Free Cybersecurity Courses: How to Learn on a Budget

It's never been a better time to join the cybersecurity workforce. Demand is high, and talent is scarce. But one look at the price of an entry-level certification may have you wondering whether you can afford to pursue your dream.

Thankfully, quality cybersecurity education doesn't have to be expensive. Cybrary, for example, offers free and affordable training options to help you build essential skills and further your career. Whether you're new to cybersecurity or looking to deepen your expertise, there is accessible, high-quality training perfect for you.

Why Pursue Free Cybersecurity Courses?

There are a number of reasons to pursue free cybersecurity courses.

• Lower financial barrier to entry: Traditional education and certifications can be expensive, but free and affordable training options allow you to gain essential skills without the high costs.
• Hands-on learning opportunities: So much of cybersecurity knowledge is gaining hands-on, real-world experience. Many free and budget-friendly courses provide practical labs, simulations, and scenarios to help you build job-ready skills.
• Flexible learning options: Many free courses are online. This allows you to learn at your own pace and gives you the flexibility to work around other commitments like a full-time job or family.
• Career exploration without risk: Free training provides a low-risk way to explore the field and determine if it's the right fit.

Key Criteria When Selecting Free Cybersecurity Courses

Not all free courses are created equal. Evaluating each course is crucial to ensure it's worth your time. Here are five key criteria to consider to help you weed through your course options.

1. Look for courses offered by reputable organizations, universities, or industry experts (e.g., Cybrary, SANS Cyber Aces, Cisco Networking Academy).
2. Ensure the course covers relevant topics like network security, threat analysis, ethical hacking, or security fundamentals. Some free courses serve as excellent preparation for recognized certifications like CompTIA Security+, CEH, or CISSP.
3. A well-organized course with clear learning objectives, progression, and assessments ensures a more effective learning experience.
4. Courses with discussion forums, mentorship opportunities, or access to industry professionals enhance learning with career networking.
5. Cyber threats evolve rapidly, so ensure the course material is current and reflects the latest security trends and technologies.

Cybrary’s Free Courses

While not all of Cybrary's content is free, we offer over 50 courses, including all Certification Prep instructional content, select Virtual Labs, and our foundational Career Path. It's a wealth of training—all completely free.

What you'll have access to:

• Our entire IT and Cybersecurity Foundations Career Path is free. That's over 30 courses and hands-on labs during which you'll learn Operating System Fundamentals, Network Fundamentals, Cybersecurity Fundamentals, and Programming and Scripting Fundamentals.
• We couldn't recommend our Careers in Cybersecurity course highly enough. This free resource explores all the different options in the industry and is the perfect free beginner course if you are unsure which role to pursue.
• If you want to validate your skills with a certification but don't know where to start, a free Cybrary account is the perfect first step. You'll have access to our instructional material to prepare for the most in-demand certifications, including Security+, CISSP, CISCO, and PenTest+.
• Module 1 of every Career Path, Skill Path, and Collection is entirely free. You can see what courses pique your interest without paying a cent.

Best Features of Cybrary's Courses:

Our courses check all the boxes when you're looking for quality, affordable training.

• We offer extensive hands-on learning opportunities with our Virtual Labs and Challenges.
• Our courses are self-paced and flexible to work with your demanding life.
• All content is aligned with the NICE Framework to ensure you learn industry-approved training.
• We continually add fresh training to our catalog to keep you up-to-date on the latest tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).

Combining Free Courses with Hands-On Practice

It's critical to pair free cybersecurity courses with hands-on practice. You might know how to detect threats in theory, but if you can't actually do it, you can't keep your organization safe. Here are some tips for combining free courses with hands-on practice to create a robust learning experience:

Tip #1: Utilize Virtual Labs and Simulators.

Many free courses include interactive labs—make full use of them! If a course lacks hands-on components, supplement your learning with free cybersecurity labs like:

• Cybrary's Virtual Labs and Challenges
• Hack The Box (Beginner-friendly challenges)
• RangeForce Community Edition

Tip #2: Set Up Your Own Home Lab.

You can create a cybersecurity testing environment using the following free tools. Install VirtualBox or VMware to run multiple operating systems. Use Kali Linux for penetration testing and ethical hacking practice. And experiment with Metasploitable (a vulnerable machine used to test security tools).

Tip#3: Apply Knowledge with Capture The Flag (CTF) Challenges.

Platforms like CTFtime, OverTheWire, and PicoCTF offer security puzzles that reinforce what you learn in courses.

Tip #4: Contribute to Open Source & Bug Bounties.

You can test security skills on platforms like HackerOne or Bugcrowd, many of which offer free sandbox environments. You can also join cybersecurity projects on GitHub to collaborate with others.

Tip #5: Practice in Real-World Scenarios.

Set up a SOC (Security Operations Center) practice lab using tools like Splunk, Wireshark, and Security Onion. With it, you can perform log analysis and threat hunting using real-world data.

Tip #6: Stay Engaged with Cybersecurity Communities.

Join cybersecurity forums and Discord groups like r/cybersecurity (Reddit), Cybrary Community, or Infosec Twitter. Participate in free webinars, workshops, and meetups to stay updated on industry trends.

By combining free courses with hands-on practice, you'll develop a strong, practical cybersecurity skill set that will prepare you for real-world challenges.

Creating a Structured Learning Plan

Another key factor in successful learning is to create a structured plan. It helps you stay focused, track progress, and gain the right skills.

1. Define your goals. Are you a beginner looking to learn the basics? Do you want to earn a new certification? Are you working toward a promotion? Clearly outlining your goals will help you choose the right learning path.
2. Carefully manage your time. You're busy, and one of the easiest things to procrastinate is your goals. To stay on track, schedule blocks of time to study—and mark them as busy on your calendar. Aim for 5-10 hours per week if you can. Give yourself weekly and monthly goals (i.e., to finish Module 1 this week and complete the hands-on labs next).
3. Track your progress. There is no better motivator than seeing how much you've accomplished. Keep a learning journal or checklist. Regularly review your goals. Join a cybersecurity community for guidance and motivation.

Next Steps: Moving Beyond Free Resources

Free cybersecurity resources are a great starting point. But to advance your skills and career, you'll eventually need to explore paid training, certifications, and real-world experience. Here's how to successfully move beyond free resources:

• Decide on a specific cybersecurity role to focus on. Some of the most popular are SOC Analyst, Penetration Tester, Cloud Security Specialist, and Incident Responder.
• Pursue one or two industry-recognized certifications to boost your credibility and job prospects. CompTIA Security+ is excellent for entry level professionals; CEH, SSCP, and CySA+ for intermediate; and CISSP, OSCP, and CISM for advanced.
• Gain real-world experience with internships and apprenticeships. You can also join security research projects or contribute to GitHub to practice your skills further.
• Network with industry professionals at conferences like Black Hat, DEFCON, and BSides.
• Join paid learning platforms and boot camps that will give you structured learning paths and help keep you on track toward your goals.

Once you have a solid foundation, apply for entry-level cybersecurity roles, SOC Analyst positions, or freelance security gigs to gain professional experience.

Conclusion

The bottom line is to keep learning and growing. No matter how advanced you become in cybersecurity, there will always be more to learn, fresh technology to master, and new threats to refute.

Starting with quality free cybersecurity courses is an excellent place to start. Sign up for a free Cybrary account and start building your skills today.