Explore the basic concepts of networks and network security and the tools used by network engineers and attackers.
Duration
2 weeksWeekly study
6 hours
Basics of Network Security
Understand the threats posed to organisations' networks and how to secure them
On this course you will examine the theory and practice of network fundamentals from the defender’s and attacker’s perspectives. You will have the opportunity to use tools for networking that allow you to query services, test routing and more.
At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to challenge yourself to a network security boot camp – can you work with a virtual networked device to make it secure?
What topics will you cover?
- The basic principles of network security and cyber attacks
- Real-world security case studies
- Protecting assets
- Intrusion detection systems
- Assessing security threats from a practical and theoretical viewpoint
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...
- Describe the concepts of network security and cyber-attacks
- Evaluate real-world security case studies
- Apply cyber security principles to protect assets
- Assess security threats from a practical and theoretical viewpoint
Who is the course for?
The Institute of Coding supported the development of this course in response to consultation with industry representatives from the healthcare, manufacturing and automotive sectors.
This course is designed for people familiar with basic computing who want to learn about the techniques and technologies of network security.
Please note that the individuals detailed in the ‘Who will you learn with?’ section below, are current staff members and may be subject to change.
What software or tools do you need?
In order to complete the labs you will need a PC capable of running Virtual Machines (VMs). We recommend at least a dual core CPU and 8GB of memory. You would also need about 100GB of hard disk space to store the VMs.
In order to run the virtual machines you will need to download and install VMware Workstation Player (if you are running on Windows or Linux). It is free for non-commercial/educational use and you can get it from the VMware website. If you are running a Mac you will need VMware Fusion.
You will also use Linux. If you are not already familiar with the Linux environment and its command line, there are plenty of online resources and tutorials to get you started. We would recommend that you look into some of these before starting the modules. You need to be familiar with the core linux commands, input/output redirecting and piping, file manipulation, basic network configuration and user account management.
Who will you learn with?
Dr. Christo Panchev is a Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security at Coventry University with more than 20 years experience in industry and higher education, research and teaching in A.I. and Cyber Security.
Dr John Filippas is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Networking at Coventry University. His research interests include Biomedical Computing, Parallel Computing and Computer Games.
Antal Goldschmidt
Course Director, MSc Cyber Security; Coventry University
ab2216@coventry.ac.uk
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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