions...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Cryptography 101: From Theory to Practice
Save
This practical guide provides hands-on experience with cryptographic algorithms and techniques, covering topics such as symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing, digital signatures, and key management. It is suitable for learners seeking to develop a strong foundation in cryptography and its applications in cybersecurity.
Cryptography 101: From Theory to Practice
Paperback
Check
Cryptography 101: From Theory to Practice
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Data and Goliath
Save
This thought-provoking book examines the privacy implications of data collection and surveillance in the digital age. It explores the ethical, social, and legal issues surrounding the use of personal data and raises awareness about the importance of protecting privacy in the face of advancing technology.
Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect...
Paperback
$$
Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect...
Kindle Edition
$
(Deutsch) Data und Goliath - Die Schlacht um die Kontrolle...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
The Art of Deception
Save
Focuses on the human aspect of cybersecurity, exploring the psychological techniques used by attackers to manipulate and deceive their victims. It provides valuable insights into the social engineering tactics used in many cyberattacks, helping learners understand and defend against these threats.
The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element...
Hardcover
$$
The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
The Hacker Playbook 3
Save
This beginner-friendly guide provides a step-by-step approach to penetration testing, covering topics such as reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and exploitation. It includes practical exercises and real-world examples, making it a good choice for learners who want to develop hands-on skills in cybersecurity.
The Hacker Playbook 3: Practical Guide To...
Paperback
$$
The Hacker Playbook 3: Practical Guide To...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Ghost in the Wires
Save
This autobiography tells the story of one of the most famous hackers in history, who spent years evading the FBI and breaking into some of the world's most secure computer systems. It provides a firsthand account of the motivations and techniques of a skilled hacker, offering valuable insights into the mind of an attacker.
Ghost In The Wires: My Adventures as the World's...
Paperback
$$
Cover image
Network Security Essentials: Applications and...
Save
This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of network security concepts and technologies, covering topics such as network protocols, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and VPNs. It is valuable for learners seeking a deeper understanding of network security architectures and best practices.
Network Security Essentials: Applications and...
Paperback
$$$
Cover image
CUCKOO'S EGG
Save
This classic memoir recounts the author's real-life experience tracking down a hacker who infiltrated his computer system. It provides a fascinating and engaging introduction to the world of cybersecurity and the challenges of defending against cyberattacks.
CUCKOO'S EGG
Kindle Edition
$$
High-Tech Heretic: Reflections of a Computer...
Paperback
$$
Silicon Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the...
Paperback
$$
(日本語) The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Mazeof...
Tankobon Hardcover
$$
Cover image
Digital Forensics, Investigation, and Response
Save
This practical guide provides insights into the tools and techniques used by hackers, as well as strategies for incident response and recovery. It is suitable for learners interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the attacker's perspective and developing effective defense mechanisms.
Digital Forensics, Investigation, and Response
Paperback
Check
Digital Forensics, Investigation, and Response
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Cybercrime Prevention
Save
This textbook provides a sociological perspective on cybercrime, examining the motivations and behaviors of cybercriminals. It explores topics such as cyberbullying, identity theft, and financial fraud, offering insights into the human factors that drive cybercriminal activity.
Cybercrime Prevention: Theory and Applications...
Hardcover
$$
Cover image
Wild Symphony
Save
This popular thriller novel explores the world of cryptography and codebreaking, featuring a brilliant cryptographer who must race against time to prevent a terrorist attack. It provides an entertaining and accessible introduction to the concepts of encryption and decryption, making it a good choice for learners seeking a more creative approach to understanding cybersecurity.
Wild Symphony
Paperback
Check
Wild Symphony
Kindle Edition
Check

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Rating
4.7 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Effort
2 to 6 hours per week for 5 weeks
Level
Introductory
Via
edX
Institution
Harvard University
Instructor
David J. Malan
Language
English
Transcripts
English Español Français Português Deutsch 中文 العربية हिंदी Türkçe తెలుగు Bahasa Indonesia Kiswahili
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Taught by instructors who are recognized for their work in cybersecurity education
Develops knowledge and skills in cybersecurity that are highly relevant to industry and academia
Builds a strong foundation for beginners in cybersecurity
Examines cybersecurity concepts and practices from both a high-level and low-level perspective
Provides hands-on assignments inspired by real-world cybersecurity events
Teaches ethical hacking techniques that can be valuable for cybersecurity professionals
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