Security Essentials

A practical, beginner‑friendly path into cybersecurity. Build strong foundations across security concepts, networking, Linux & Windows, basic programming, and common attack techniques—through hands‑on labs.

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Who it’s for

Newcomers to cybersecurity or IT pros switching tracks. No prior pen‑testing required.

Format

Live instructor‑led sessions + guided labs. Available online and at our Alexandria branch.

Outcomes

Confident with core concepts, tools and workflows used in SOC, blue team, and junior security roles.

Course Modules (8 Weeks)

  • Information Security & Cybersecurity Frameworks
  • Blue Team vs Red Team, CIA Triad
  • Access Control, Security Controls & Threat Actors
  • Attack Surfaces & Social Engineering
  • Crypto basics: symmetric/asymmetric, hashing (MD5, SHA), encoding (Base64, HEX, URL), compression, digital signatures

  • Protocols, OSI & TCP/IP models; IP & Subnetting
  • Link layer, routing & switching; TCP/UDP
  • ICMP, DHCP, ARP, DNS; SMB/NFS; SNMP/SMTP
  • Firewalls (packet filter, stateful, WAF), proxies & network defense devices
  • Packet analysis with Wireshark

  • Distros, filesystem structure, users/groups/permissions
  • CLI navigation; files/dirs; std I/O/E; pipes & redirection
  • Working with data, Base64 & Hex; processes
  • Networking; inodes; symlinks; run levels; logs

  • Windows basics: registry, filesystem, permissions
  • Windows networking & sharing; PE files & DLLs
  • Windows logs & auditing
  • Server setup, Active Directory basics & services
  • PowerShell scripting fundamentals

  • Compilers, interpreters & linkers
  • Programming quick starts: C++ & Python
  • Intro to Assembly
  • Web basics: HTML, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL

  • Reconnaissance: passive (Shodan, WHOIS, Google dorking) & active (port scanning, DNS, Nikto, Dirb, Sparta, banner grabbing)
  • Vulnerability scanners & common misconfigurations
  • Metasploit framework basics
  • Web vulns: XSS, SQLi, IDOR

  • Authentication brute force; Windows shares & null sessions
  • ARP poisoning & MITM
  • Service exploitation (FTP, SMTP, SNMP)

  • Password attacks & cracking basics
  • Active Directory attack overview
  • Building a simple malware (conceptual lab)
Download Syllabus (PDF)

What You’ll Learn

  • Explain key security concepts, frameworks and controls
  • Read networks: protocols, addressing, routing/switching
  • Operate comfortably on Linux & Windows (CLI & GUI)
  • Use core tools: Wireshark, Nmap, Metasploit (basics)
  • Run safe recon & vulnerability scanning workflows
  • Recognize common web and network attack patterns
  • Document findings and craft actionable recommendations

Tools & Labs

Networking

Wireshark, Nmap, TCP/IP utilities

Recon & Vuln

Shodan, Nikto, Dirb, Sparta, Nessus/OpenVAS

Exploitation

Metasploit, basic web vulns (XSS, SQLi, IDOR)

OS Skills

Linux CLI & Windows admin, logs, PowerShell

Capstone mini‑labs each week reinforce learning with real‑world tasks.

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