When we think about using the internet, it feels like such an integral part of our daily lives that we rarely give it a second thought. However, more and more emphasis is being placed on the importance of cybersecurity, as reports of leaked or stolen personal data are becoming more common by the day. And with cybersecurity courses online being so easily accessible, anyone can easily assure their online safety.
Because the subject is important to everyone, cybersecurity courses can be found on many online learning platforms. However, as with any other online course, it can be very difficult finding that needle in hundreds of hay stacks.
To help you find the best option for your needs, in this article we will be discussing the highest-rated cybersecurity courses online hosted by the top MOOC platforms:
- The Complete Cyber Security Course: Hackers Exposed - a Udemy class
- Introduction to Cyber Security - a Coursera specialization
- Introduction to Cybersecurity Tools & Cyber Attacks - a Coursera class
- Cybersecurity Specialization by Coursera
- The Complete Cyber Security Course: Network Security - a Udemy class
- Cybersecurity Fundamentals - an edX program
- Cybersecurity Fundamentals - an edX MicroBachelors program
These cyber security classes not only introduce students to the main concepts and methods of cyber security, but equip them with practical skills that can assure the safety of your personal information.
But before we get into what exactly made these cyber security courses receive user praise, let's take a moment to talk about why cyber security should be something to pay more attention to.
Table of Contents
- 1. Why Should You Take Cybersecurity Courses Online?
- 2. The Complete Cyber Security Course: Hackers Exposed! (Enroll Here)
- 3. Introduction to Cyber Security Specialization (Enroll Here)
- 4. Introduction to Cybersecurity Tools & Cyber Attacks (Enroll Here)
- 5. Cybersecurity Specialization (Enroll Here)
- 6. The Complete Cyber Security Course: Network Security! (Enroll Here)
- 7. Cybersecurity Fundamentals (Enroll Here)
- 8. Cybersecurity Fundamentals (Enroll Here)
- 9. Conclusions
Why Should You Take Cybersecurity Courses Online?
Even though cybersecurity is undeniably important to anyone using the internet, many often tend to see it as something other, that can only be seen on the news and will never happen to them. Well, that's exactly how those news stories come to be.
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Over the past few years the number of online security breach reports have been noticeably increasing. Understandably, as modern technology is further developed to assure our safety online, new methods of getting into various accounts are being created at the same time.
As more and more reports come in, risks tend to start with identity theft leading to uncomfortable situations on social media, and end with bankruptcy and, in worst cases, severe mental distress.
The risk of having your personal data stolen is always looming over our heads. However, just a few simple safety measures can keep your online identity safe from malicious hackers. Anyone can benefit from taking cyber security classes, as it can only take a few hours to prevent significant damage.
The highest-quality online cyber security courses offer straight-to-the-point, informative, and useful content for affordable prices. Even just one class can help you learn how to safely use the internet.
In addition, you can take it one step further and start a career in cybersecurity. As of right now, jobs in this field are projected to grow an incredible 31% by 2029, making it one of the most promising fields to work in. In fact, it is predicted that cybersecurity experts will remain in high demand for many more years to come.
With some of the best MOOC platforms offering high-quality online cybersecurity courses, anyone can find the best class to suit their needs, whether it’s to secure your data, or to kickstart an exciting career. There really is something for everyone.
And with that being said, let’s dive into the highest rated cybersecurity courses.
The Complete Cyber Security Course: Hackers Exposed! (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 12 hours 5 minutes
- Price: $130.62
- Certificate: YES
- Level: Introductory
- Apply HERE
When people think about cybersecurity the first thing that comes to mind is usually hackers - hooded people, sitting in the dark and aggressively typing away at the keyboard until they whisper the iconic line “I’m in”.
However, hackers are a real-life threat that exists outside of movies and TV shows. Skilled criminals can easily disarm many different security systems, starting with Facebook accounts and ending with high-security institutions.
In order to successfully keep your personal data safe from prying eyes it is undeniably important to understand how hackers operate and what the best ways to keep them away are. Out of many online cybersecurity courses out on the market few cover this topic as well as The Complete Cyber Security Course: Hackers Exposed! - an in-depth Udemy cyber security class.
With this program students will learn what steps they can take to protect themselves from online criminals, what systems are the best to use, and how to assess possible risks. This is the complete core skill set against hackers that can be found useful by anyone.
The cybersecurity course starts with painting a clear picture of you and the enemy - what possibilities each side has, what are their strengths, weaknesses, and possible options - then moves on to the main skills covered in the course.
Consisting of 13 sections, the material is covered in 124 lessons. Even though the number might seem intimidating, you can rest assured, as you won't need months to finish this program. Instead, the course can be completed in 12 hours and 5 minutes, making it the perfect crash course for hackers and cybersecurity.
When it comes to the price, this cybersecurity course is on the more expensive side. Coming in at $130.62 for the entire program, this class is one of the more expensive cyber security classes mentioned on our list. However, with the amount of useful information included in the learning material, the class is more than worth the price.
Those enrolled in this course will learn:
- How to pinpoint possible online hacker threats;
- How to use the systems available to protect yourself;
- The basic knowledge needed to start a career in cybersecurity.
If you’ve ever dreamt about being the hero that stops the villainous hackers depicted in movies, then this is the perfect cybersecurity course online to start your training.
Start the course NOW.
Introduction to Cyber Security Specialization (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: Approx. 4 months
- Price: $39
- Certificate: YES
- Level: Introductory
- Apply HERE
Cybersecurity is a field that can be discussed for hours and still have some unmentioned topics remaining. From detecting threats to developing your personal security network, each area can be discussed in separate in-depth online cybersecurity courses.
This might result in some inconveniences to those who want to know as much as possible about cybersecurity, but are deterred by the high expenses of taking several separate online cyber security classes.
Well, that's where Coursera comes in.
With Introduction to Cyber Security Specialization, the platform offers a complete package deal that covers all of the fundamentals in cybersecurity leaving no stone unturned.
Designed with beginners in mind, the specialization consists of 4 cybersecurity courses - Introduction to Cyber Attacks, Cyber Attack Countermeasures, Real-Time Cyber Threat Detection and Mitigation, and Enterprise and Infrastructure Security. Including everything from basic knowledge to more advanced lectures, the course is guaranteed to take you from zero to hero in no time.
Along with the featured online cyber security courses the specialization includes hands-on projects that, once completed, will earn students the accredited certificates. Powered by NYU, this will definitely make your resume shine.
Because the program includes several full length courses, the specialization is estimated to take around 4 months to complete. That being said, the deadlines are flexible and can be scheduled according to students’ individual needs, making sure the entire program will fly by in no time.
Naturally, pricing plays an important role in choosing online courses to take. The entire specialization can be taken for $39 per month, however, students can have a 7 day free trial to test out the class without any commitment or charges.
It rarely gets any better than a deal like this.
Those enrolled in the program will learn:
- The basic skills needed to set up an individual cybersecurity system;
- Most effective methods and tools to detect real-time online threats;
- What safety systems are used by enterprises to enforce cyber security on a large scale.
If you are eager to learn everything about online safety fundamentals, then there aren't many better cybersecurity courses online than this specialization.
Start the course NOW.
Introduction to Cybersecurity Tools & Cyber Attacks (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: Approx. 20 hours
- Price: $49
- Certificate: YES
- Level: Introductory
- Apply HERE
Often cybersecurity courses focus on the prevention methods only and tend to neglect the background information that can reveal a lot about the nature of the attacks and best ways to prevent them from the beginning. Knowing the motives behind cyber attack can open us to a whole new perspective on cybersecurity and even help develop new tools to keep us safe.
If you are looking for cyber security courses online that analyse hacking from the perpetrator's side, then you have come to the right place. Introduction to Cybersecurity Tools & Cyber Attacks is a Coursera program designed to introduce students to a unique perspective to cybersecurity and hackers.
The program focuses on a deeper understanding of cybersecurity, including history and key aspects of every part of the subject. The aim of this course is to teach users that there is more than the usual points covered in most cyber security classes online.
Consisting of 4 sections, the syllabus breaks the learning material into the main blocks of topics - History of Cybersecurity, A brief overview of types of actors and their motives, An overview of key security concepts, and An overview of key security tools. Each set of lectures builds on the previously covered material, ensuring a smooth learning experience.
Even though this cybersecurity course only has 20 hours of content, the material is spread out over 4 weeks, making it not as simple to speed through the lectures. However, the deadlines are flexible, which makes the program suitable even for those with busy schedules.
An online cybersecurity course discussing such a niche side of the topic might seem like it will be quite expensive. Well, we are happy to inform you that the full package of the class won’t cost you more than $49, making it incredibly affordable.
Students enrolled in this program will learn:
- The evolution of security based on historical events;
- How to describe key cybersecurity concepts;
- Identify and utilize key cybersecurity tools.
We are certain that there isn’t a more unique and interesting online cybersecurity course currently available.
Start the course NOW.
Cybersecurity Specialization (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: Approx. 8 months
- Price: $39
- Certificate: YES
- Level: Intermediate
- Apply HERE
As mentioned in the beginning of this article, cyber security and software used to target personal data are constantly evolving, continuously boosting the need of experts in the field. To make the beginning of this dynamic career run smoother, taking several cybersecurity courses can help you find your dream job in no time.
Cybersecurity Specialization by Coursera is the perfect way to start preparing for work in the field, detailing everything a cyber security specialist might need to know on their first day of work.
This specialization focuses on the systems and methods that are being used and developed to enforce cybersecurity and prevent possible future breaches. To add to that, the program includes a course on computer-human interactions that can be used in developing new cyber security software.
The syllabus consists of 5 courses - Usable Security, Software Security, Cryptography, Hardware Security, and Cybersecurity Capstone Project. In addition to explaining how different security systems work, the program aims to help users develop an analytic way of thinking that can be used to further work in the cybersecurity field.
Consisting of 5 courses, the program is estimated to last around 8 months. However, it is important to note that this estimate is based on a workload of 2 hours per week, so you won't even notice how the specialization will be completed.
As standart to Coursera specializations, students can test the waters out for 7 days completely free of charge. And if they decide to stay and continue learning, the program costs $39 per month. Knowing how much inform
ation you will receive during this course this price is an incredible bargain.
Those enrolled will learn:
- How to develop cybersecurity software based on human-computer interaction;
- What strengths and weaknesses different types of software have;
- What role in cybersecurity is played by hardware.
This is an excellent choice to those looking for a core set of knowledge needed to start developing new cybersecurity systems.
Start the course NOW.
The Complete Cyber Security Course: Network Security! (Enroll Here)
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 12 hours 25 minutes
- Price: $142.50
- Certificate: YES
- Level: Introductory
- Apply HERE
Cybersecurity breaches can occur not only when some outsiders manage to log into private accounts. This also includes network security, as many important private details are encrypted in our network addresses. However, many cybersecurity courses tend to focus on software safety measures and exclude this important aspect of the topic.
To assure that you are fully protected from anyone with ill intent Udemy has developed a cyber security class that focuses exclusively on network safety methods. The Complete Cyber Security Course: Network Security! is a cybersecurity course online designed to help you become an expert of personal and business network protection.
The syllabus covers the A to Z of online security, starting with WiFi IP address protection and ending with browser security. The program aims to cover the details that are often overlooked in other cyber security courses online, assuring complete protection of your personal information on the internet.
Consisting of 13 sections and 106 lectures, the learning material is divided by topic and covers network security step by step. With 12 hours and 25 minutes of content, this program is one of the most extensive individual courses mentioned on our list. This just shows how important network security is to your overall cyber safety.
An important thing to take notice of is this cybersecurity course’s price. The in-depth online class will cost students $142.50 to take, which, even though it’s steep, is a great price for a course of this caliber.
After all, your safety is priceless.
Those enrolled in this program will learn:
- How to discover security vulnerabilities across an entire network;
- Understand how we are tracked online by corporations;
- Learn to configure and architect a small network for maximum physical and wireless security.
There are many ways to protect yourself online, and this course is one of the best ways to secure your networks.
Start the course NOW.
Cybersecurity Fundamentals (Enroll Here)
More often than the most in depth cybersecurity courses online are actual university programs. This makes a lot of details inaccessible to many potential students whether it is due to geography, pricing, or clashing schedules.
However, there is and MOOC platform that offers university-level, high quality cyber security courses online that can be taken by anyone in the world.
Cybersecurity Fundamentals is an edX course, created in partnership with Rochester Institute of Technology, that includes every aspect of cybersecurity. Being part of a MicroMasters program, the content quality of this class is one of the highest on the market at the moment.
The extensive syllabus leads students through every step and technique that can assure their cybersecurity one lesson at a time. Starting with Concepts and Problems and ending with Malware and Forensics, the program leaves no stone unturned and equips students with the ultimate skill set to assure their complete cyber security.
The entire material is divided into 10 units by topic, making the learning process much easier. This is important as the program is intended for students with pre-existing knowledge and experience in the field of cybersecurity. The clear structure also comes in handy when the intensity of the course is considered - the program is estimated to take 8 weeks of 10 to 12 hours of work each to complete.
Now, you must be expecting this program to cost a fortune to enroll in. Well, we are here to tell you that edX has one of the best pricing systems out there. Anyone can enroll in the full program for absolutely free, while those interested in receiving an accredited certificate upon completion would need to pay $249.39 for the full package. This creates a wonderful opportunity to receive high-quality education without significant financial investments.
Those enrolled in the program will learn:
- Network and system administration fundamentals;
- Information assurance fundamentals such as confidentiality, integrity and availability, etc.;
- Basic cryptography concepts.
If you were looking for an all-in-one online cybersecurity course, then this edX program is one of the best options to go for.
Start the course NOW.
Cybersecurity Fundamentals (Enroll Here)
At the moment many universities are offering computer security courses to their students due to the increasing importance of cybersecurity. However, not many people can afford to enroll in physical university courses due to many reasons, such as logistics or finances. However, those interested in receiving a diploma in cyber security can breathe a sigh of relief because now they can access it from anywhere in the world.
The edX MicroBachelors Program in Cybersecurity Fundamentals is a university-level cyber security course, powered by New York University. Worth 6 academic credits, the program is an online equivalent of a bachelor’s program that can be taken in universities.
The entire program consists of 9 full-length edX courses, making it the most extensive and in-depth program on our list. The courses included cover the core principles of cyber security - information security, network security, and penetration testing.
In addition to the learning material, the program includes job outlooks in the cybersecurity field, so students can start job hunting immediately after successfully completing the courses. This program is meticulously designed to prepare you for a successful career in the industry.
Students that want to receive the diploma are required to complete all 9 cybersecurity courses with no less than 70% on the final grade. Because of this you should expect a high-intensity learning experience - just like in a real university.
To assure a stress-free learning environment the program is completely self-paced, allowing students to work in a comfortable manner. This is important as the program is estimated to take around 1 year to complete, so comfort and a manageable schedule is incredibly important.
With all that said, we still need to discuss the price of the program. Keeping in mind the level of the courses, the price tag is not surprising. In order to enrol, take, and complete the MicroBachelor’s program students have to pay $1346.72 for the full package.
Understandably, this course isn’t affordable to everyone. However, compared to other bachelor programs in universities, this online course costs a fraction of the price of many real-life classes, making it a great investment into one’s future and education.
Students taking this program will learn:
- How to apply security policies that are commonly used in modern operating systems;
- With a given target, successfully identify vulnerabilities, score their risk, and explain mitigations;
- Write new exploits to test various types of vulnerabilities on clients, against servers, and to escalate privileges;
- Responsibly disclose findings in a professional report that can be used to recreate the exploit, explain the impact to the target, and prioritize each finding.
This is one of the highest quality cyber security courses online that offers a university-level certificate, making it an investment worth anyone’s while.
Start the course NOW.
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Conclusions
As we have already mentioned, cybersecurity is becoming increasingly more important in our daily lives, assuring that we are safe from malicious cyber attacks. Even though there are various services available that can hacker-proof your internet access, there are undeniable benefits of learning to secure your personal data yourself.
Taking cybersecurity courses yourself can help you better understand your unique situation and needs, allowing you to choose the best solutions and avoid unnecessary expenses and reach an optimal result in no time.
In this article we discussed 7 of the most popular and highest-rated cybersecurity courses online hosted by the best MOOC platforms. If you’d like, you can look through the list one more time here:
- The Complete Cyber Security Course: Hackers Exposed - a Udemy class
- Introduction to Cyber Security - a Coursera specialization
- Introduction to Cybersecurity Tools & Cyber Attacks - a Coursera class
- Cybersecurity Specialization by Coursera
- The Complete Cyber Security Course: Network Security - a Udemy class
- Cybersecurity Fundamentals - an edX program
- Cybersecurity Fundamentals - an edX MicroBachelors program
These online cyber security courses are favourites among students due to their extensive content and high quality. In addition, several programs, such as the MicroBachelors Program in Cybersecurity Fundamentals by edX, offer university-level certificates upon completion, making them a great investment.
That being said, some courses listed are on the more expensive side, making them less appealing to students not interested in significant financial expenses. That being said, higher prices reflect the high quality of the programs.
In the end, all things considered, it’s easy to see why so many students rave about these cybersecurity courses, as the information covered can save you from many unfortunate events.
We would like to thank you for taking the time to read our article on the best cybersecurity courses online currently available and we hope that you found it useful. We wish you safe surfing and hope to see you coming back soon!