40 minutes · free · certificate valid 1 year

Cyber Security Basics

Understand the fundamentals of cyber security: what attackers actually target, how phishing and malware really work, how to make authentication hard to break, and the daily habits that stop most incidents before they start. Finish the final assessment with a score of 75% or higher to earn a certificate, valid for one year.

Done this course before, or already know the material? You can go straight to the final assessment and renew your certificate without re-reading the lessons.

Who it's for: All staff in any UK workplace who use email, the internet, or work devices, whatever their role or technical background.

What you'll learn

• Explain what confidentiality, integrity, and availability mean for the information you work with.
• Spot the warning signs of phishing, vishing, and other social engineering attempts.
• Apply strong authentication habits, including unique passwords, a password manager, and multi-factor authentication.
• Recognise why prompt updates and tested, offline backups matter so much in practice.
• Report suspected incidents quickly, without waiting to be certain something is wrong.

What you'll cover

1. 1

   Foundations of cyber security

   What cyber security actually protects, and the vocabulary the rest of the course builds on.

2. 2

   Common threats

   How phishing and malware actually work in practice, not just in theory.

3. 3

   Passwords and authentication

   Making it hard for someone else to log in as you, even if a password leaks.

4. 4

   Staying safe day to day

   The unglamorous habits, updates, backups, careful clicking, that stop most incidents before they start.

5. 5

   Putting it into practice

   Short workplace scenarios that test how you would apply this course in real situations.

6. 6

   Final assessment

   20 questions drawn at random from the full question bank. Score 75% or higher to earn your certificate.