Updated in May 2025.

This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course. Risk management is a crucial aspect of cybersecurity, vital for protecting an organization's digital assets and ensuring operational continuity. This course delves into the core components of risk, including assets, vulnerabilities, and threats, providing a solid foundation for understanding the complex landscape of cybersecurity risks. Through detailed discussions and case studies, you will explore various types of risks and threats, learning to identify and categorize them effectively. As the course progresses, you will be introduced to strategies for managing risks, including mitigation, transference, avoidance, and acceptance. Each strategy is examined in depth, with practical examples illustrating their application in real-world scenarios. You will also gain insights into selecting appropriate risk controls, ensuring your organization is well-prepared to handle potential threats. The course includes an in-depth analysis of notable incidents like the Amazon Web Services outage and the Equifax data breach, highlighting critical lessons in risk management. The final sections of the course focus on real-world applications, featuring interviews with industry professionals from various sectors. These insights provide a unique perspective on implementing risk management strategies in different environments, from government and healthcare to commercial enterprises. By the end of the course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of risk management and be equipped with the tools to enhance your organization's cybersecurity posture. This course is designed for cybersecurity and IT managers looking to enhance their risk management skills. A basic understanding of cybersecurity principles and IT infrastructure is recommended but not required.