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Online cybersecurity courses help IT and technical pros to detect, analyze, resolve, and prevent security incidents.
There were around 3.12 million cybersecurity job vacancies worldwide in 2020, and this number will steadily increase as the talent demand overtakes supply. By undertaking an online cybersecurity course or certification, you can make the most of a bullish job environment and turbocharge your career. This article lists the 10 best online cybersecurity courses to consider in 2022.
An online cybersecurity course or certification equips learners with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to detect, analyze, resolve and prevent adverse security incidents. It is conducted via the internet and digital learning materials and typically includes:
The certification examination has a fixed number of questions and passing scores, and those obtaining more than the passing score will qualify. Unlike college or university degrees, online cybersecurity courses do not have a ranking system. Further, learners who undertake an online course or certification may need a properly configured machine to complete the course and all its requirements. This usually entails a laptop with a 64-bit Intel i5/i7 2.0+ GHz processor, 8-16GB of RAM, and 100GB of free space.
Learners can choose between generalist courses and specialized tracks depending on their career goals. It is advisable to select a specialization like cloud security, secure coding, ethical hacking, etc., if you are at a mid-career stage. Fresh graduates can opt for advanced generalist courses to kickstart their careers – but no matter your choice, the program should include five key modules to ensure job readiness.
Key Modules of Online Cybersecurity Courses
As these are professional courses, the curriculum must go beyond basic concepts and theoretical knowledge. It is important to cover the fundamentals of cybersecurity like cryptography, data security, encryption, and network threats. Additionally, the course must delve into specialized areas of security enforcement – for example, cybersecurity for governments and information system auditing. These techniques will differ from one course to another. Some will prepare you for a business-facing enterprise security role, while others are geared for a career in software engineering for Fortune 500s with cybersecurity in mind.
Today, no cybersecurity course is complete unless it discusses the impact of emerging technologies like the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, and others, at least at an abstract level. Knowledge of these technologies will help you understand a company’s security needs in their unique business context. It will also help you come up with innovative solutions for sophisticated threats. Again, the technologies will depend on the course you take, and some will focus entirely on the technical aspects.
This is at the core of cybersecurity – in any context – and an online cybersecurity course must teach you how to look for threats, the signs of compromise, and how to resolve an adverse incident. Topics like malware analysis, network security and scanning, intrusion detection and prevention, etc., all fall under this curriculum component. Also, if you have selected a course meant for IT administrators, you may learn how to run a security operations center (SOC).
While identity and access management (IAM) isn’t universally taught across all online cybersecurity courses, it is a key concept for beginners. Most of the security breaches occurring in enterprise environments can be traced back to incorrectly configured IAM systems. An employee, partner, or guest has excessive privileges, which are exploited by a bad actor or an insider threat. Therefore, identity-related risks are an essential part of a cybersecurity curriculum. It may be included under differently named modules like enterprise security governance, multi-factor authentication, etc.
A cybersecurity professional who can analyze threats from the attacker’s viewpoint is worth their weight in gold, as it were. That’s why many top online cybersecurity courses have a module on penetration testing or ethical hacking. This strategic understanding of how bad actors exploit vulnerabilities can help you set up stronger protective measures and identify risks that would otherwise pass under the radar. This is also a crucial part of secure coding best practices, as you need to think like a hacker to build applications that are as immune to threats as possible.
See More: Application Security Engineer: Job Role and Key Skills for 2021
There were 3.12 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide in 2020, and this number will increase in the next few years. Interestingly, 78% of these vacancies require some kind of certification, which is why online cybersecurity courses are so important. Here are our recommendations for the top online courses and certifications in cybersecurity, listed in alphabetical order.
Disclaimer: This list is based on publicly available information and includes a variety of certifications to cover major skill sets and specialization areas. Readers are advised to conduct their own final research to ensure the best fit for their unique career needs.
Overview: Stanford is consistently ranked among the best universities in the world, and it has a dedicated department for online education. Stanford Online offers a variety of courses for working professionals, graduates, and entire organizations and teams. You can take Stanford’s Advanced Cybersecurity Program either from the University’s official website or via an online course provider like Great Learning.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: Stanford’s Advanced Cybersecurity Program costs $2,500.
Why you should apply: The program is quite comprehensive. It covers the basics as well as specialized areas and technologies like Oracle, Metasploit, and many more. Students can also gain from exclusive interviews with cybersecurity experts from Google, LinkedIn, Stanford, etc.
Editorial comments: This online course is an excellent entry point for general computer science graduates looking to specialize in cybersecurity.
Overview: Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to security assurance for the cloud. It was founded in 2008 and has over 80,000 members worldwide. The CSA regularly works with the U.S. government and other organizations to ensure security-conscious deployment of cloud technologies. The CCSK course is meant to provide you with vendor-agnostic knowledge of cloud data security.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: The Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK) costs $795.
Why you should apply: Experienced IT professionals, information security managers, and others can elevate their cloud skills with this advanced online course in cybersecurity. It is also in line with the recommendations of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA).
Editorial comments: The certification is ideal for those considering a cybersecurity career in the public sector and governments, and the course fees are waived for veterans.
See More: Cybersecurity Awareness Month: 25 Security Terms You Should Be Familiar With
Overview: The Australian Institute of ICT offers a wide range of courses to working professionals. For this course, it partners with Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), which is among the most in-demand certifications in the cybersecurity job market. The learning takes place entirely online through a global learning platform, Skillsoft.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: The fee for the Certified Cyber Security Professional certification is $4,950.
Why you should apply: This online course brings together three foundational CompTIA courses – CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, and CompTIA Security+. This saves you the effort of having to enroll in multiple courses while also preparing you for diverse career opportunities.
Editorial comments: Soft skills are as important as technical skills for a successful cybersecurity career. This certification offers comprehensive training, ideal for fresh graduates.
Overview: The International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) offers several cybersecurity courses, and CEH is among its most popular ones. The CEH course is currently in its 11th version and comprises over 3500 hacking tools and over 420 technologies, taught across a 40-hour program.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: There is a $100 application fee, and you can request a callback for a quote for self-study or live online learning solutions.
Why you should apply: CEH-certified professionals are employed by top companies like IBM, Microsoft, PwC, Ford, Cisco, and several other Fortune 500 companies. The course also offers several options when choosing your learning mode. You can prepare for the exam via EC-Council-provided course materials or a third-party learning provider.
Editorial comments: CEH is a globally recognized certification for ethical hackers and penetration testers. Professionals interested in these areas should mandatorily consider this course.
See More: Ready, Set, Hack: 6 Skills To Become an Ethical Hacker in 2021
Overview: Founded in 1969, ISACA is an international organization for IT governance. It has 157,000+ members worldwide and offers eight certification programs and additional micro-certificates. The CISA course is an online cybersecurity certification for experienced professionals looking to specialize in enterprise IT audit and compliance.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: The CISA certification examination costs $760, while the course materials cost $895.
Why you should apply: CISA is globally recognized, and you can take the exam in multiple non-English languages, including Chinese, French, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Turkish, and Spanish. You can also take the exam without completing the course, based only on your prior work experience. ISACA also offers a robust learning portal.
Editorial comments: CISA is among the premier certifications for security auditors. IT professionals with some security experience can leapfrog their career prospects with this online course.
See More: How To Pick the Best Data Science Bootcamp to Fast-Track Your Career
Overview: As mentioned, ISACA offers eight certification courses, including CISM. CISM helps new or experienced IT professionals to explore a career pivot towards cybersecurity or strengthen their capabilities in high-risk enterprise environments. CISM is meant primarily for enterprise jobs and not the public sector.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: The CISM certification examination costs $760, while the course materials cost $895.
Why you should apply: A CISM certification can be a big help if you are exploring a mid-level career change. It is extremely enterprise-focused, with modules on business continuity planning, disaster recovery, and third-party risk management.
Editorial comments: This online cybersecurity course addresses some of the most urgent issues enterprises face today from a strategic perspective. The course equips IT professionals to define frameworks, establish metrics, report on security risks, and support the business.
Overview: CySA+ is one of CompTIA’s three online courses in cybersecurity, the others being PenTest+ and CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+). CySA+ is designed to build your foundational skill sets and set you up for a career as a cybersecurity analyst. You will be trained to detect and address security incidents in network traffic, software applications, and IT systems.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: The CompTIA CySA+ exam costs $370.
Why you should apply: CompTIA has an adaptive learning platform called CertMaster Practice. You can prepare for the exam by going through the learning materials, reviewing feedback, and practicing before the examination date. Given the growing demand for cybersecurity analysts, this is a useful certification for IT professionals.
Editorial comments: The CompTIA CySA+ curriculum and examination is regularly updated to include the latest techniques. Learners will be able to bring industry-leading expertise after taking this online course.
Overview: International Information System Security Certification Consortium or (ISC)² is a non-profit organization established to provide cybersecurity education. It offers several courses for security professionals, and this online course is dedicated to secure software development. Today, security must be incorporated into the early stages of software development and not during testing or quality assurance alone. CSSLP prepares software developers for this approach.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: The training course provided by (ISC)² is currently priced at $431, but there are third-party options available to suit your training needs.
Why you should apply: (ISC)² is among the oldest, largest, and most established society associations. CSSLP certification will open up new job opportunities, as it equips software developers in one of the most in-demand skill sets in the market.
Editorial comments: The course is meant for software developers with prior experience, which is part of the eligibility criteria. Top-tier companies looking to hire coders often ask for (ISC)² certification.
See More: DevSecOps: 5 Reasons to Integrate Security Into the Application Development Lifecycle
Overview: Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) is a certification body founded in 1999. GIAC runs several in-person and online courses, and its newly launched CyberLive platform enables online testing for real-world and hands-on security skills. For the Certified Incident Handler course, GIAC partners with SANS Institute, a cybersecurity education specialist.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: The on-demand course is priced at $7,640 by SANS Institute.
Why you should apply: What sets this course apart is the CyberLive platform. You can test your cybersecurity skills in a controlled lab environment and prepare for a practical questions-based examination that mimics actual job roles.
Editorial comments: The GIAC Certified Incident Handler course perfectly combines foundational cybersecurity analysis skills with ethical hacking. Experienced IT professionals or software developers can leverage this certification to level up their careers.
Overview: The prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers a few select courses in cybersecurity, and MIT xPRO is one of them. It is an intensive training program spanning 24 weeks, with 15-20 hours of learning effort required per week. MIT partners with educational technology company Emeritus to facilitate online learning for their cybersecurity course.
Curriculum components: The curriculum for this course includes:
Course fees: MIT xPRO costs $6,950 for the entire program.
Why you should apply: MIT xPRO utilizes structured program frameworks to drive effective learning. You can gain from the MITRE ATT&CK knowledge base, the CSA Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework to increase industry readiness.
Editorial comments: A certificate from MIT can provide a major boost to any technical career. This course offers the advantages of an expert faculty and career-focused exercises in a convenient online format.
See More: Five Major Cloud Security Challenges Businesses Should Prepare for in 2022
Here are the key highlights of these top 10 online cybersecurity courses at a glance:
● Buffer overflow, cross-domain security, and multifactor authentication
● Cryptography, encryption, block ciphers, and message authentication
● Modern crypto tools and practical applications of cybersecurity techniques
● Web app security, network security, threat prevention, and writing secure code
● Governance, enterprise risk management, and legal issues
● Infrastructure security, virtualization, and containers
● Data security and encryption, identity, entitlement, and access management
● Application security and incident response
● Security troubleshooting, configuration, and management for enterprise networks
● Threat and attack analysis, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing
● Identity and access management (IAM) concepts and controls
● Soft skills like agile working, critical thinking, and problem-solving
● System hacking, session hijacking, and hacking web servers, wireless networks, and web apps
● Internet of things (IoT) and operational technology hacking and SQL Injections
● Evading IDS, firewalls, and honeypots
● Cryptography and social engineering
● Understanding of governing and managing information technology
● Security-sensitive system acquisition, development, and implementation
● Secure IT operations and business resilience
● Protection of key information assets
● Mitigate information risk as per organizational goals and objectives
● Running an information security program in line with business goals
● Information security incident detection and investigation
● Minimizing business impact from adverse incidents
● Software and systems security and infrastructure management and assurance
● risk mitigation through frameworks, policies, procedures, and controls
● Data analysis for continuous security monitoring and configuration
● Indicators of compromise analysis, incident response, and digital forensics
● Secure coding best practices for agile teams
● Develop and implement a security testing strategy
● Evaluating and selecting the right software methodology
● Ensuring secure software releases and lifecycle management
● Cybercrime investigation and incident handling
● Tackling computer and network exploits
● Hands-on training for secure code, software programs, and virtual machines
● Understanding of evasive techniques, post-exploitation attacks, and web app attacks
● Security for urban infrastructure and the role of federal governments
● Systems and network administration, cloud security, and running a security operations center
● Social engineering, artificial intelligence, cryptography, and IoT risk management
● IAM concepts, layers, and technology
The talent gap in cybersecurity is continuously widening, and research by Cybersecurity ventures predicts that there will be 3.5 million job vacancies by 2025. The top online courses we discussed can set you up for success in this bullish job environment, and learners should keep in mind the following takeaways:
Finally, there are countless other courses and certifications available – meeting every price range and skill requirement. Make sure to check out free online cybersecurity courses like the ones offered via Great Learning, Udemy, and LinkedIn to get a headstart in your career as a security professional.
How can IT professionals better prepare for cybersecurity job opportunities? Tell us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. We would love to hear from you!
MORE ON CYBERSECURITY CAREERS:
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