Registration deadline: Friday, September 11, 2026
Dates: September 24 to November 26, 2026
Schedule: Thursday evenings, 6:00 to 9:00 pm
Delivery mode: Online
Language of instruction: English
Duration: 30 hours
Description
This 30-hour course is a foundation course built for learners who would like to better understand threat landscape, hardening, and compliance in the context of cybersecurity.
Specifically, in this course learners will :
- Understand the modern threat landscape: APTs, ransomware, and insider threats.
- Apply the CIA Triad and security frameworks: NIST CSF, ISO 27001, CIS Benchmarks.
- Harden Linux and Windows systems against common attack vectors.
- Implement network segmentation, DMZ architecture, and zero-trust principles.
- Manage vulnerability scanning using Nessus, OpenVAS, and Qualys.
- Understand PKI, TLS/SSL certificates, and certificate authority management.
- Configure SIEM platforms (Splunk, Elastic SIEM) for log aggregation and alerting.
- Apply secure coding awareness: OWASP Top 10 and secure SDLC concepts.
- Prepare for industry certifications: CompTIA Security+, SSCP fundamentals.
- Review real-world breach case studies and lessons learned.
Prerequisites and Other Course Information
Prerequisites
- Basic computer literacy and comfort navigating a Windows or Linux desktop environment.
- General understanding of how networks function (client/server model, IP addresses, basic internet concepts).
- No prior cybersecurity experience required.
- Recommended (not mandatory): Completion of the Linux System Administration course or equivalent familiarity with the Linux command line.
- You must ensure that you have a stable internet connection and a device capable of supporting a Teams meeting with a working microphone and camera. It is also your responsibility to verify that your device is compatible with the applications and/or software covered in the course, if applicable.
Hardware Requirements
- CPU: Dual-core processor, 2.0 GHz or faster (quad-core recommended).
- RAM: Minimum 8 GB (16 GB recommended to run virtual machines alongside SIEM tools).
- Storage: At least 40 GB of free disk space for VM images and lab data.
- Network: Stable internet connection for accessing cloud-based scanning tools and downloading lab resources.
Software Requirements
- Virtualization platform: VirtualBox (free) or VMware Workstation Player — to run isolated lab VMs (Kali Linux, Ubuntu, Windows Server).
- Nessus Essentials (free tier) or OpenVAS — for vulnerability scanning labs.
- Splunk Free or Elastic SIEM (self-hosted) — for log aggregation and alerting exercises.
- Wireshark — for network traffic analysis.
- A modern web browser (Chrome or Firefox) — for cloud-based tools and case study resources.
- OS: Windows 10/11, macOS 12+, or any modern Linux distribution.
Attendance and Virtual Classroom Behavior
This course requires your individual presence and your active, consistent and sustained participation in your individual work. Your individual responsibilities are to complete the work assigned, to be online and ready to work within the first five minutes of the class.
Active Participation
While the use of the camera remains optional, active participation implies that the learner takes part in discussions, answers and asks questions, either verbally or via the chat integrated into the meeting and participates in group and/or individual exercises. The instructor’s feedback is taken into account to validate that a learner’s participation has met the expectations for issuing the certificate.
Electronic certificates of completion will be given to students who have attended and actively participated in 80% or more of the scheduled classes. We will no longer issue paper certificates.
