Cybersecurity and Network Defense Fundamentals
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Cybersecurity and Network Defense Fundamentals
This course is part of Cybersecurity Analyst Specialization
2,452 already enrolled
Included with
Recommended experience
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Analyze cyber threat actors, attack lifecycles, and adversary TTPs using MITRE ATT&CK and the Cyber Kill Chain.
Evaluate phishing, malware, and ransomware techniques to identify exploitation pathways and compromise indicators.
Apply Linux command-line tools for log analysis, threat investigation, and security operations tasks.
Implement operating system hardening, privilege management, and secure configuration baselines.
Skills you'll gain
- Cyber Attacks
- Security Awareness
- Hardening
- Threat Modeling
- Cyber Threat Hunting
- Cyber Threat Intelligence
- Cyber Operations
- Intrusion Detection and Prevention
- Cyber Security Strategy
- Cybersecurity
- Cyber Engineering
- Network Monitoring
- Exploitation techniques
- Network Administration
- Linux Commands
- Network Security
- Operating System Administration
Tools you'll learn
Details to know
February 2026
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There are 4 modules in this course
This program equips aspiring cybersecurity professionals, SOC analysts, network engineers, and system administrators with the foundational knowledge and practical skills required to understand, analyze, and defend against modern cyber threats in enterprise environments.
You will begin by exploring the evolving cyber threat landscape, examining attacker motivations, adversary methodologies, and structured attack lifecycles using frameworks such as the Cyber Kill Chain and MITRE ATT&CK. Through guided demonstrations and applied analysis, you will learn how attackers conduct reconnaissance, exploit vulnerabilities, and move across networks—and how defenders detect and disrupt these activities using structured security operations techniques. Building on this foundation, you will develop practical Linux skills essential for cybersecurity operations. Working within a Kali Linux environment, you will execute core command-line operations, analyze system logs, apply regular expressions for investigation, and map adversary techniques using MITRE ATT&CK Navigator. The course also introduces structured threat intelligence practices, including OSINT collection and STIX/TAXII-based intelligence sharing. Using tools such as Maltego and theHarvester, you will learn how to uncover external attack surfaces and enhance situational awareness through intelligence-driven defense. Next, the program explores attack vectors and exploitation techniques commonly used in real-world cyber incidents. You will analyze phishing campaigns, social engineering tactics, malware delivery methods, and ransomware lifecycles. Through controlled demonstrations and sandbox-based analysis, you will observe malicious behavior, identify indicators of compromise, and understand how attackers transition from initial access to system impact. The course then advances into operating system security and network monitoring. You will apply secure configuration principles, enforce privilege management controls, audit system activity, and assess endpoint security posture across Windows and Linux environments. On the network side, you will design segmented architectures, implement intrusion detection and prevention concepts, and analyze packet-level traffic using Wireshark and Snort to detect anomalies and suspicious activity. Finally, you will integrate these capabilities in a structured practice project where you map a full threat lifecycle, analyze indicators, harden systems, and validate monitoring controls—demonstrating a layered defense strategy aligned with enterprise best practices. By the end of this program, you will be able to: -Analyze cyber threats, attacker behaviors, and structured attack lifecycles. -Map adversary tactics and techniques using MITRE ATT&CK and the Cyber Kill Chain. -Apply Linux command-line tools for log analysis, investigation, and threat mapping. -Collect and evaluate threat intelligence using OSINT and structured intelligence feeds. -Identify phishing, malware, and ransomware exploitation techniques. -Implement operating system hardening and privilege management controls. -Design secure network architectures using segmentation and IDS/IPS principles. -Analyze network traffic and detect suspicious activity using monitoring tools. This course is designed for SOC analysts, cybersecurity practitioners, network and infrastructure engineers, system administrators, and early-career security professionals seeking strong foundational and operational skills in cyber threat analysis and network defense. Join us to build the analytical mindset, technical capability, and structured defense strategies required to protect enterprise systems against modern cyber threats.
Analyze the modern cyber threat landscape by examining threat actors, motivations, and attack lifecycles, and applying structured frameworks such as the Cyber Kill Chain and MITRE ATT&CK to understand adversary behavior. Develop foundational Linux skills for cybersecurity operations by working in the Kali Linux environment to perform command-line analysis, log investigation, and threat mapping, while evaluating threat intelligence and OSINT sources to enhance situational awareness and support informed defensive decision-making.
What's included
15 videos9 readings4 assignments
15 videos•Total 69 minutes
- Specialization Introduction•2 minutes
- Course Introduction•2 minutes
- Introducing Cybersecurity Threats and Digital Risks•4 minutes
- Profiling Cyber Threat Actors and Motivations•4 minutes
- Exploring Cyber Kill Chains and ATT&CK Mappings•4 minutes
- Executing Essential Linux Commands for Security Operations•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Exploring the Kali Linux Environment and Command-Line Tools•6 minutes
- Navigating the Linux File System•5 minutes
- Applying Linux Regular Expressions for Security Analysis•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Mapping an Attack in MITRE ATT&CK Navigator•5 minutes
- Examining Threat Intelligence Framework and Lifecycle•4 minutes
- Classifying Threat Intelligence Feeds•5 minutes
- Integrating OSINT and STIX/TAXII Data Sharing •4 minutes
- Demonstration: Collecting OSINT Data with Maltego•7 minutes
- Demonstration: OSINT-Based Threat Surface Discovery with theHarvester•6 minutes
9 readings•Total 85 minutes
- Course Overview•5 minutes
- Foundations of Cybersecurity: A Beginner’s Guide to Modern Defense•10 minutes
- Economic, Legal, and Geopolitical Drivers of Modern Cyber Threats•10 minutes
- How Modern Digital Architectures Influence Cyber Attack Lifecycles•10 minutes
- Kali Linux Terminal: Core Interface for Cybersecurity Operations•10 minutes
- Log Analysis and Threat Mapping Using Linux and MITRE ATT&CK•10 minutes
- Real-World Applications of Cyber Threat Intelligence•10 minutes
- Exploring Maltego: Configuration and Applications in Cyber Intelligence•10 minutes
- Module Summary: Cyber Threat Intelligence and Linux Foundations for Security Operations•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 48 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Cyber Threat Landscape and Attack Lifecycles•6 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Linux Fundamentals for Cybersecurity Operations•6 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Threat Intelligence and OSINT Fundamentals•6 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Cyber Threat Intelligence and Linux Foundations for Security Operations•30 minutes
Examine how attackers exploit human and technical vulnerabilities by analyzing common attack vectors, social engineering techniques, and malware operations. This module explores phishing, spear-phishing, and exploitation pathways, and introduces malware and ransomware lifecycles through hands-on sandbox analysis and controlled execution to understand delivery methods, behavior, and impact.
What's included
10 videos5 readings3 assignments
10 videos•Total 48 minutes
- Analyzing Attack Vectors and Exploitation Pathways•4 minutes
- Demonstration: Tracing an Exploitation Path from Reconnaissance Signals•5 minutes
- Recognizing Social Engineering Techniques•5 minutes
- Analyzing Phishing and Spear-Phishing Attacks•4 minutes
- Demonstration: Detecting Phishing and Social Engineering Indicators•5 minutes
- Classifying Malware Types and Delivery Methods•5 minutes
- Understanding Ransomware Lifecycles and Impact•5 minutes
- Applying Sandbox-Based Malware Detection•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Classifying Malware Types and Delivery Paths from Host Signals•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Observing Ransomware Impact via Controlled Sandbox Execution•4 minutes
5 readings•Total 50 minutes
- Pre-Attack Reconnaissance and Exploitation Planning•10 minutes
- Organizational Controls and Behavioral Indicators in Phishing Defense•10 minutes
- Malware Distribution Channels in Modern Networks•10 minutes
- Ransomware Containment and Recovery Strategies•10 minutes
- Module Summary: Attack Vectors, Social Engineering, and Malware Analysis•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 42 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks•6 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Malware and Ransomware Threats•6 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Attack Vectors, Social Engineering, and Malware Analysis•30 minutes
Implement secure system and network defenses by applying operating system hardening principles, privilege controls, and network security architectures. This module focuses on configuring secure baselines, designing segmented networks, and using monitoring tools such as IDS/IPS and traffic analysis utilities to detect anomalous or unauthorized activity.
What's included
10 videos5 readings3 assignments
10 videos•Total 48 minutes
- Understanding Operating System Security Fundamentals•5 minutes
- Configuring Secure Accounts and System •4 minutes
- Demonstration: Assessing Operating System Security Posture and Baseline Configuration•5 minutes
- Applying Privilege Management and Audit Controls•4 minutes
- Demonstration: Detecting Privilege Misuse Through System Activity•4 minutes
- Applying Network Security Principles •4 minutes
- Designing Secure Network Architectures and Segmentation•5 minutes
- Exploring Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems•4 minutes
- Demonstration: Analyzing Network Traffic with Wireshark•6 minutes
- Demonstration: Enforcing Network Segmentation and Detecting Suspicious Traffic•6 minutes
5 readings•Total 50 minutes
- Principles of Secure Configuration Management•10 minutes
- Hardening Linux and Windows Operating Systems•10 minutes
- Wireshark for Packet-Level Network Analysis•10 minutes
- Policy-Driven Intrusion Detection with Snort•10 minutes
- Module Summary: Network and Operating System Security Monitoring•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 42 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Operating System Security and Hardening•6 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Network Security and Monitoring•6 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Network and Operating System Security Monitoring•30 minutes
This module is designed to assess an individual on the various concepts and teachings covered in this course. Evaluate your knowledge with a comprehensive graded quiz.
What's included
1 video1 reading2 assignments1 discussion prompt
1 video•Total 3 minutes
- Course Summary•3 minutes
1 reading•Total 30 minutes
- Practice Project: Threat Intelligence and Security Operations Defense Strategy•30 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- End Course Knowledge Check: Cybersecurity and Network Defense Fundamentals•30 minutes
- Designing a Layered Cybersecurity Defense Framework•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
- Describe Your Learning Journey•5 minutes
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Frequently asked questions
This course is designed for aspiring SOC analysts, cybersecurity beginners, and IT professionals who want to build structured foundations in security operations and threat analysis.
No prior cybersecurity experience is required, although basic familiarity with networking or operating systems will be helpful.
You will analyze network traffic using Wireshark, understand intrusion detection and prevention systems, and apply segmentation principles to reduce attack surfaces.
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¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.
