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University of Cape Town (GetSmarter)
The University of Cape Town offers an online course on the fundamentals of cybersecurity in collaboration with GetSmarter, an online education provider. The course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the various elements of cybersecurity management. Students are taught and guided by a head tutor and industry expert.
Managers, executives, and senior managers who wish to gain a broad understanding of cybersecurity, IT professionals looking to level up their knowledge, and even non-IT professionals who wish to develop cybersecurity skills should opt for this course. All the coursework is available online. Students have access to course videos, discussion forums to interact with fellow classmates, and live online group tutorials. To enhance their learning, they also work through real-world case studies and complete weekly assignments.
The coursework is divided into eight modules and an introductory section. The curriculum includes the following topics: the principles of cybersecurity management; risk management; cybersecurity culture; corporate culture; cybersecurity architecture, software, and hardware; compliance management; and incident management.
Students learn how to manage cybersecurity risk in an organization, the methods of network design, hardware and software applications in cybersecurity, and the development of an incident response plan for an organization. Upon completing the course, students will receive a certificate from the University of Cape Town.
University of Colorado (Coursera)
The University of Colorado offers an introduction to cybersecurity for business online course, which is part of the cybersecurity for business specialization. The entirely online course is delivered through the popular MOOC platform, Coursera. The coursework includes various real-world examples and quizzes to help students absorb the material better. The course is taught by Greg Williams, a teacher in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Colorado, focusing primarily on cybersecurity.
In this short course, students get an overview of practical computer security, including the fundamentals of using security in business. Spread over five weeks, the curriculum covers computer security definitions, risk assessments and frameworks, tools and protocols in everyday computing, and attack surfaces.
The course provides students with a thorough understanding of attacks and how they can defend their organization against them. Students who complete the program can receive a certificate that they can add to their resume.
Kennesaw State University (Coursera)
Kennesaw State University offers an online Coursera course called “Cybersecurity and Its Ten Domains” taught by Dr. Humayun Zafar, an associate professor of information security and assurance. Prior experience in IT security is not a prerequisite.
The class consists of video lectures and assessments to gauge students’ learning. Delivered over seven weeks including a week of orientation, the program provides an introduction to the concepts of software development security, cryptography, disaster recovery, risk management, operations security, and security architecture.
The program provides students with a holistic understanding of cybersecurity as well as risk management. Students can receive a certificate that can be added to their resume and professional online profiles. They can also receive undergraduate course credit at Kennesaw State University.
Udacity, an educational platform offering massive open online courses, offers a short online introduction to cybersecurity. It must be noted that the platform does not offer degrees and its programs are not affiliated with any university. All the same, its courses are delivered by qualified and experienced instructors and help students acquire valuable real-world skills.
This class teaches students the basics of the field through YouTube videos, rich content, and interactive quizzes for better understanding. The syllabus is divided into seven lessons, the first of which is an introduction to the course.
The lessons cover subjects such as programming, networking, systems, APIs, cloud architecture, and finally, cybersecurity fundamentals. The course provides students with basic tasks such as scripting, troubleshooting networking components, and interacting with APIs to help them gain practical experience.
By the end of the course, students have an understanding of important security concepts and the role of compliance and governance in cybersecurity. The course serves as a good primer for those who wish to build a successful career in cybersecurity.
FutureLearn offers an online introduction to cybersecurity that prepares students to identify online threats and take necessary measures to protect themselves. FutureLearn offers a wide range of courses from leading universities and institutions, that can be accessed via mobile devices, tablets, and desktops.
The course has been endorsed by the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Programme and is taught by Arosha K. Bandara, a software engineer with a keen interest in engineering adaptive systems, while the course has been developed by The Open University, the largest academic institution in the UK. Notably, the training has been certified by the Government Communication Headquarters, an intelligence organization affiliated with the government of the UK.
The course curriculum covers cybersecurity threats, authentication, malware types, cryptography, cybersecurity laws, and management of security risk. It helps students identify different types of malware, identify legal and regulatory loopholes, apply risk management and analysis techniques, and improve overall security.
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology offers a short course called the “Fundamentals of Cyber Systems Test and Evaluation,” which is only offered on campus. The program is ideal for technicians, engineers, information security professionals, and managers. Coursework includes workshops to help students gain an understanding of the vulnerabilities of computer systems, how to design test plans, and how to report results.
The course curriculum combines class lectures with discussions and hands-on exercises to keep it engaging and skill-focused. Students explore topics in cyber defenses and cyber-specific policies, cyber testing, test plans, network testing, and data management.
The course teaches students to apply policies in the cyber domain, gain a better understanding of network security, conduct penetration testing, and carry out incident detection. By the end of the course, students are well-acquainted with the various cyber tools available for live virtual constructive tests.
Harvard University (GetSmarter)
Harvard University offers a short online course called “Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age.” The class is delivered in collaboration with GetSmarter and provides students with an overview of different types of risks and how to manage them. They also learn how to assess vulnerabilities in an organization and protect their digital assets.
The course is delivered by Eric Rosenbach, director of the Defending Digital Democracy Project and co-director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School. The short course is ideal for leaders who wish to safeguard their organization against risk, technology experts looking for leadership roles, and security specialists looking to level up their skills.
Apart from videos, the coursework includes rich interactive media such as infographics, discussion forums, as well as traditional learning tools such as course notes. The curriculum comprises eight modules, as well as an orientation module at the outset. Some of the topics students explore include cybersecurity risk; the identification of business assets, systems, and data; the role of leadership in managing risk; cyberlaw; and mitigation strategies.
By the end of the course, students are able to investigate threats to their organization’s data, draw up a plan for cybersecurity, and explain the role of cyber risk management to their organization at large. The course also offers a certificate of completion.
Coventry University (FutureLearn)
FutureLearn offers another online short course entitled “Ethical Hacking: An Introduction.” The course was developed by Coventry University, and is taught by senior lecturers at the same university: Dr. Dan Goldsmith and Dr. Christo Panchev. Delving into subjects such as ethical hacking and its legal implications, the course is ideal for students and professionals with a background in computer science.
The coursework explores legal aspects of penetration testing, penetration testing methodologies, and includes a practical hacking exercise. It helps students develop practical skills in hacking by allowing them to deal with pre-constructed scenarios of exploitation.
On completion of the course, students are well-equipped to implement methods of penetration testing, target specific machines, and understand legal frameworks that govern ethical hacking.
The curriculum helps students explore the processes and legal framework of penetration testing and take part in a simple exploitation exercise in the first of a series of carefully-constructed scenarios designed to develop their ethical hacking skills.
Upon completion of this course students are able to explore the aims and the principles of penetration testing, explore penetration testing methodologies, perform attacks on target machines, and interpret legal frameworks in relation to ethical hacking.
edX (Microsoft)
Microsoft offers the short course “Threat Detection: Planning for a Secure Enterprise” as part of its professional program in cybersecurity. The course is offered through edX, an online MOOC provider. The instructor for the course is an experienced systems engineer with over 20 years of IT experience, Marcin Policht. The course provides students with real world skills and hands-on experience that they can apply immediately. Apart from desktops, course content can also be viewed on tablets and mobile phones.
The course curriculum comprises four modules. The first introduces students to the concept of threat detection. Subsequent modules delve into threat analysis, antimalware scanning, the Microsoft operations management suite, and advanced threat protection. Students learn how to use various Microsoft tools for threat detection and prevention.
The coursework teaches students the importance of detecting enterprise threats, identifying threats in a hybrid and cloud environment, and implementing solutions to threats detected.
University of Colorado (Coursera)
The University of Colorado offers the short online course “Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Connection,” which is part of the homeland security and cybersecurity specialization. Students get an opportunity to study the origins of homeland security and its connection with cybersecurity. The course is ideal for working professionals in the field and cybersecurity enthusiasts. The instructor for the course is Mr. Richard White, an assistant research professor at the University of Colorado.
The syllabus comprises four modules. The first delves into the present state of catastrophe management in the United States; the second explores the mission of homeland security; and the final two modules focus on safeguarding the country against catastrophes, cybersecurity, and infrastructure protection.
On completion of the course, students have a better understanding of why cybersecurity is critical to protect infrastructure, and how it can be implemented in the current scenario. Students also receive a course certificate, which can be shared in their resume, CV, or professional online profiles.
Purdue University offers a short online course titled “Secure Design Lifecycle,” which is a part of the design for security program. The course has a focus on the role of hardware and software in cybersecurity.
Taught by Shreyas Sen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University, the course is ideal for technical professionals, engineers, and students with a background in secure design.
After introducing students to the relevant terminology, the course delves into a holistic view of cybersecurity as well as systems security. Sample some of the topics in the curriculum include software threats, malware and engineering, threat modeling, hardware attacks, and software and hardware verification. Through the coursework, students learn techniques for increasing security, ways of incorporating security into the design, and implementing defenses and secure storage.
Purdue University offers another short online course “Secure Operations,” as part of the design for security program. The program teaches students to integrate security principles into operations at an organization. The course is taught by David Johnson, an associate professor of materials engineering with extensive real-world experience.
The course equips students with skills they can immediately apply in their current jobs and projects. While it is open to students from all disciplines, it is designed specifically for engineers and technical professionals with a background in secure design.
The curriculum explores the current landscape of cyber threats, international regulations, and risk assessment. Students also delve into data security, penetration testing, organized crime, and risk analysis.
At the end of the course, students are able to spot weaknesses in security protocols, recommend improvements, and understand policies and laws on systems operations.
Farheen Gani has researched a wide array of topics related to engineering since 2018. She has written about electrical and computer engineering programs, structural engineering programs, mechanical engineer salaries, environmental engineering programs, and many other subfields of engineering. She...