IBM SkillsBuild

Cybersecurity Essentials

Educating yourself about security, or being “cybersecurity aware,” is your first line of defense to reduce threats. Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting networks, programs, computer systems, and their components from unauthorized digital access and attacks. Complete these to learn about cybersecurity fundamentals and the growing importance of cybersecurity in our digital world today.

Beginner Cybersecurity Self-paced Earn a Certificate

About This Course

What this course is about

Cybersecurity Basics gives you a simple, accessible introduction to the world of digital security — perfect for beginners or anyone curious about how cyber threats work and how organizations defend against them.

You’ll start with short, practical videos that explain what cybersecurity is, why it matters, and what real careers in the field look like. If you want to go further, you can continue into the Cybersecurity Fundamentals digital credential, where you’ll build structured, job-aligned foundational skills that employers value.

As you complete the learning path, you’ll earn certificates and digital credentials that you can add to your resume, LinkedIn profile, and Credly account to highlight your cybersecurity readiness.

You’ll learn how to:

Understand cybersecurity concepts quickly and clearly

Explore real threats, attacks, and defensive strategies

Build foundational skills to advance into deeper cybersecurity training

Explore career options in this fast-growing field

What you will learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Grasp the basics of cybersecurity

Get a simple, beginner-friendly overview of what cybersecurity is

Understand why cybersecurity is essential in today’s connected world

Recognize digital threats and types of attacks

Learn how cyberattacks happen

Understand the common threats organizations face, including phishing, malware, ransomware, and more

Explore high-profile case studies to see how attacks unfold

Explore offense and defense perspectives

Offense: Learn about threat actors, attack tactics, social engineering, and methods used by cybercriminals

Defense: Understand how organizations prevent attacks, detect intrusions, and respond to incidents

Build foundational cybersecurity skills

Learn key terminology and core concepts

Understand common attack methods and how cybersecurity teams defend against them

Explore the structured learning in the Cybersecurity Fundamentals credential for job-aligned skills

Explore cybersecurity career opportunities

Understand what cybersecurity careers look like

Learn about typical roles, responsibilities, and required skill sets

Discover resources to help you start a career in this fast-growing field

Showcase your learning

Earn relevant certificates and digital credentials

Add them to your resume, LinkedIn, and Credly profile to signal your cybersecurity skills

Category

This course is part of the Technology Skills learning path.

Who This Course Is For

  • Anyone looking to build skills in Cybersecurity
  • No prior experience required
  • Career changers, job seekers, and upskilling professionals
  • Self-motivated learners who want flexible, self-paced learning