Today’s world is highly-technological, and as it evolves, so do career paths. Job seekers are now considering roles in cybersecurity, one of the most important and in-demand sectors today. But what exactly is cybersecurity, and what’s involved in learning it?
This article will discuss cybersecurity and what you can expect from an introduction to cybersecurity course.
What Is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity refers to protecting internet-connected systems like software, hardware, and data from digital threats. Individuals and businesses alike use it to safeguard their IT assets and online identities and defend against online attacks. The term encompasses a wide range of activities, from basic data security measures to more sophisticated methods of counteracting advanced cybersecurity threats.
Why Is Cybersecurity Important?
Cybersecurity has become a critical concern for individuals and organizations because of our increasing reliance on internet-connected devices and systems in our personal and professional lives. The potential consequences of a successful cyber attack are far-reaching and can include everything from data loss and financial damage to reputational harm and even physical destruction.
Why Learn Cybersecurity?
The tech industry makes up 35% of the global market and is only expected to grow as time goes on. One of the best ways to prepare yourself for this changing landscape is by learning about cybersecurity. With a better understanding of how cyber threats work and how to protect against them, you’ll be in a better position to:
- Safeguard your online assets and data
- Make a career out of protecting organizations’ systems and data
- Help shape the future of the online landscape
Introduction to Cybersecurity: Skills You’ll Learn at Coding Dojo
Learning cybersecurity is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor that can offer many benefits. There are several ways to initiate yourself into the process. Still, the most effective and productive approach is to invest in formal education that will give you the skills and knowledge you need to excel.
Here is what you can expect to learn at Coding Dojo’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp:
Cybersecurity Bootcamp Overview
Coding Dojo’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp will provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date instruction in modern cybersecurity. In just 24 weeks, studying part-time, you’ll cover everything from the basics of cybersecurity to the most advanced tools and techniques used by today’s cybersecurity professionals. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect once enrolled.
Weeks 1-8: Learn Cybersecurity Basics
In your first few weeks, you’ll become familiarized with the core principles of cybersecurity risks and foundational knowledge on software, hardware, network architecture, and more.
What You’ll Learn:
- Cybersecurity basics, including controls, frameworks, threats, vulnerabilities, defenses, testing, cryptography, benchmarks, virtual machines, and secure software
- How to build out a Kali Linux machine while learning about networking and data security
- Network configurations and data security, including network design, firewall configuration, access control
- Viruses and ransomware, mobile and endpoint security, intrusion detection, introduction to embedded (control) systems, secure shell, and useful tools and resources
- Virtual machines, disaster recovery, malicious code, and PowerShell
- How to identify and respond to incidents
- The technical and legal elements of forensics
- How resiliency, automation, and backups provide essential and fundamental protection
- What a cybersecurity career looks like
Weeks 9-16: Learn Intermediate Cybersecurity Skills
In the second phase of your instruction, you’ll move on to intermediate concepts and skills to further your understanding of cybersecurity. These will empower you to demonstrate basic security skills to prospective employers and clients.
What You’ll Learn:
- Roles and responsibilities, security controls, indicators of compromise, understanding threats, attack tools, monitoring networks
- How to protect networks, monitor and analyze various services for signs of compromise, run scripts, understand and use SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)
- How to examine forensic tools and techniques, dig into indicators of compromise, understand detection and containment, conduct digital evidence collection, understand frameworks, policies and procedures, and explore attacker lateral movement and pivoting
- Intermediate incident response as well as effective recovery
- How to conduct a risk analysis and vulnerability assessment
- Regulations in cybersecurity
- Technical and non-technical controls
- The relationship between security and privacy
- How to configure and analyze share permissions
- Cloud technologies and how to protect your cloud-based solutions with OWASP
Weeks 17-24: Learn Professional Cybersecurity Skills
Weeks 17 to 24 of the program will see you begin to excel in your learning and establish a professional-level understanding of cybersecurity. This phase will teach you everything you need to know about configuring and applying threat intelligence, addressing vulnerabilities, conducting investigations, analyses, and threat hunting. After week 24, you’ll receive your vouchers to complete your CompTIA Security+ and CySA+ exams.
What You’ll Learn:
- The ethics of hacking
- Penetration testing, Metasploitable2 and Eternal Blue
- The underlying capabilities of search engines, WHOIS, DNS, nmap, dirbuster and gobuster, nikto, social engineering, specialized scanners, SNB enumeration
- Proactive threat hunting
- Local File Inclusion and Remote File Inclusion
- SQL injection techniques and defenses
- Hacking and testing mobile devices
- How to create and counter a buffer overflow attack
- Advanced malware techniques and tools
- How to elevate privilege to fully exploit platforms, monitor networks, or access other systems during an attack
- Various sources for exploits and how to use them, including password attacks
Top Cybersecurity Skills Needed to Land a Job
Cybersecurity is a highly technical field requiring many skills and expertise to excel. Here are some of the most important.
- Intrusion Detection: Intrusion detection detects unauthorized access or attempts to access a computer system.
- Risk Management: Risk management refers to identifying, assessing and mitigating risks to an organization’s assets, systems and data.
- Incident Response: Incident response identifies, contains, and eradicates cybersecurity incidents.
- Data Security: Data security protects data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, destruction, or modification.
- Network Security: Network security encompasses the set of policies and procedures used to protect an organization’s network.
- Networking: Networking refers to the process of connecting computers and devices together to share data and resources.
- Scripting: Scripting is a way of automating tasks by writing code to automate processes.
- Ethical Hacking: Ethical hacking is the process of penetrating a computer system or network with the permission of the owner to test its security.
- Penetration Testing: Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, assesses the security of a computer system or network by simulating an attack.
- Operating Systems and Database Management: Operating systems and database management systems are the software that run on computer systems and store data.
Entry Level Cybersecurity Jobs
The great thing about cybersecurity is that it has many potential career opportunities. Each of its disciplines —from risk management to incident response to data security—presents a unique set of skills and knowledge that can lead to an in-demand career. Here are a few examples of common entry-level cybersecurity jobs and what they involve.
Cybersecurity Technician
A cybersecurity technician is responsible for implementing and maintaining an organization’s security posture. This includes installing and configuring security solutions, monitoring networks for vulnerabilities and incidents, and responding to security events.
Cybersecurity Analyst
A cybersecurity analyst identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks to an organization’s systems and data. They do this by conducting security assessments, analyzing threat intelligence, and developing and implementing security controls.
IT Auditor
IT auditors are responsible for assessing an organization’s IT processes and controls. This involves reviewing system logs, conducting interviews with staff, and performing data analysis.
Junior Penetration Tester
A junior penetration tester’s job is to assess the security of an organization’s systems and data by simulating attacks. Identifying vulnerabilities, conducting social engineering attacks, and writing reports are just some of their day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.
Systems Administrator
A systems administrator is responsible for managing an organization’s IT infrastructure. This can involve anything from configuring and maintaining servers to deploying and managing applications.
Help Desk Technician
A help desk technician provides first-line support to users experiencing problems with their computer systems. They help people reset passwords, troubleshoot software issues, and provide basic training on how to use systems properly.
Learn Cybersecurity at Coding Dojo
If you’ve been considering a future in cybersecurity, the time to get started is now. Many entry-level positions are available in the field, and with the proper training, you can realistically land one of these jobs.
Coding Dojo offers a comprehensive Cybersecurity Bootcamp that will teach you the skills you need to succeed in cybersecurity. Administered by industry experts and backed by employers, our boot camp will give you the real-world experience and job-ready skills you need to take your career to the next level.
If you’re ready to start your introduction to cybersecurity, apply today!
Introduction to Cybersecurity FAQ
Frequently asked questions about learning cybersecurity
Questions, anyone? Delving into the world of cybersecurity can be a big decision, which is why we’ve compiled a list of answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the field.
Is Cybersecurity a Good Career?
The short answer is yes! Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing field with many specialties and career paths. You can enter the field at any level with the right training and begin working your way up.
Is Cybersecurity Hard to Learn?
This is a difficult question to answer, as it depends on your prior experience and knowledge. However, we will say that cybersecurity is a complex field that requires a lot of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It’s important to be patient and willing to learn, as you will need to constantly update your skills to keep up with the latest threats and technologies.
Where to Learn Cybersecurity?
There are many different places where you can learn about cybersecurity. However, we believe that the best way to learn is by getting hands-on experience. Coding Dojo offers a Cybersecurity Bootcamp that will teach you the skills you need to succeed in cybersecurity.
How Long Does It Take To Learn Cybersecurity?
Again, this depends on your prior experience and knowledge. However, most people can expect to spend at least a few months learning the basics of cybersecurity.
What Cybersecurity Certifications Can I Get?
There are many different certifications available in cybersecurity. The most popular include the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) qualifications.