IBM and ISC2 Cybersecurity Specialist

Start your cloud computing journey with this self-paced introductory course! Whether you need general cloud computing knowledge for school or business, or you are considering a career change, this beginner-friendly course is right for you. In this course you’ll learn about essential characteristics of cloud computing and emerging technologies supported by cloud. You’ll explore cloud service models, including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Public, Private, and Hybrid deployment models. Discover the offerings of prominent cloud service providers AWS, Google, IBM, Microsoft, and others, and review cloud computing case studies. Learn about cloud adoption, blockchain, analytics, and AI. You will learn about the many components of cloud computing architecture including datacenters, availability zones, virtual machines, containers, and bare metal servers. You will also familiarize yourself with different types of cloud storage options, such as Object Storage. You’ll gain foundational knowledge of emergent cloud trends and practices including Hybrid, Multicloud, Microservices, Serverless, DevOps, Cloud Native, Application Modernization, as well as learn about cloud security and monitoring. You’ll also explore cloud computing job roles and possible career paths and opportunities. You will complete a number of labs and quizzes throughout this course to increase your understanding of course content. At the end of the course, you will complete a final project where you will deploy an application to Cloud using a serverless architecture, a valuable addition to your portfolio. After this course, check out the related courses to help you towards your new career as a cloud engineer, full stack developer, DevOps engineer, cybersecurity analyst, and others.

Ready to get hands-on exploring software, programming, and databases in this comprehensive introduction to the digital technologies transforming today’s workplaces? During this course, you’ll build a strong foundation in computing platforms, software lifecycles, application compatibility, and cloud-based deployment. You’ll learn to install, manage, and secure modern web browsers using extensions and plug-ins. You’ll explore programming with coding logic and get hands-on using languages like Python. Plus, you’ll discover data and database fundamentals, including interfaces, backups, and real-world applications. You’ll also dive into cutting-edge concepts such as artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI, chatbots, and modern analytics applications. Additionally, you’ll explore data monetization strategies and gain insight into how organizations are leveraging data as an asset for growth and innovation. Throughout, you’ll get hands-on experience in labs. Then, in a final project, you’ll apply your new skills in software, programming, databases, and emerging technologies. Enroll today to build core skills you need to kickstart your career in IT!

Ready to dive into the world of hardware and operating systems? This beginner-friendly course builds essential entry-level skills needed for roles in IT support, networking, cybersecurity, and software development. During this course, you’ll explore core computing concepts and the four functions of computing. You’ll then dive into internal hardware such as CPUs, motherboards, GPUs, memory, interfaces, ports, and peripherals. Plus, you’ll look at how modern technologies such as virtualization (including host/guest OS and hypervisors), parallel-processing GPUs, IoT devices, and VR/AR systems are transforming today’s IT environments. You’ll get hands-on with operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile platforms, and practice workstation setup, configuration, acquisition, and troubleshooting just like an IT professional. Plus, you’ll look at specialized devices like wearables and e-readers to gain practical technology insights. Throughout, interactive labs help reinforce your learning. Then, in a final project, you’ll apply your new skills in real-world scenarios. This course is also part of the series to help you prepare for CompTIA Tech+ and A+ certification exams.

Ready to build essential cybersecurity skills employers need? This beginner course introduces the foundational concepts, tools, and best practices used by cybersecurity professionals. During the course, you’ll learn to identify common threats such as data theft, tampering, phishing, and malware. You’ll discover how cyberattacks unfold and explore the physical, environmental, and access control measures used to secure devices and facilities. Plus, you’ll develop strong digital hygiene habits using secure passwords, password management techniques, and multi-factor authentication, and understand the risks of password reuse, sharing, and default credentials. You’ll also practice device hardening, use encryption tools, apply safe browsing techniques, and configure web browsers to minimize vulnerabilities. Plus, you’ll explore methods of managing and protecting confidential information to prevent identity theft and privacy breaches. Hands-on labs provide practical experience, and a final project tests your proficiency across key cybersecurity topics. Enroll now to gain the essential cybersecurity skills that will help you kickstart your IT career!

Keen to kickstart your IT career with networking and storage skills employers need? This beginner course introduces essential IT concepts to help you diagnose and support modern systems. During this course, you’ll explore networking fundamentals such as cables, topologies, network types, and communication models and learn how data travels across wired and wireless connections using protocols and standards. You’ll dive into Wi-Fi, exploring SSID configuration, access point setup, security evolution from WEP to WPA3, and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) features such as frequency bands and channel planning. Plus, you’ll look at NFC (near-field communication) concepts and practical applications. Next, you’ll get hands-on with device configuration and the command-line tools used to troubleshoot connectivity issues in Windows environments. You’ll look at storage essentials, exploring memory , local versus cloud options, and file, block, and object storage. Plus, you’ll learn how to select storage solutions for different networking scenarios while examining NVMe performance factors, including PCIe generations and thermal management. Enroll now to build IT skills in networking and storage employers need!

Welcome to course 1 of 5 of this Specialization, Security Principles. After completing this course, the participant will be able to:  Discuss the foundational concepts of cybersecurity principles. - Recognize foundational security concepts of information assurance. - Define risk management terminology and summarize the process. - Relate risk management to personal or professional practices. - Classify types of security controls. - Distinguish between policies, procedures, standards, regulations and laws. - Demonstrate the relationship among governance elements. - Analyze appropriate outcomes according to the canons of the ISC2 Code of Ethics when given examples. - Practice the terminology and review security principles. Agenda Course Introduction Module 1: Information Assurance Module 2: Risk Management Process Module 3: Security Controls Module 4: Governance Module 5: ISC2 Code of Ethics Module 6: Course Summary This training is for IT professionals, career changers, college students, recent college graduates, advanced high school students and recent high school graduates looking to start their path toward cybersecurity leadership by taking the Certified in Cybersecurity entry-level exam. There are no prerequisites to take the training or the exam. It is recommended that candidates have basic Information Technology (IT) knowledge. No work experience in cybersecurity or formal education diploma/degree is required.

Welcome to course 5 of 5 of this Specialization, Security Operations. This course focuses our attention on the day-to-day, moment-by-moment active use of the security controls and risk mitigation strategies that an organization has in place. We will explore ways to secure the data and the systems they reside on, and how to encourage secure practices among people who interact with the data and systems during their daily duties. After completing this course, the participant will be able to:  Explain concepts of security operations. - Discuss data handling best practices. - Identify important concepts of logging and monitoring. - Summarize the different types of encryption and their common uses. - Describe the concepts of configuration management. - Explain the application of common security policies. - Discuss the importance of security awareness training. - Practice the terminology of and review the concepts of network operations. Agenda Course Introduction Module 1: Understanding Data Security and Encryption Module 2: Controls and Asset Management Module 3: Best Practice Security Policies Module 4: Understand Security Education Training and Awareness (SETA) Module 5: Security Operations Review Final Assessment This training is for IT professionals, career changers, college students, recent college graduates, advanced high school students and recent high school graduates looking to start their path toward cybersecurity leadership by taking the Certified in Cybersecurity entry-level exam. There are no prerequisites to take the training or the exam. It is recommended that candidates have basic Information Technology (IT) knowledge. No work experience in cybersecurity or formal education diploma/degree is required.

Welcome to course 4 of 5 of this Specialization, Network Security. In this course, we will look at computer networking and securing the network. In today’s world, the internet connects nearly everyone and everything, and this is accomplished through networking. While most see computer networking as a positive, criminals routinely use the internet, and the networking protocols themselves, as weapons and tools to exploit vulnerabilities and for this reason we must do our best to secure the network. We will review the basic components of a network, threats and attacks to the network, and learn how to protect them from attackers. Network security itself can be a specialty career within cybersecurity; however, all information security professionals need to understand how networks operate and are exploited to better secure them. After completing this chapter, the participant will be able to:  Explain the concepts of network security. - Recognize common networking terms and models. - Identify common protocols and ports and their secure counterparts. - Identify types of network (cyber) threats and attacks. - Discuss common tools used to identify and prevent threats. - Identify common data center terminology. - Recognize common cloud service terminology. - Identify secure network design terminology. - Practice the terminology of and review network security concepts. Agenda Course Introduction Module 1: Network Concepts and Models Module 2: Common Network Threats and Attacks Module 3: Network Security Infrastructure Module 4: Network Security Review This training is for IT professionals, career changers, college students, recent college graduates, advanced high school students and recent high school graduates looking to start their path toward cybersecurity leadership by taking the Certified in Cybersecurity entry-level exam. There are no prerequisites to take the training or the exam. It is recommended that candidates have basic Information Technology (IT) knowledge. No work experience in cybersecurity or formal education diploma/degree is required.

Welcome to course 3 of 5 of this Specialization, Access Control Concepts. In Course 1, we introduced access control concepts. Now, we will take a more detailed look at the types of access control that every information security professional should be familiar with. We will discuss both physical and logical controls and how they are combined to strengthen the overall security of an organization. This is where we describe who gets access to what, why access is necessary, and how that access is managed. After completing this course, the participant will be able to:  Select access controls that are appropriate in a given scenario. - Relate access control concepts and processes to given scenarios. - Compare various physical access controls. - Describe logical access controls. - Practice the terminology of access controls and review concepts of access controls. Agenda Course Introduction Module 1: Key Concepts Module 2: Administrative Controls Module 3: Physical Controls Module 4:Logical Controls Module 5: Controls Review This training is for IT professionals, career changers, college students, recent college graduates, advanced high school students and recent high school graduates looking to start their path toward cybersecurity leadership by taking the Certified in Cybersecurity entry-level exam. There are no prerequisites to take the training or the exam. It is recommended that candidates have basic Information Technology (IT) knowledge. No work experience in cybersecurity or formal education diploma/degree is required.

Welcome to course 2 of 5 of this Specialization, Incident Response, BC, and DR Concepts. This course focuses on the availability part of the CIA triad and the importance of maintaining availability of both human and system resources. These are usually accomplished through the implementation of Incident Response (IR), Business Continuity (BC) and Disaster Recovery (DR) plans. While these three plans may seem to overlap in scope, they are three distinct plans that are vital to the survival of any organization. After completing this course, the participant will be able to:  Explain how organizations respond to, recover from and continue to operate during unplanned disruptions. - Recall the terms and components of incident response. - Summarize the components of a business continuity plan. - Identify the components of disaster recovery. - Practice the terminology of and review incident response, business continuity and disaster recovery concepts. Agenda Course Introduction Module 1: Incident Response (IR) Module 2: Business Continuity (BC) Module 3: Disaster Recovery (DR) Module 4: Incident Response, Business Continuity, and Disaster Recovery Review This training is for IT professionals, career changers, college students, recent college graduates, advanced high school students and recent high school graduates looking to start their path toward cybersecurity leadership by taking the Certified in Cybersecurity entry-level exam. There are no prerequisites to take the training or the exam. It is recommended that candidates have basic Information Technology (IT) knowledge. No work experience in cybersecurity or formal education diploma/degree is required.

There is a great demand for cybersecurity professionals, and this demand is expected to grow significantly in the foreseeable future, making now the perfect time to launch a cybersecurity career. This course provides a comprehensive insight into diverse cybersecurity career paths and equips you with the knowledge to find and secure the right role in the information security (Infosec) industry. It begins by addressing the widening employment gap in cybersecurity and explores roles and responsibilities across entry, mid, and advanced levels through engaging videos, readings, podcasts, and expert viewpoints. You’ll learn the importance of both technical and soft skills, ensuring a balanced approach to professional development. You’ll also become familiar with key industry certifications from organizations such as CompTIA (e.g., A+) and ISC2 (e.g., CISSP) and gain guidance on preparing, studying, and successfully taking certification exams. Throughout the course, you’ll hear from cybersecurity experts sharing their experiences and tips for breaking into the field and participate in role plays, hands-on labs, and a final project to develop your personalized cybersecurity career plan. This course is ideal for anyone aspiring to build a rewarding career in cybersecurity and requires no prior degree or background.