Introduction to Cyber security is a free, self paced, beginner course that is provided by cisco. It’s great for students looking to understand the basics of cybersecurity or for returning professionals wanting to brush up on their knowledge of common topics within the field. cyber sec.

Since I’m aspiring to build a career in the cybersecurity industry, this is just one of the many courses I’ll be completing and reviewing! ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

First you’re thrown into a video explaining how to navigate and complete the course, alongside additional guides for extra support or accessibility.  The inclusion of transcripts at the bottom of all videos is an excellent touch. I do find it much easier to follow along when I can read subtitles or transcripts Easier to retain within the pea sized brain. 

At the top of the course outline, there’s a feature called “Knowledge Check.” Though still in beta,  it is a quiz to test out your knowledge prior to taking the course. I guess it’s just to see how much of the content prior, during and after you have completed the course. Giving you a chance to see retake whenever and see your progress within the course

The course is divided into five modules, all of which must be completed before taking the final exam that covers everything you’ve learned. Within each module, there are a couple of heading and subheadings. You know the kind where the teachers say you only have two questions to do,  but then you find yourself dealing with 1.1, 1.1.1, and so on? And you just die a little inside, yeah those. Here, the content is nicely formatted with diagrams, dropdown tiles, and small paragraphs that make the material easy to read and digest. It’s well-balanced and visually appealing. 

There are also mini quizzes and questions within the course to keep up your engagement and retention of knowledge. 

At the end of each module there is a module exam, covering the content prior and this needs to be passed so you can move on to the next module. These exams are unlimited in terms of attempts, so even if you don’t pass the first time, you can keep trying (unless you ace it in one go, like me!!   ʕᵔᴥ–ʔ)

Once you’ve completed the course, you get a cool looking badge to add to your LinkedIn, and a certificate you can shove into your employees face, in hopes they give you a job. Didn’t really work for me though. You do also get a bunch of achievements that would be added to your netacad account that you can also flaunt. Though everything is quite green. 

The course content is excellent, providing detailed yet straightforward explanations of definitions, procedures, and laws that anyone in the cybersecurity field should know. It’s an engaging and informative introduction to the world of cybersecurity.