Cybersecurity Basics: Tools and Cyberattacks from edX

Cyberattacks have surged by 71% and are predicted to continue increasing. This alarming statistic highlights the continued demand for cybersecurity professionals. Jumpstart your cybersecurity career with this introductory IBM course, which introduces you to fundamental cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive measures.

Explore the evolution of cybersecurity and the motivations of the actors behind cyberattacks, including types such as malware, ransomware, and other security threats. You'll also relate critical thinking to common cybersecurity practices and architecture.

Hear from industry experts regarding their own careers, skills, perspectives, and experiences. Frameworks, standards, and organizations play a fundamental role in cybersecurity, which you will also investigate.

Throughout, you’ll build practical knowledge and technical expertise through hands-on labs. Your final project will enable you to effectively demonstrate your understanding of cybersecurity principles.

This course is for anyone who wants to know the basics of cybersecurity and is part of a series designed to help you start a career as a Cybersecurity Analyst.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Begin your journey in a cybersecurity-related profession with the fundamental concepts in this course
How to apply key cybersecurity concepts, tools, and methodologies to protect digital and physical assets

To identify various security threats and common cybersecurity best practices
To understand authentication and identity management concepts for safeguarding your organization

Begin your journey in a cybersecurity-related profession with the fundamental concepts in this course
How to apply key cybersecurity concepts, tools, and methodologies to protect digital and physical assets
To identify various security threats and common cybersecurity best practices
To understand authentication and identity management concepts for safeguarding your organization

Syllabus

Module 1: Cybersecurity Insights

Module 2: Cybersecurity Threats

Module 3: Cybersecurity Controls

Module 4: Identity and Physical Controls

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides hands-on labs, which allow learners to gain practical experience with cybersecurity tools and techniques

Designed to help learners begin a career as a Cybersecurity Analyst, which is a growing field

Introduces fundamental cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive measures, which builds a strong foundation

Presented by IBM, a company recognized for its contributions to cybersecurity and its development of security tools

Part of a series, which may indicate a more comprehensive and detailed approach to learning cybersecurity

Reviews summary

Cybersecurity basics: foundation and practical tools

According to learners, this course is a largely positive and excellent starting point for individuals new to cybersecurity. Students find it provides a clear and accessible introduction to fundamental concepts, common threats like malware and ransomware, and essential preventive measures and controls. The inclusion of hands-on labs is frequently praised as a valuable component that helps solidify understanding through practical application. However, a number of reviewers feel the course is quite basic and that it requires further learning and study to gain job-ready skills or delve deeper into specific topics.

Concepts presented in an accessible manner.

"The instructors explain complex topics simply and clearly."

"Everything was presented logically and in a way that was easy to digest for a beginner."

"I never felt lost thanks to the clear explanations and examples."

"The course content is very approachable even if you're new to the field."

Hands-on exercises aid understanding.

"The labs were incredibly useful for practicing what I learned in the lectures."

"I appreciated the hands-on demos and exercises; they reinforced the theoretical knowledge well."

"Though basic, the labs provided necessary practical experience I wouldn't get otherwise."

"Implementing concepts in the labs made them much clearer."

Provides a solid, accessible foundation.

"This course is an excellent starting point for anyone new to cybersecurity."

"It provides a clear overview of the fundamental concepts without being overwhelming."

"I found the introduction to tools, threats, and controls very easy to follow."

"Perfect for absolute beginners with no prior IT knowledge."

May not challenge those with prior knowledge.

"As someone with a little IT background, this course was too basic for me."

"If you already know basic networking and computer concepts, you might find this course moves too slowly."

"Wish there was more advanced content included to challenge me further."

"Felt like a repeat of things I already knew from online articles or free resources."

Not sufficient for immediate job readiness.

"This course is just the first step; you definitely need to learn much more to get a job in cybersecurity."

"It's a good overview but doesn't go deep enough into any one area to make you proficient."

"You will absolutely need to supplement this with other resources or more advanced courses."

"Don't expect to be job-ready just from completing this course."

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 Cybersecurity Basics: Tools and Cyberattacks with these activities:

Review Networking Fundamentals

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Reviewing networking fundamentals will provide a solid foundation for understanding how cyberattacks propagate and how security controls are implemented.

Browse courses on OSI Model

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Review the OSI model and TCP/IP suite.
Practice subnetting calculations.
Research common network protocols.

Review 'Security Engineering' by Ross Anderson

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Reading 'Security Engineering' will provide a broader and deeper understanding of the principles behind cybersecurity.

View Security Engineering: A Guide to Building... on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to network security and cryptography.
Take notes on key concepts and examples.

Practice Identifying Malware Types

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Practicing identifying different types of malware will reinforce your understanding of cybersecurity threats.

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Research different malware types (viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, etc.).
Find examples of each type of malware.
Create flashcards or a quiz to test your knowledge.

Four other activities

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Follow a Tutorial on Setting Up a Firewall

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Following a tutorial on setting up a firewall will provide hands-on experience with a key cybersecurity control.

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Find a tutorial on setting up a firewall (e.g., using iptables or a GUI-based firewall).
Follow the tutorial step-by-step.
Test the firewall to ensure it is working correctly.

Create a Presentation on a Cyberattack

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Creating a presentation on a specific cyberattack will help you solidify your understanding of the attack lifecycle and mitigation strategies.

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Choose a well-known cyberattack (e.g., WannaCry, NotPetya, SolarWinds).
Research the attack: how it worked, who was affected, and what the impact was.
Create a presentation outlining the attack and its consequences.
Present your findings to a friend or colleague.

Review 'Practical Packet Analysis' by Chris Sanders

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Reading 'Practical Packet Analysis' will provide a practical understanding of network traffic analysis and how it can be used to detect cyberattacks.

View Intrusion Detection Honeypots on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to packet capture and analysis.
Practice capturing and analyzing network traffic using Wireshark.

Build a Home Network Security Plan

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Developing a security plan for your home network will allow you to apply the concepts learned in the course to a real-world scenario.

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Assess the security risks to your home network.
Identify security controls to mitigate those risks (e.g., strong passwords, firewall, antivirus software).
Implement the security controls.
Document your security plan.

Career center

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

Cybersecurity Analyst

A Cybersecurity Analyst is responsible for monitoring and protecting an organization's computer systems and networks from cyber threats. This course introduces fundamental cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive measures, which are essential for a Cybersecurity Analyst to understand. Specifically, the course's exploration of malware, ransomware, and other security threats provides critical context for the work done by a Cybersecurity Analyst. The hands-on labs and final project, which enable demonstration of understanding of cybersecurity principles, are particularly helpful for an aspiring Cybersecurity Analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Analyst

Information Security Analyst

The primary duty of an Information Security Analyst is to safeguard an organization's sensitive data and computer systems. This course, with its introduction to fundamental cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive measures, directly prepares individuals for the work done by an Information Security Analyst. The course material covering the evolution of cybersecurity and the motivations behind cyberattacks provides a strong understanding of the threat landscape that every Information Security Analyst must navigate. The practical knowledge and technical expertise gained through hands-on labs are also invaluable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Security Operations Center Analyst

A Security Operations Center Analyst monitors and responds to security events detected in an organization's network. This course provides crucial foundational knowledge about cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventative strategies, all of which are relevant to the daily work of a Security Operations Center Analyst. The course's detailed discussion of malware, ransomware, and other security threats builds a necessary understanding for this role. Furthermore, the hands-on labs and final project facilitate the practical application of concepts, which is important for anyone working in a Security Operations Center.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Operations Center Analyst

Network Security Engineer

Network Security Engineers design, implement, and maintain an organization's network security infrastructure. This course gives a basic understanding of cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive actions that every Network Security Engineer needs to know. Specifically, the modules covering cybersecurity controls, and identity and physical controls will be valuable to a Network Security Engineer. The course will help a Network Security Engineer understand the cyber threat landscape, which is important when making design and implementation decisions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Security Engineer

IT Security Specialist

An IT Security Specialist is responsible for protecting an organization's information technology infrastructure from threats. This course introduces fundamental cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive measures, all of which are highly relevant for an IT Security Specialist. The course's focus on various security threats such as malware and ransomware contributes to the knowledge necessary to identify and address vulnerabilities. This course may be useful for anyone who seeks work as an IT Security Specialist.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Security Specialist

Security Consultant

Security Consultants advise organizations on how to improve their cybersecurity posture. The introduction to fundamental cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive measures provided in this course is highly valuable for a Security Consultant. This knowledge enables a Security Consultant to effectively assess and strategize solutions for clients. This course may be useful for anyone seeking to become a Security Consultant, especially given the emphasis on critical thinking and common cybersecurity practices.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Consultant

Vulnerability Analyst

Vulnerability Analysts identify weaknesses in an organization's systems and networks that could be exploited by attackers. The discussion of security threats, such as malware and ransomware, in this course will help a Vulnerability Analyst understand the types of issues they will need to identify. Additionally, understanding cybersecurity practices and architectures, covered in this course, is necessary for performing effective vulnerability assessments. This course may be useful for anyone planning to become a Vulnerability Analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Vulnerability Analyst

Incident Responder

An Incident Responder manages an organization's response to a security incident. The description of security threats, like malware and ransomware, in this course will help an Incident Responder understand the types of attacks they may encounter. The emphasis here on practical knowledge and technical expertise will be beneficial for an Incident Responder, particularly in identifying and mitigating cyber incidents. This course may be useful for those looking to become an Incident Responder.

See salaries and explore the career path for Incident Responder

Cloud Security Specialist

Cloud Security Specialists are responsible for protecting data and applications hosted in cloud environments. This course provides fundamental knowledge of cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive measures, all of which are beneficial to a Cloud Security Specialist. This course may be useful for anyone who seeks work as a Cloud Security Specialist as it provides a strong foundation for understanding security principles, especially the modules on cybersecurity controls, and identity and physical controls.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Security Specialist

Penetration Tester

Penetration Testers ethically simulate cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities in an organization's systems. An understanding of cybersecurity threats, such as malware and ransomware, that are explored in this course will help a Penetration Tester understand potential attack vectors. This course may be useful in helping anyone interested in becoming a Penetration Tester, given it introduces cybersecurity principles and practices as well as technical expertise through hands-on labs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Security Auditor

A Security Auditor assesses an organization's security controls to ensure compliance with standards and regulations. This course introduces the fundamental cybersecurity concepts, threats, and practices that a Security Auditor needs to be aware of. The course also provides an overview of frameworks, standards and organizations in the cybersecurity space, which would help a Security Auditor in their work, and may be useful for those interested in the field.

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Data Privacy Analyst

Data Privacy Analysts ensure that an organization handles personal data in compliance with applicable privacy laws. While not the primary focus, knowledge of cybersecurity best practices, which are discussed in this course, can aid a Data Privacy Analyst in assessing risks related to data security. This course may be helpful to a Data Privacy Analyst who wants a more holistic view of risk to data. The modules on identity and access controls are particularly useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Privacy Analyst

IT Project Manager

An IT Project Manager oversees the planning, implementation, and tracking of IT projects. While not directly related to the daily tasks of an IT Project Manager, the introduction to cybersecurity concepts, threats, and preventive measures in this course will help them understand the importance of security in their projects. Also, the course's emphasis on frameworks and standards may be useful during projects. This course may be helpful.

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Technical Support

Technical Support professionals assist internal and external users with technical issues. This course introduces basic cybersecurity concepts, which may be helpful for Technical Support when dealing with certain user issues. While not directly related, understanding common threats, as covered in this course, can provide context for a Technical Support professional. This course may be helpful as a way to gain understanding of security concerns.

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Systems Administrator

Systems Administrators manage and maintain an organization's computer systems and networks. While this role doesn't focus on security per se, basic knowledge of cybersecurity threats and controls, discussed in this course, is beneficial for understanding the risks facing the systems they manage. This course may be helpful in providing additional guidance when it comes to system security.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Cybersecurity Basics

Tools and Cyberattacks

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Cybersecurity basics: foundation and practical tools

Activities

Career center

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