Land a job protecting networks, devices and people from cyberattacks
Kick off a career in the high-growth field of cybersecurity. In the Google Cybersecurity Certificate programme, you’ll learn how to identify common risks, threats, and vulnerabilities, as well as the techniques to mitigate them.
Why this programme is right for you
See what's in store
NEW Practise applying AI skills to a workplace scenario, like using generative AI tools to anticipate signs of phishing or malware
COURSE 1 • 14 HOURS
In this course, you will be introduced to the world of cybersecurity. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to identify significant events that led to the development of the cybersecurity field, explain the importance of cybersecurity in today's business operations, and explore the job responsibilities and skills of an entry-level cybersecurity analyst.
COURSE 2 • 11 HOURS
In this course, you'll learn how cybersecurity professionals use frameworks and controls to protect business operations, identify the steps of risk management, and explore common threats, risks, and vulnerabilities. Then, you'll explore Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) data and use a playbook to respond to identified threats, risks, and vulnerabilities.
COURSE 3 • 14 HOURS
This course covers the fundamentals of modern networking operations and protocols, network security, and methods for securing a network. By the end of the course, you'll be able to identify network-level vulnerabilities and secure networks using various techniques such as firewalls, system hardening, and virtual private networks.
COURSE 4 • 27 HOURS
In this course, you’ll learn the essential computing skills used by career cybersecurity analysts. For example, you’ll learn how to use Linux commands through the Bash shell to authenticate and authorise users, and use SQL to retrieve information from a database.
COURSE 5 • 26 HOURS
In this course, you’ll learn how to classify assets, analyse threats and assess vulnerabilities to protect valuable information and mitigate risk. You will develop an attacker mindset by practicing the threat modeling process, and learn tactics for staying ahead of security breaches.
COURSE 6 • 24 HOURS
This course will cover incident detection and response, including defining a security incident and the incident response lifecycle. You'll analyse network communications using packet sniffing tools and practise using Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and SIEM tools to detect, investigate and respond to security incidents.
COURSE 7 • 30 HOURS
In this course, you will learn the basics of Python programming and apply it to effectively automate cybersecurity tasks. You’ll also learn to work with Python effectively by developing functions, using libraries and modules, and making code readable.
COURSE 8 • 18 HOURS
This course focuses on enhancing communication and collaboration abilities, preparing you to effectively engage with stakeholders within an organisation. Through practise interviews and crafting a resume and cover letter, you'll develop the necessary skills for applying to and interviewing for cybersecurity positions.
Watch a course preview
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The world of cybersecurity is full of opportunity
-
48,800+
job postings across certificate fields1 -
£42,800+
median entry-level salary across certificate fields2
Gain the skills you need to be a cybersecurity analyst, security operations analyst, cyber defense analyst, and more.
How people used their certificates to break into cybersecurity
“The certificate has a variety of content to help you think like a cybersecurity analyst. From the course videos and reading material, to the hands-on labs to practise your skills, to the activities with example use cases, you feel prepared to start a career in this field.”
Leslie, Google Cybersecurity Certificate graduate
“I was always scared of learning SQL, but after this course, I'm in love with SQL. I appreciate the way the content was presented and organised, making it easy to follow - especially for someone with no experience.”
Chizitere, Google Cybersecurity Certificate graduate
“Coming into this not knowing anything about cybersecurity, I think it was a great introduction to the field. The order of the lessons, the variety of content, and the pacing kept me engaged and motivated to learn.”
Jared, Google Cybersecurity Certificate graduate
What you'll walk away with
Get the skills you need to become a cybersecurity professional
Enroll now and take your first step toward a fulfilling career in cybersecurity.
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Frequently asked questions
Organisations must continuously protect themselves and the people they serve from cyber-related threats, like fraud and phishing. They rely on cybersecurity to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their internal systems and information.
Cybersecurity analysts use a collection of methods and technologies to safeguard against threats and unauthorised access — and to create and implement solutions should a threat get through.
Cybersecurity analysts work to protect organisations and people from harm. Just as you’d need the right methods to secure your house from a storm, cybersecurity analysts rely on a variety of tools to quickly respond to threats and minimise risk or damage.
While cybersecurity analysts can react quickly to immediate disruptions and threats, they also take a proactive role in safeguarding their organisations. They continuously monitor systems and networks, and always ask questions and seek out solutions. If they discover a breach has occurred, cybersecurity analysts will launch an investigation and report on their findings.
As cyber-related threats continue to rapidly grow and evolve, cybersecurity is a must-have for many organisations. Cybersecurity analysts are essentially digital detectives. They investigate potential and ongoing threats, assess the situation to find the best solution, and protect networks, devices, people, and data. Cybersecurity analysts use analytical and technical skills to crack cybersecurity puzzles, but also rely on creative thinking to address new threats in unique ways. With so much riding on the safety of organisations' data, cybersecurity analysts play a critical role and are in high demand.
The Google Cybersecurity Certificate not only focuses on the technical skills you need to be a cybersecurity analyst, but essential business acumen skills like communication, critical thinking, collaboration and teamwork, prioritisation, and escalation.
You’ll learn these job-ready skills in our certificate programme through interactive content (hands-on activities, discussion prompts, and quizzes) in under six months, with 5-10 hours of study a week. Along the way, you'll work through a curriculum taught by experts at Google with decades of experience.
You’ll learn to use programming for security tasks (e.g. Python, Linux, SQL) and security information and event management tools (e.g. Chronicle and Splunk). You’ll also use an intrusion detection system (e.g. Suricata), apply frameworks and controls to inform security operations (e.g. NIST CSF, NIST RMF, CIA Triad) and perform packet capture and analysis (e.g. tcpdump, Wireshark).
In addition to expert training and hands-on projects designed to prepare you for a job in your field of choice, you’ll have access to career resources like Interview Warmup, a tool that lets you practise interview questions based on Google Career Certificate fields.
The Google Cybersecurity Certificate can qualify you for in-demand cybersecurity jobs such as:
- Cybersecurity analyst
- Security analyst
- Security operations centre (SOC) analyst
- Information security analyst
- IT security analyst
- Cyber defense analyst
The Google Cybersecurity Certificate costs $49 USD† per month on Coursera after an initial 7-day free trial period. All Google Career Certificates are completely self-paced. At about 10 hours of study per week, many learners complete a Google Career Certificate in three to six months.
The Google Cybersecurity Certificate was designed and built by subject-matter experts and senior practitioners at Google. This certificate has been created to equip learners with theoretical and practical knowledge and real-life problem-solving skills to be successful in an entry-level cybersecurity job.
Interview Warmup is a tool that lets anyone practise answering interview questions, based on Google Career Certificate fields, to get more confident and comfortable with the interview process. Your answers are transcribed in real time so you can review what you said and discover patterns in your responses. Learn more here.
Footnotes
1 Lightcast™ Global Job Postings (2023: Jan. 1, 2023 - Dec. 31, 2023)
2 Lightcast™ Global Job Postings (2023: Jan. 1, 2023 - Dec. 31, 2023). US Treasury Reporting Rates of Exchange, USD to GBP, 1 USD = 0.793 GBP (March 31, 2024).
† Pricing is set by Coursera; standard fee of US$49 may vary in local currency.