Cybersecurity Training For Beginners

Cybersecurity is a topic that’s talked about frequently in business circles. We all know the term, and that it’s only becoming more important as business continues to shift further and further into the digital realm.

However, not many of us can say we have a complete understanding of cybersecurity best practices. Even if you’re well versed in cybersecurity, it’s a field that’s constantly changing as new forms of cyber attacks evolve. That’s why nearly anyone can benefit from taking cybersecurity training courses online.

Those who are seeking cybersecurity training for beginners can rest assured they’ll find plenty of options online. Whether it’s a free course or paid cybersecurity training, there are a lot of opportunities for interested learners to receive a crash course in cybersecurity. Doing so can be extremely beneficial for business leaders who want to educate themselves and their cybersecurity teams in order to ensure the security of their online operations. If you’re one of these business leaders, and you’re looking for ways to elevate your business’s cybersecurity measures, taking a cybersecurity course online can be a good place to start.

There’s a lot of work that goes into protecting a company’s data. It’s not a matter of simply applying anti-virus software and forgetting it. Effective corporate cybersecurity requires a whole team of professionals to monitor cybersecurity risks, maintain compliance, and more.

All these different roles and tasks make up the complex field we know as cybersecurity. There are a huge number of threats to be aware of, best practices to understand, and tools to be familiar with. For the cybersecurity beginner, it might feel like an overwhelming subject. A great way to get started is by taking some of the best cybersecurity courses online.

Cybersecurity Basics For Beginners

If you’re just entering the world of cybersecurity, or if you need a refresher, it’s best to start with the basics. Covering some simple cybersecurity basics for beginners before moving on to more advanced concepts is necessary to build a strong foundation of cybersecurity knowledge.

If you take a cybersecurity course for beginners, you’ll likely start by learning some important terms. Defining the fundamental terms up front is a smart way to start off your cybersecurity training. Here are some examples of the kinds of terms you might cover in any of the best cybersecurity courses for beginners.

Cybersecurity Terminology

• Cyber attack: A cyber attack is an attempt by an organization or an individual to harm or gain unauthorized access to another organization’s or individual’s digital information. Personal customer information and payment data are common targets of cyber attacks.
• Cyber insurance: Cyber insurance guarantees that a business cannot be held liable for compromised data in the event of a cyber attack.
• Vulnerability: Your company’s level of vulnerability depends on the number and severity of the weaknesses in your cybersecurity strategy. The more weaknesses in your cybersecurity that could potentially be exploited by attackers, the higher your vulnerability.
• Risk: Risk is a measure of the damage that could potentially occur as a result of a successful cyber attack on your company. Consider what kind of data is at stake if your company was to become the victim of a cyber attack.
• Threats: The kinds of cyber attacks that could potentially be levied at your company are known as threats. Many different types of threats have developed over the years, and it’s important to understand the danger each one poses.

Types of Cyber Threats

• Malware: Malware is an umbrella term for any type of software that’s created for a malicious purpose. Common examples of malware include software that blocks access to a website or steals information from a corporate database.
• Ransomware: Ransomware attackers take control of a website, service, or information storage location and demand a ransom before they’ll allow the owner to access it again.
• Spoofing (phishing): Spoofing, or phishing, is a common type of cyber attack that involves the attacker sending an email under a false identity. This is often used to make an attacker’s request for sensitive information look like it came from a legitimate source.
• Direct denial of service (DDoS): A direct denial of service attack, also known as a DDoS attack, is a type of cyber attack that interrupts a server’s web traffic. This kind of attack is generally used to take a server offline for malicious purposes.

These are just a few of the essential terms that cybersecurity beginners need to know. There are more terms like these that will help you build a strong core knowledge of cybersecurity. To learn about more terms, consider consulting the resources available online. For example, you could start by searching Google for something like “best cybersecurity books for beginners PDF.”

Cybersecurity Training Certification

Once you’ve gotten comfortable with the basics of cybersecurity, you might want to try earning a certification. You can get a cybersecurity training certification from a variety of different courses and programs available online. Holding this type of certification can be a fantastic professional asset in nearly any industry.

A cybersecurity certification can make a great addition to your resume or your LinkedIn profile. It can also give you the confidence to tackle whatever cybersecurity challenges come your way, as well as provide peace of mind that you and your team are capable of keeping your organization protected.

If you do want to pursue a cybersecurity certification, you don’t have to break the bank to get it. You can find reasonably priced courses online, and you may even find some free online cybersecurity courses with certificates. There are also many different government cybersecurity certifications available from the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Government Cybersecurity Programs

One way for beginners to approach cybersecurity education is to take advantage of free government cybersecurity training. You can find out if you’re eligible for any free government cybersecurity programs by visiting the official CISA government website.

On the CISA website, you’ll find information about the different government funded cybersecurity courses that are offered and whether or not there are any that are right for you. You can also find similar information about government funded cybersecurity training from the NICCS (which can be located via the official CISA website as well).

Here are a few examples of the types of cybersecurity training courses offered by the government:

• Training for people currently employed as cybersecurity professionals who want to further develop their expertise
• Training for students who are ready to begin a career in the cybersecurity workforce
• Free cybersecurity training for government employees, contractors, and veterans via the Federal Virtual Training Environment (FedVTE)
• Training for veterans or individuals working in adjacent fields who want to transition into a cybersecurity role
• Courses on a variety of cybersecurity topics such as risk management and malware analysis offered on a spectrum of proficiency levels ranging from beginner to advanced

Utilizing government cybersecurity programs like these to train yourself or your cybersecurity employees is one of the best ways to elevate your organization’s cybersecurity capabilities and reduce vulnerability.

What Is CyberSecurity Course

In addition to cybersecurity courses that are sponsored by the government, you’ll find a large variety of cybersecurity training courses offered by other providers. Each of these courses is different, so it’s important to do your research and verify the courses you choose to take are the best courses for your goals and current skill level. You’ll probably find that different training providers have different kinds of cybersecurity course requirements.

When considering the right cybersecurity training for you or your team, you should also think about the balance between cost and quality. You can certainly find a free cybersecurity course online that covers all the basic cybersecurity concepts you need to know. If you have a tight budget, this could be the best option.

However, you can also pay for higher-quality cybersecurity training courses that go into more detail and offer a better learning experience. Some of these courses are even accredited. But, of course, the better quality doesn’t come for free.

You can expect to pay at least a few hundred dollars per month for access to basic paid cybersecurity training courses. Some of the more advanced programs are far more expensive, comparable to a college tuition. Although, if you’re simply looking for cybersecurity courses for beginners, rest assured there’s no need to spend that kind of money.

If you want to improve your cybersecurity knowledge, taking a beginner cybersecurity training course is a great option. There are skeptics who wonder “what is cybersecurity course training good for?” While it may not be the right answer for everyone, many people will agree that a basic cybersecurity course is worth looking into.

No matter which beginner’s cybersecurity training course you go with, the landscape of cybersecurity can be difficult to navigate without some help. Trava offers vCISO services that can provide you with actionable insights on keeping your security up to compliance regulations. Contact Trava today to schedule a demo.