350,967 enrolled on this course
Learn the essentials of cyber security and build your skills to better protect your digital information from security threats.
8 weeks
3 hours
online
Modern life depends on online services, so having a better understanding of cyber security threats is vital.
On this eight-week course from The Open University and guided by Cory Doctorow, you’ll learn how to recognise online security threats that could harm you and explore the steps you can take to minimise your risk.
This course is supported by the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Programme, is NCSC Assured Training, and is IISP accredited.
Explore how to improve your network security and protect your data as it moves around the internet
Internet routers are designed to move data to its destination, which could take your data through several routers across the world. This creates vulnerabilities that allow that data to be copied.
On this course, you’ll discover tips and strategies to protect your data on a network, including firewalls and VPNs. You’ll also explore intrusion detection systems (IDS) and honeypots to detect attacks.
Assess the current threat landscape and how to protect against it
Our lives increasingly depend on digital services, which makes the internet an attractive target for criminals.
You’ll start this course by looking at the array of current threats to our information assets. You’ll assess the different vulnerable points at risk of a security breach, how threats exploit those vulnerabilities, and some countermeasures that you can use to guard against these threats.
Discover the uses of cryptography and network encryption
Cryptography is a specialised area of mathematics concerned with protecting information so that it can be transmitted and received securely.
This course will guide you through this technique for protecting information, from explaining encryption keys to exploring real-world uses of cryptography.
Threat landscape
Authentication
Malware
Networking and communications
Cryptography
Network security
When your defences fail
Managing security risks
Introduction to Cyber Security
350,967 enrolled on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to…
This course is designed for anyone interested in improving their online security, whether at home or at work. You do not need any prior knowledge to benefit from this course as it has been created with beginners in mind.
Arosha K.Bandara
Arosha is a software engineer with research interests in engineering adaptive systems that can improve information security. He also teaches systems security at the OU.
In 2012, The Open University (OU) founded FutureLearn to extend its mission to open education to all. OU courses on FutureLearn are designed and delivered by world-class academics, with many endorsed by leading industry experts – combining academic excellence and relevance to help individuals and businesses to upskill quickly and achieve their learning goals.
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