Every day we use the internet to create, save, and share information with family, friends, and even at work and school. The internet is a great tool for learning, communicating with others, and embracing innovation, but it can also be dangerous if we are not smart and careful about what we do and share online. Cybersecurity helps us protect our privacy from people who may use our information in a harmful way without permission. We need more cybersecurity experts to help secure important information across the country. Are you interested in learning how to become a cybersecurity professional? Whether you are a high school student exploring IT options, a college student on a cybersecurity track, or a nontraditional student seeking to retool or advance your skillset, there are a wealth of resources available to you!
SANS Cyber Aces Online
SANS Cyber Aces Online offers a free online course available from the professional development curriculum offered by The SANS Institute. The course focuses on the fundamentals of information security, covering three foundation areas of information security: Operating Systems, Networking, and System Administration. Individuals can discover and develop skills and explore careers in cybersecurity.
pwn.college
This is an education platform designed for students to learn about, and practice, core cybersecurity concepts in a hands-on learning format.
Microsoft
These courses are geared toward how to use Microsoft products, such as Azure, more efficiently.
Free Resources
Cybrary
Cybrary offers free and subscription-based learning material for beginners and professionals. Free content includes courses and technical skills assessments. Course topics include: Intro to Cybersecurity, Penetration Testing, Digital Forensics, and Cloud Security. You can also find preparatory material for certification such as Network+, Security+, and CISSP. Register for a free account to get started!
Cisco
Cisco Network Academy offers a free beginner level course on cybersecurity. The course introduces students to common threats, attacks, and vulnerabilities; provides insight of how businesses protect their operations from attacks; and discusses the latest job trends in cybersecurity
Professor Messer’s Videos and Study Group Replays
Professor Messer provides free online training videos and study group replays for A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications. There is also an option to purchase practice exams, course notes, and download audio and video content.
Udemy
Udemy has over 2000 free IT courses available. Course levels range from beginners to experts and include popular topics such as information security, ethical hacking, Cisco CCNA, computer networking, and cloud computing.
Trial and Subscription-based Resources
Grow with Google
Grow with Google offers IT courses and certificates through Coursera. The first week is free, and afterwards it costs $39 per month for a subscription.
Coursera
Coursera offers a 7 day free trial for IT courses in popular topic areas such as cybersecurity, ethical hacking, DevOps, and cloud security from leading IT vendors such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.
YouTube Channels
Powercert
For more visual learners, Powercert’s channel offers short animated videos about basic information technology.
Alpha Cyber Security
For those looking at cybersecurity as a possible career, Alpha Cyber Security is a team of Penetration Testers (Hackers) & InfoSec professionals dedicated to helping people keep themselves safe online through security testing and assessments. Their curated videos discuss cybersecurity training and awareness, capture the flag walkthroughs, IT career advice, and other IT related topics.
Techquickie
With videos ranging for 4-7 minutes long, Techquickie offers a humorous and insightful approach to IT questions, while educating viewers on the latest tech trends.
Black Hills Information Security
Black Hills Information Security offers informational video and webcasts on penetration testing for beginners as well as professionals. The free content is located on their youtube channel.
Raleigh ISSA
The ISSA Raleigh chapter has a youtube channel where they promote and educate various cybersecurity fields. Videos content includes ISSA meetings, workshops, and guest speaker presentations.
Podcasts
Cyberwire Daily
This podcast covers cybersecurity news and analysis with interviews from a wide spectrum of experts from industry, academia, and research organizations all over the world.
The Social-Engineer Podcast
This podcast covers how social engineering is applied by individuals and businesses to gain an advantage. It dives into the psychology of what makes humans vulnerable to social engineers. The audience varies from ruthless marketers who want to get an edge, to cybersecurity officers who want to know about phishing threats, to regular people whose goal it is to stay secure in a digital world.
Darknet Diaries
Explore the true stories of the dark side of the internet with host Jack Rhysider as he journeys through the chilling world of hacking, data breaches, and cybercrimes.
Malicious Life
Malicious Life by Cybereason tells the unknown stories of the history of cybersecurity, with comments and reflections by real hackers, security experts, journalists, and politicians