Cyber Security Specialist Course

Lesson 1 • Understanding the Threat Landscape

Maps current attacker categories, motivations, and threat vectors. Connects real-world incidents to abstract security principles introduced earlier.

Lesson 2 • Risk Management Fundamentals

Introduces risk identification, assessment, and treatment options. Enables students to prioritize security investments based on business impact.

Lesson 3 • Core Security Concepts and Principles

Covers the CIA triad, authentication, authorization, and non-repudiation. Provides the conceptual vocabulary used throughout the entire course.

Lesson 1 • Firewalls, IDS, and IPS Deployment

Explains rule-based filtering, signature detection, and behavioral prevention systems. Prepares students to configure and tune perimeter defenses.

Lesson 2 • TCP/IP Stack and Protocol Analysis

Examines each OSI layer's role and common protocol behaviors. Grounds students in the technical substrate all network attacks exploit.

Lesson 3 • Network Traffic Inspection

Teaches packet capture, filtering, and anomaly detection using industry tools. Directly applies protocol knowledge to live traffic analysis.

Lesson 4 • Wireless and Remote Access Security

Addresses Wi-Fi protocol weaknesses, VPN technologies, and secure remote access design. Extends network security to mobile and distributed environments.

Lesson 1 • Endpoint Detection and Response

Introduces EDR platforms, behavioral detection, and incident containment at the host level. Bridges endpoint hardening with active threat detection.

Lesson 2 • Endpoint Hardening and Baseline Configuration

Applies CIS benchmark principles to reduce attack surface on workstations and servers. Connects OS knowledge to measurable security posture improvement.

Lesson 3 • Linux Security Architecture

Covers Linux permissions, PAM, and kernel security modules. Equips students to harden Linux servers used in enterprise and cloud environments.

Lesson 4 • Windows Security Architecture

Examines Windows authentication, privilege model, and registry security. Provides the foundation for hardening and auditing Windows environments.

Lesson 1 • Symmetric and Asymmetric Cryptography

Explains block ciphers, stream ciphers, and public-key algorithms with their use cases. Establishes the mathematical intuition needed for applied cryptography.

Lesson 2 • Public Key Infrastructure

Explains certificate authorities, certificate lifecycle, and trust chain validation. Prepares students to deploy and manage PKI in enterprise environments.

Lesson 3 • Hashing, Integrity, and Digital Signatures

Covers hash functions, HMAC, and digital signature schemes for data integrity. Connects cryptographic primitives to authentication and non-repudiation goals.

Lesson 4 • Transport Layer Security and Secure Protocols

Examines TLS handshake, cipher suite selection, and common misconfigurations. Ensures students can secure data in transit across all application layers.

Lesson 1 • Penetration Testing Methodology

Introduces scoping, rules of engagement, and standardized testing frameworks. Establishes the professional and legal boundaries of ethical hacking.

Lesson 2 • Vulnerability Scanning and Analysis

Teaches automated scanning, manual validation, and false-positive reduction. Connects reconnaissance findings to exploitable weaknesses.

Lesson 3 • Exploitation Techniques and Post-Exploitation

Covers exploit frameworks, privilege escalation, and lateral movement tactics. Demonstrates how attackers chain vulnerabilities to achieve objectives.

Lesson 4 • Reconnaissance and Information Gathering

Covers passive OSINT, active scanning, and target profiling techniques. Builds the attacker's perspective needed for realistic vulnerability discovery.

Lesson 1 • Secure Development and DevSecOps Integration

Introduces SAST, DAST, and security gates in CI/CD pipelines. Connects application security testing to Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) practices.

Lesson 2 • Cross-Site Scripting and CSRF

Explains reflected, stored, and DOM-based XSS alongside CSRF attack mechanics. Builds exploitation and mitigation skills for client-side vulnerabilities.

Lesson 3 • Injection and Authentication Vulnerabilities

Covers SQL injection, command injection, and broken authentication patterns. Directly applies OWASP Top 10 categories to hands-on exploitation scenarios.

Lesson 4 • API Security Testing and Defense

Addresses REST and GraphQL API vulnerabilities, authentication flaws, and rate limiting. Extends web security skills to modern API-driven architectures.

Lesson 1 • SIEM Configuration and Log Analysis

Covers log ingestion, correlation rule creation, and alert tuning in SIEM platforms. Builds the core detection capability of any security operations function.

Lesson 2 • Digital Forensics Fundamentals

Introduces evidence preservation, chain of custody, and forensic artifact analysis. Supports incident response with legally defensible investigation techniques.

Lesson 3 • Security Operations Center Functions

Explains SOC tiers, analyst roles, and operational workflows. Provides the organizational context for all detection and response activities.

Lesson 4 • Threat Detection and Hunting

Introduces hypothesis-driven hunting, MITRE ATT&CK mapping, and behavioral analytics. Advances detection beyond reactive alerting to proactive threat discovery.

Lesson 1 • Security Program Management

Covers security roadmap development, budget justification, and board-level communication. Prepares students to lead and mature an enterprise security function.

Lesson 2 • Advanced Persistent Threat Tactics

Analyzes APT kill chains, living-off-the-land techniques, and long-term persistence. Builds understanding of sophisticated adversary behavior for strategic defense.

Lesson 3 • Red Team and Blue Team Operations

Covers adversary simulation, purple team collaboration, and continuous validation. Integrates offensive and defensive skills into a unified security improvement cycle.

Lesson 4 • Resilience, Business Continuity, and Recovery

Integrates disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and cyber resilience frameworks. Ensures security programs support organizational survival after major incidents.