While researching the cybersecurity market, I realized something. There are around 4 million vacant jobs in the global cybersecurity market. These vacancies aren’t a result of the increasing threats that companies face but because employers are struggling to hire people with the right skills and experience.

The cybersecurity market has a huge skills gap, and organizations are in dire need of security professionals (nearly six in ten companies in the US had a ransomware attack in just one month in 2024).

While software developers and other IT professionals have basic security knowledge, they cannot predict or deal with sophisticated threats—something cybersecurity professionals can. But hands-on learning of networks, security, and threats from reputable sources is difficult to find. Reddit too, sees users share their learning hurdles since they don’t know where to learn from.

This list brings you reliable, expert-recommended cybersecurity courses that you can count on to start or boost your career in cybersecurity.

• Which Cybersecurity Skills Do You Need?
• Why Trust Us and Why These Courses?
• The Best Cybersecurity Courses

The Best Cybersecurity Courses

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Which Cybersecurity Skills Do You Need?

Cybersecurity is no longer just a virus defense activity. It has evolved into fighting complex threats, including ransomware, advanced persistent threats (APTs), and data breaches. Since the world moved online in 2020, the need for cybersecurity professionals has grown.

According to the Global Cybersecurity Outlook Report in 2024:

• 41% of the organizations that suffered a material incident caused by a third party
• 54% of organizations have an insufficient understanding of cyber vulnerabilities in their supply chain.
• 78% of respondents reported that their organizations do not have the in-house skills to fully achieve their cybersecurity objectives.

The skills gap is so huge that even if some companies don’t have the budget to hire cybersecurity professionals, 91% of organizations are willing to pay for their training and certification of their employees.

In terms of hiring, employers aren’t just looking for technical skills, but also soft skills.

Technical skills:

• Cloud security
• IoT security
• Threat hunting
• Digital forensics
• AI, machine learning, and automation tools
• Zero Trust

Professional skills

• Verbal and written communication
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Composure under pressure
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Ethical judgement

To build these skills, it’s essential to learn from courses and training that have hands-on labs, projects, and assignments.

In this list, I’ve chosen reliable courses that don’t just offer you rigorous training but are also recognized by global companies.

Why Trust Us and Why These Courses?

Class Central is the Tripadvisor of online learning. Our database of 250,000 courses has global certifications from Coursera, Udemy, edX, Skillshare, and more.

We want to make learning simple, so that finding the right course isn’t a long, tedious process. At Class Central, you won’t just find a list of courses, you can also keep up with the ed-tech world with the Report.

Now, the question lies—how have I chosen these courses?

I’m not from a cybersecurity background, so for this list, I’ve spoken to a cybersecurity expert to offer insights on the courses.

The selected courses come from an expert (don’t worry, I’ve got you).

These courses are chosen on the basis of:

• Industry-recognized certifications: While there are courses from platforms such as Coursera and Udemy, you’ll find courses that have certifications often needed by employers, like CompTIA+, Splunk, etc.
• Premium quality and pricing: Most of the courses are paid because they offer premium knowledge and valuable certifications.
• Hands-on experience: Most of these courses have hands-on lab sections that help you apply theory to real-world security scenarios.
• Expert-recommended: I’ve spoken to a cybersecurity professional, but I’ve also scoured through expert blogs and videos to select their favorites.
• Beginner-level learning: I’ve picked courses that offer strong foundational learning, and while they are beginner-friendly, they will also help you advance in your cybersecurity career.

Here are the courses.

Best Course for Beginners by University of Maryland (Coursera)

• Level: Beginner
• Rating: 4.7 (2,865 ratings)
• Duration: 21 hours
• Cost: Free to audit

If you’re brand new to cybersecurity or are a career switcher, you’d want to know what it entails. This (majorly) theoretical course teaches the whats and hows of it. It’s a six-module course by Dr. Charles Harry, who has served with the NSA (National Security Agency), and it’s designed to be your launchpad into the field.

While it introduces you to the technical commitments of the field, it also shows you how security, or the lack of it, affects governance, international policy, and global data.

The course dissects the threat landscape, hacking, data movement, and consequences, and it teaches you core concepts with case studies.

What sets it apart?

• It’s beginner-friendly because it offers a detailed view of cybersecurity
• The case studies are real-world examples and they explain threats well
• It focuses on the significance of cybersecurity as a profession in a global context
• The instructor, Dr. Harry, is an expert advisor to corporate and institutional leaders on cybersecurity risk

Who is it for?

Aspiring and beginner cybersecurity professionals who don’t have a background in IT or Computer Science.

Best for Complete Cybersecurity Analysis (Udemy)

• Level: Beginner
• Rating: 4.8 (136 ratings)
• Duration: 73 hours
• Cost: Paid

Apart from basics like Linux, learn penetration testing and malware detection, SIEM and event management tools, forensics, and network monitoring in this course.

This one also helps you set up your virtual environment for labs and projects. It’s not just for beginners but also for professionals who want to expand their knowledge, as it covers threat intelligence, mitigating risks, forensics, and more.

This one emphasizes hands-on learning with real-world scenarios. And the instructors, who specialize in forensics, incident response, and ethical hacking, are responsive and passionate.

P.S. You need to install a virtualization software before enrolling in this course

What sets it apart?

• This is a comprehensive, all-in-one course that covers most aspects of cybersecurity
• The course content keeps getting updated as per trends
• The projects ensure hands-on learning
• The instructors, Mike and Josh, have more than a decade of experience in the cybersecurity industry

Who is it for?

Beginner, entry-level, and mid-level cybersecurity professionals

Best Cybersecurity Professional Certificate by Google (Coursera)

• Level: Beginner
• Rating: 4.8 (42,427 ratings)
• Duration: 170 hours
• Cost: Free to audit

If you’re a beginner or want to enter the cybersecurity space, then this program introduces you to the subject, its tools (Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools), and projects.

Get professional training designed and delivered by subject matter experts at Google.

With 8 courses, this training prepares you to enter the field (with a certificate) with in-demand skills such as intrusion detection, network intrusion detection, finding risks, recovering from incidents, and much more—all while also learning Linux, Python, SQL, and other tools.

Also, this program helps you in job searches and claims that with the certificate, you can apply for jobs with Google, American Express, Deloitte, and more companies.

At under 10 hours per week, you can complete the certificate in less than 6 months.

What sets it apart?

• It teaches you AI skills to decode security frameworks, identify bugs, refine code, and more
• This Professional Certificate has an ACE® recommendation, so it is eligible for college credit (depending on the institution)
• It helps prepare you for the CompTIA Security+ exam, the industry-leading certification for cybersecurity roles.
• The courses are taught by subject matter experts at Google
• Has practice-based assessments and activities that simulate real-world cybersecurity scenarios that are critical for success in the workplace

Who is it for?

• Students or recent graduates who want an entry-level cybersecurity role
• Professionals transitioning into roles such as cybersecurity analyst, security operations center (SOC) analyst, and more

Best Entry-Level Certification in Cybersecurity (ISC2)

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: Varies based on the format
• Cost: Free

International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) offers certifications that benefit beginners. As a part of their One Million Certified in Cybersecurity, they are offering free training to build the skills gap in the industry.

This training also covers Network Security, Access Control Concepts, Business Continuity (BC), Disaster Recovery (DR) & Incident Response Concepts, and more. Plus, it’s flexible (online, live, self-paced).

This training also instills creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills within you to be prepared for your future role. The certification is industry-recognized, and it, too, validates your technical and professional skills.

What sets it apart?

• You get access to learning guides, textbooks, practice quizzes, and more
• The skills taught align with the skills hiring managers need
• ISC2 members report 35% higher salaries than non-members
• It offers access to peers and advanced learning opportunities and certifications
• The certificate is recognized and accepted by global employers

Who is it for?

• Professionals transitioning into cybersecurity
• Students and graduates who want to get into cybersecurity

Best Cybersecurity Analyst Certificate by IBM (Coursera)

• Level: Beginner
• Rating: 4.7 (13,045 ratings)
• Duration: 160 hours
• Cost: Free to audit

An in-depth course that offers you job-ready security skills within months. It covers the usual—penetration testing, forensics, and also has a course on using generative AI for automation, reporting, and dealing with phishing and virus attacks.

This widely recognized, 14-course program also has hands-on lab projects that introduce you to real-world scenarios, and the certificate and badge are accepted by employers.

By the end of this course, you will learn how to reduce risks with more security, apply incident response methodologies, use AI to strengthen your cybersecurity, and investigate a breach, among other things.

What sets it apart?

• The certificate and badge are globally recognized
• The program is ACE® approved and FIBAA recommended (up to 10 degree credits and up to 4 ECTS credits)
• It has a course on acing a job search as an entry-level cybersecurity professional
• It’s taught by the IBM Skills Network Team and recommended by security experts

Who is it for?

Aspiring, beginner, and entry-level cybersecurity professionals

Best Certification Training in CompTIA Security+ (CompTIA)

• Level: Beginner
• Rating: 4.8 (42,427 ratings)
• Duration: Varies based on the format
• Cost: Paid

This certification is one of the best validations of cybersecurity skills. The training covers the most in-demand skills related to current threats—automation, zero trust, IoT, risk, and more. Once certified, you’ll be equipped with core skills that will set you up for cybersecurity roles.

This program prepares you to assess an organization’s security health, safeguard hybrid environments, and recognize, investigate, and address security breaches.

It’s a hands-on course, and the exam also has performance-based questions that build your problem-solving and critical-thinking capabilities.

What sets it apart?

• Many job roles expect Security+ for baseline cybersecurity skills, so the course is great for beginners
• Security+ is also ISO/ANSI-accredited, and therefore, widely recognized
• It offers flexible learning through interactive labs, self-paced learning, instructor-led training, exam prep support, and study guide
• Again, this certification is widely recognized by global employers

 Who is it for?

Aspiring or entry-level cybersecurity professionals who want strong foundational knowledge

Best Hands-On Course for Defense (Security Blue Team)

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: 40-50 hours
• Cost: Paid

BTL1 is designed for security enthusiasts or professionals who want to strengthen their defensive skills and respond to threats skillfully.

This course trains you in dealing with phishing attacks, investigating forensics, analyzing network traffic, conducting threat actor research, and using SIEM tools to check for threats, among other things.

By the end of the course, you’ll be well-versed in the basics (network security, email security, etc) and other essential skills (digital forensics, threat intelligence, incident response, and more).

What sets it apart?

• The fee includes four months of access to 330+ lessons and 23 browser labs
• This training is recommended by cybersecurity experts for its hands-on learning
• Upon completion, you get a certificate, a digital badge, a silver challenge coin (gold if you score above 90% on the first attempt), and a laptop sticker
• It has a 24-hour practical incident response exam with immediate grading and detailed feedback
• It also trains you in the soft skills required for cybersecurity roles
• Every section has quizzes and labs for in-depth learning

Who is it for?

• Students/IT personnel who want to get a role in cybersecurity
• Professionals who want to become security analysts, incident responders, threat intelligence analysts, and forensics analysts

Best Certification for Splunk (Splunk)

• Level: Intermediate
• Duration: Varies according to the learning paths
• Cost: Free and paid courses (with paid certificate exam)

Splunk is the gold standard for security information and event management (SIEM), and entry-level candidates with Splunk skills can contribute to security operations, create searches, build dashboards, and interpret alerts.

This is a certificate exam, and the list of courses to prepare for it is highly valuable, especially in SOC (Security Operations Center) environments.

Splunk’s course catalog has bite-sized courses on different aspects, and beginner courses such as ‘Introduction to Splunk’ don’t have prerequisites. Splunk offers globally recognized certification exams, and the courses cover trending and in-demand topics such as SOAR, cloud monitoring, etc.

What sets it apart?

• The free courses offer training for Splunk certifications
• It offers direct platform expertise
• The vast catalogue is open for role-based specialties and searches
• The hands-on lab helps you practice with real-world scenarios
• The catalog keeps getting updated according to industry trends

Who is it for?

• Entry-level security professionals
• Security analysts, SOC engineers, security architects, and threat hunters

Best Cybersecurity Analytics Bootcamp (Fullstack Academy)

• Level: Beginner
• Rating: 4.8
• Duration: 12-26 weeks
• Cost: Paid

This bootcamp understands what the job market needs, and its intensive curriculum covers the pillars of cybersecurity—Kali Linux, Command Line, Python, Wireshark, and more.

Its 30+ core cybersecurity topics teach the fundamentals, networks, blue team and red team, and other essentials. Plus, the course gives you access to its alumni network and their career success team for job opportunities.

If, along with learning, you want support in getting hired, finding opportunities, creating a LinkedIn profile, and preparing for interviews, the passionate instructors and team will help you with it.

What sets it apart?

• It has a free generative AI elective course featuring tools like ChatGPT and Bing AI.
• This bootcamp will prepare you for the CompTIA Security+ exam
• The certificate is industry-recognized
• Gives access to a robust network of alumni who will guide you to opportunities
• It can help you land a job in a reputable company—graduates have been placed in Accenture, the IRS, the Center for Internet Security, and other companies

Who is it for?

• Entry-level professionals or beginners who want to become a cybersecurity analyst, incident responder, ethical hacker, penetration tester, or network engineer

These courses don’t just teach cybersecurity skills—they immerse you in real-world projects that test your resilience and adaptability—something that today’s threat landscape demands.

With these, you’ll not only step into a security role with confidence, but you’ll also have an agile mindset, one that’s made to outrank threats and safeguard data.