The cyber security industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors today, and the number of cyber security jobs is expected to grow at a rate of 33 percent through 2030, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you are looking to start a rewarding and lucrative career in a field with great job security, you might want to enroll in a free cyber security bootcamp.
In this article, we’ll cover the best free bootcamps to learn cyber security and the best free cyber security courses. With these resources, you can learn the fundamental concepts and skills needed to become a cyber security professional. Let’s dive in.
Free Coding Bootcamps to Learn Cyber Security
| Coding Bootcamp | Free Cyber Security Program | Location | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Risk Academy | Cyber Security Bootcamp for Women | Dublin, Ireland | Online |
| Cybrary | Information Security Fundamentals | Greenbelt, Maryland | Online |
| Eleven Fifty Academy | Free Cybersecurity | Indianapolis, Indiana | Online |
| Evolve Academy | Cybersecurity Fundamentals | Chicago, Illinois | Online |
| Flatiron School | Learn Cybersecurity for Free | New York City, New York | Online |
| Fullstack Academy | Cyber OnRamp | New York City, New York | Online |
| Heimdal Security | Cyber Security for Beginners | Plano, Texas | Online |
| Kable Academy | Cybersecurity Fundamentals | Cincinnati, Ohio | Online |
| Level Effect | Cybersecurity Foundations | San Antonio, Texas | Online |
| SANS Institute | Cyber Aces | North Bethesda, Maryland | Online |
Best Free Coding Bootcamps to Learn Cyber Security
The best free coding bootcamps to learn cyber security come in a wide variety of teaching formats and cover different topics. In the next section, we’ll provide a summary of each cyber security bootcamp, so you can decide which program best fits your goals and schedule.
Cyber Security Bootcamp for Women | Cyber Risk Academy
This free bootcamp is an initiative of the International Cyber Threat Task Force with the goal of introducing more women to the field of cyber security. New modules are released every Monday for one month, and each module takes three to five hours to complete. Students earn a certificate of completion at the end of the program.
Information Security Fundamentals | Cybrary
This career path bootcamp pre-course discusses technical topics such as malware, risk management, security protocols, and cyber security architecture. By the end of the course, you’ll understand the importance of data protection and be prepared for a cyber security bootcamp. Most of the content is available for free, but you’ll need to pay a monthly membership to access some courses and assessments.
Free Cybersecurity | Eleven Fifty Academy
Eleven Fifty Academy’s free cyber security bootcamp prep course teaches beginners what it takes to start a career and thrive in the cyber security industry. You’ll learn from industry experts and get a chance to tackle a malicious attack case study. Your trainers will also discuss job prospects for cyber security professionals.
Cybersecurity Fundamentals | Evolve Academy
Cybersecurity Fundamentals by Evolve Academy is a great pre-course that prepares you for the rigorous Evolve Security Academy 20-week bootcamp. It starts with a discussion of cyber security industry trends and then dives into working with command-line coding in Linux, network security, hacking tools, and home lab setup for hobbyists.
Learn Cybersecurity for Free | Flatiron School
The free cyber security lessons provided by Flatiron School gives students foundational skills in cyber security, covering concepts such as phishing attacks, virtualization technology, cryptography, and IoT security. This self-paced course gives students an idea of what a cyber career is like and the kind of content they can expect from the full cyber security bootcamp at Flatiron School.
Cyber OnRamp | Fullstack Academy
Fullstack Academy’s Cyber OnRamp is the first 25 hours of their paid cyber security bootcamp curriculum for free, giving individuals the opportunity to experience the learning environment before committing to the full program.
This material focuses on command line coding in Linux, one of the key technical skills for cyber security professionals. This program will give you a strong foundation to take the full 13 or 26-week Cybersecurity Analytics bootcamp with Fullstack Academy.
Cyber Security for Beginners | Heimdal Security
Heimdal Security is a cyber security solutions provider with a five-week online cyber security course designed for the average computer user. The course covers fundamental topics such as security vulnerabilities, industry jargon, and security management tools. This course doesn’t prepare you for a cyber security job, but it’s a great course to take to prepare for a job-oriented bootcamp.
Cybersecurity Fundamentals | Kable Academy
Kable Academy hosts a free, one-week Cybersecurity Fundamentals course to introduce cyber security beginners to computer software and hardware, databases, security, networking, and software development. To learn more about cyber crimes and intrusion detection, you’ll have to sign up for the full Cybersecurity Bootcamp. Most students qualify for free tuition until they find their first cyber security job.
Cybersecurity Foundations | Level Effect
This 12-hour crash course from Level Effect helps students develop a solid foundation in cyber security topics. You’ll learn about managing and evaluating risk, as well as how to conduct your own risk assessment of an organization’s security system. At the end of the self-paced course, you can test your knowledge with a 50-question assessment.
Cyber Aces | SANS Institute
SANS Institute’s Cyber Aces course teaches the core concepts needed to secure systems for business operations. Students will cover three modules in operating systems, networking, and system administration. This isn’t just a lecture series, students will get hands-on experience in VMware using virtual machines, ensuring they truly master in-demand skills.
Best Free Cyber Security Courses
- Cybersecurity Specialization | Coursera. This online course covers software and hardware security, the human-computer interface, and applications of cryptography. You complete the course in eight months if you spend two hours per week on coursework. Once you’re done, you can pay for a verified certificate of completion.
- Cyber Security Course for Beginners | FourthWall Technologies on Udemy. If you need cyber security education to help you stay safe online, this course created by FourthWall Technologies will equip you with the necessary skills. By the time you’re done, you’ll have a better idea of whether a career pathway in cyber security is right for you.
- Cyber Security: Safety at Home, Online, in Life | Newcastle University on Future Learn. Newcastle University’s School of Computing Science offers this three-week, free, online course on topics in home security, online privacy, and online payment safety. The course is self-guided, and learners can join forums for class discussions and to share their ideas.
- Introduction to Cyber Security | SkillUP. This course by SkillUP will guide you through the basics of information security and give you a strong foundation for continuing professional education. You’ll learn to manage security protocols in information processing systems and perform business impact analysis.
- Introduction to Cybersecurity | University of Washington on edX. This six-week course covers a wide range of cyber security concepts. You’ll learn how to identify threat actors and choose appropriate security measures. You’ll also learn about international cyber security agencies and legal challenges in the cyber security industry.
Learn Cyber Security Free: Other Resources
- CSO Online. CSO delivers content on a wide range of security and risk control issues. It is geared toward high-level cyber security professionals like chief security officers and cyber security officers.
- Dark Reading. The Dark Reading blog is one of the most popular online resources in cyber security, dealing with topics like application, cloud, and mobile security. This is where cyber security professionals go to learn about new trends and vulnerabilities in the threat landscape.
- r/cybersecurity on Reddit. Reddit is an open platform where cyber security beginners and experienced professionals can interact. You can browse a vast archive of cyber security discussions and pose new questions to the online forum.
- The Hacker News. This news outlet focuses on the latest cyber security news, with deep coverage of current trends in the information security industry. Some of the main topics it covers include data breaches, cyber attacks, malware, and vulnerabilities. Many cyber security professionals depend on this trusted source for the latest news in cyber security.
- WIRED. One of the best technology news outlets in the country, WIRED, has a section dedicated to cyber security content. It covers all things cyber, including stories about national security, international cyber crime, security networking events, and white papers on innovative products.
Free Cyber Security Bootcamps FAQ
No, there aren’t any free cyber security certifications. There are free courses that provide certificates, but professional certifications are different. A certificate shows you completed an educational program, while industry certifications show that you passed an exam testing your professional skills.
Yes, attending a cyber security bootcamp can be hard. Bootcamps are supposed to be challenging because they condense courses that usually take years to learn into a few months. Without any previous cyber security experience, you might have a hard time keeping up with the pace of a bootcamp. It’s a good idea to study the basics before you start class.
Yes, you can get a job after cyber security bootcamp. Most bootcamps are designed to prepare students for entry-level cyber security jobs. However, you are unlikely to land a role in a high-level position fresh from a bootcamp because most employers look for employees with several years of experience in the workforce in addition to a four-year degree.
The median annual pay for information security analysts is $102,600, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each specific cyber security role has a given salary depending on your level of experience, expertise, employer, and location of the business. The high demand for cyber security experts also signals a promising job market for aspiring professionals.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
