Cybersecurity sounds like a big deal, right? When I first heard about it, people were using laptops all day to stop hackers and online breaches. But that is not all the truth. Then I realized you don’t need to be a tech pro to understand how to stay safe online.
These days, everything is on the internet — our money, personal info, even work stuff. So, knowing the basics of cybersecurity isn’t just for professionals anymore. It’s useful for everyone.
And guess what? You can learn it without spending a single rupee. Yes, there are free courses out there, and some even give you a certificate once you finish. Here’s our recommendation:
1. Google Cybersecurity Certificate (on Coursera)
I started with this one, and honestly, it’s super beginner-friendly. No fancy knowledge needed. It walks you through stuff like how networks work, what cyber threats look like, and even shows you some tools like SQL and Python.
You can learn at your own pace, and if you don’t care about the certificate, you can do it completely free by choosing the audit option.
2. Great Learning – Introduction to Cyber Security
This one is short, simple, and honestly felt like someone just sitting and explaining the basics to you. It covers phishing, hacking, malware, and all those scary words in a chill way. If you are absolutely new to this field and want to know more about the things in Cybersecurity, this free and short certification course will cover all your doubts and make your base stronger.
You also get a free certificate at the end. Not bad for something that takes just a few hours.
3. FutureLearn – Cyber Security for Beginners
This course is made by The Open University .They break everything down into small topics: online scams, viruses, identity theft — and how to protect yourself and your data. The videos and lectures are really engaging and you will learn from basics to intermediate for free with this course.
It runs for a few weeks, but you don’t have to rush. It’s free for a while, but if you want the certificate, they’ll ask you to upgrade (totally optional).
4. Cisco Networking Academy – Intro to Cybersecurity
Cisco’s course is kinda cool because it’s made by people who work in this field. It shows how cyberattacks work and how companies protect their systems. But it’s still beginner-friendly — I didn’t feel lost at all. There are also some quizzes and a digital badge at the end, which looks neat on LinkedIn or your CV.
As Cisco is itself a really big firm, and they use cybersecurity on a daily basis so you can learn a lot in this course from the faculty.
5. Cybrary – Cyber Security for Beginners
This one’s short and to the point. If you’ve got a short attention span, you’ll like it.
Super easy to follow. And it’s free. The course covers the core concepts of cybersecurity, including types of cyber attacks, how hackers think, and how systems are protected.
You’ll also get a basic understanding of important topics like malware, firewalls, phishing, and social engineering.
Final Thoughts
Look, you don’t need to be a computer person to learn cybersecurity. All you need is curiosity and 30 minutes a day. That’s literally how I started. I’d watch a lesson before bed. And slowly, it all started making sense. These courses are free. Some even give you proof you’ve completed them. And who knows? It might just open doors to a career you never even considered before.
