Our lives depend on online services. Gain essential cyber security knowledge and skills to help protect your digital life.
Duration
8 weeksWeekly study
3 hours
Introduction to Cyber Security
Understand online security and protect your digital life, whether at home or work.
Guided by Cory Doctorow, you’ll learn how to recognise threats that could harm you online and take steps to reduce the chances that they happen to you.
You’ll frame your online safety in the context of the wider world, introducing concepts like malware, viruses, trojans, network security, cryptography, identity theft and risk management.
For a more in-depth view of the world of cyber security, take a look at The Open University’s Cyber Security Operations microcredential, endorsed by Cisco Networking Academy.
What topics will you cover?
- Threat landscape: terminology, cyber security threats, keeping up to date
- Authentication: access control, passwords, two-factor authentication
- Malware: types of malware, attack vectors, preventing infection
- Networking and communications: fundamentals, security challenges, standards
- Cryptography: symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, applications
- Network security: firewalls, virtual private networks, intrusion detection / prevention
- When your defences fail: cyber security laws, recovering from attacks
- Managing security risks: risk analysis and management
Who is this accredited by?
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explain basic cyber security terminology; have skills for keeping up to date on cyber security issues; and be able to identify information assets.
- Describe basic authentication mechanisms; have skills to improve their password security; and be aware of alternative authentication methods.
- Identify main malware types; awareness of different malware propagation methods; and skills for preventing malware infections.
- Describe cryptography terminology; be able to use cryptography for email; be aware of applications of cryptography.
- Demonstrate understanding of firewalls, virtual private networks and network intrusion detection and prevention technologies.
- Describe legal and regulatory issues relating to cyber security; and understand how to recover from security failures.
- Apply basic risk analysis and management techniques.
Who is the course for?
The course was supported by the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Programme, is GCHQ Certified Training and IISP accredited.
It does not assume any prior knowledge of computer security and can be enjoyed by anyone interested in improving the security of their digital information.
What do people say about this course?
Who will you learn with?
Arosha is a software engineer with research interests in engineering adaptive systems that can improve information security. He also teaches systems security at the OU. Twitter: @arosha & @OUCyberSec
Who developed the course?
Established
1969Location
Milton Keynes, UKWorld ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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