
Professional Certificate
Cybersecurity Courses Chicago
With BrainStation's cybersecurity courses, you will learn foundational skills and concepts to increase your awareness of secure systems, information security, data security, and network security. More importantly, you will learn how to identify security vulnerabilities, protect against threats and cyber attacks, and implement strategic security measures that improve the cybersecurity of your organization.
View the Course Package to access:
- Tuition details and scholarships
- Financing options
- Employer sponsorship

The knowledge I gained through BrainStation supports my career by enabling me to do my role more confidently and efficiently.
Chandni Shah
People Analytics Partner at AIG
Learn Cybersecurity Concepts & Skills Live, Led by Experienced Security Leaders
Cybersecurity knowledge is a fundamental requirement for professionals and businesses operating in today's digital economy. Through BrainStation's cybersecurity courses, learn in-demand skills and concepts, allowing you to champion cybersecurity awareness for your team and organization with a basic understanding of software and operating systems, cyber attacks, information security, preventative measures, as well as threat identification and mitigation techniques.
Format
Online classroom. Live and expert-led.
Skill Level
Ideal for learners looking to upskill.
Real Outcomes
Complete an industry-ready case-based project.
Professional Certificate
Earn a BrainStation Cybersecurity Certification.






Upcoming Course Dates & Campuses
Due to COVID-19, some courses are currently being held online.
First Class | Last Class | # of Classes | Class Times | ||
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June 14 August 16 | August 16 | 10 Tuesdays | 5:30pm - 8:30pm CDT | Enroll Now |

This Course is Offered Online in Chicago

This Course is Offered Online in New York

This Course is Offered Online in Miami

This Course is Offered Online in London

This Course is Offered Online in Toronto

This Course is Offered Online in Vancouver
Unit 1
Security & Technology Foundations
Cybersecurity is a broad and complex field, involving businesses, people, and technology. Start building domain knowledge by exploring key concepts in cybersecurity alongside technical components like information systems and computer networking. This unit is an essential primer, enabling you to think like a cybersecurity professional and helping you to critically evaluate challenges while preparing you to learn about more advanced topics in the cybersecurity field, including risk assessments, vulnerability assessment, data breaches, mobile security, wifi security, and more.
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IP Lookup
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DNS Lookup
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GeoTraceroute
- Key Skills:
- Security Mindsets
- Data Classification
- Technical Acumen
Learn Key Cyber Security Concepts
Get up to speed with cybersecurity basics by learning core principles including authorization, authentication, how data is handled and classified, and how threat actors create breaches by exploiting systems.
Understand Information Systems
Digital products and services are comprised of many elements working together, often referred to as a technology stack. Learn how each piece of a technology stack works, why they need to be protected, and how they can be exploited.
Explore Computer Networking
Every day, we use the internet to securely transmit data across the world. Learn how data travels by exploring concepts such as firewalls, ports, and protocols. Improve your security across wired and wireless networks with computer networking tips and best practices.
Unit 2
Threats & Defenses
Cyberattacks are a growing problem for individuals and organizations, causing profound impacts beyond a simple monetary cost. This unit focuses on exploring the different types of cyber threats and computer attacks, how to identify them, and how they work. You'll also learn and apply the theory around cyber defense strategies and how to implement preventative measures that reduce the likelihood of experiencing a security incident.
- Key Skills:
- Threat Identification
- Preventative Security
- Secure Password Creation
Understand the Cyber Threat Landscape
Threats are diverse and harmful, ranging from social or people-based, to technical or computer-based attacks. Build your awareness by learning about some of the most common and dangerous threats. You'll explore everything from DDoS attacks to social engineering, and more.
Explore Defensive Tools and Strategies
Individuals and security professionals have a wide variety of tools to help them prevent or mitigate threats. Understand how to approach cybersecurity defenses and learn about key tools and practices to help you operate securely including VPNs, password security, encryption, cyber-attack countermeasures, and more.
Unit 3
Risk Management & Business Analysis
With technology at the heart of our personal and professional interactions, we all carry a level of cybersecurity risk. Learn how to address those risks by using research to build a security strategy. This unit will provide the skills and frameworks to spot, evaluate, and respond to cybersecurity risks. You'll also explore how to perform simple business analysis and discovery, and apply your insights towards building a successful strategy.
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National Vulnerability Database
- Key Skills:
- Risk Identification & Assessment
- Risk Lifecycle Management
- Business Analysis Fundamentals
- Threat Modeling
Learn Risk Management Practices & Tools
Learn how to assess and manage cybersecurity risks using registers, matrices, and strategic models that you can implement in your organization. Support data-driven decisions by leveraging these risk tools and gain increased awareness by exploring known threats using the National Vulnerability Database.
Build a Business Case and Explore Problem Spaces
Cybersecurity success relies on an intimate understanding of the situation and the needs of stakeholders. Learn how to model and explore threats, ask the right questions, and perform research to build a business case. Dissect real-world case studies to learn how to apply this knowledge in relevant business scenarios.
Unit 4
Strategy & Incident Management
Leading organizations understand the importance of developing cybersecurity as a capability and competitive advantage. In this unit, you'll explore frameworks, practices, and solutions that can help you build your own security strategy and take appropriate measures to prepare yourself. You'll also learn the basics of incident management and other essential concepts that can help you prepare for a cybersecurity incident.
- Key Skills:
- Cybersecurity Strategy
- Incident Management Planning
- Strategy Presentations
Develop Your Strategy and Explore Industry Standards & Frameworks
Learn how leading organizations approach cybersecurity strategy by exploring examples such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Apply your learnings to help develop your own security approach and strategy in a case study.
Develop Industry-Inspired Solutions
Explore what leaders in technology and cybersecurity are doing to make their businesses more secure. Learn how service providers are used as part of a security strategy, and examine audit reports as a tool for securing business and evaluating partnerships.
Learn About Incident Management & Computer Forensics
Learn from case studies on past cybersecurity events, and evaluate real-world incident response. Explore practices that can help you prepare for incidents. Learn how digital evidence and digital forensics play an important role in incident management and prevention.
Taught by Experienced Industry Experts
BrainStation Instructors are experienced practitioners who work at the world's most innovative companies. They're experts in their field, and enter the classroom with years of experience making sure you're learning the most up-to-date and practical skills companies around the world need.
Built With Experts From The World's Most Innovative Companies
BrainStation partners with industry experts when building all of our courses, ensuring every course covers the latest industry-relevant topics and tools businesses need. We continue to work with our network of experts to update our courses so they're always up to date.
Complete a Dynamic Cybersecurity Case Study
Earn your certificate and apply your skills by exploring an industry-inspired case study, and creating a cybersecurity strategy. Through this challenging business case, you'll be provided with clear steps to iteratively develop your final solution. By the end of the course, you'll have created and presented a tailored strategy that addresses key issues and provides valuable security recommendations.

View Tuition, Financing Options, and More in the Program Package
View the Course Package to access:
- Tuition details and scholarships
- Financing options
- Employer sponsorship
Earn a BrainStation Cybersecurity Certification
Upon completing BrainStation's Cybersecurity Course, you'll receive an industry-recognized professional certificate to share with your network and showcase all that you've learned. BrainStation certificates are formatted for sharing on LinkedIn.
What Our Graduates Are Saying

Dylan Hebb
Senior Consultant at Content Bloom
When you take a BrainStation course, you're learning with some of the very best in the industry. You collaborate with product managers, digital strategists, UX designers, and all kinds of other backgrounds.
#brainstation #BeFutureProof #LearningAtBrainStation #remotelearning

Andrew Gosine
Product Designer
Our instructor... was clear, detail oriented, and made the learning environment safe and collaborative. We got a lot of real world examples from him, and all the little details he shared made this entire course special, and more than simply reading a textbook.
Overall, I'm a big advocate for Brainstation's courses - they've proved to be extremely valuable in my career.


Chandni Shah
People Analytics Partner at AIG
The knowledge I gained through BrainStation supports my career by enabling me to do my role more confidently and efficiently... The most valuable skill I learned was being comfortable with being uncomfortable. Expanding your horizons can cause short-term discomfort in exchange for long-term growth.
Read Full Testimonial
Christopher Spinelli
Art Director at New York School of Interior Design
It's always hard to start something new, especially when it involves learning skills that you know will force you to think differently about your day-to-day work. I'm glad I got over that fear and signed up for two classes... both were fantastic!
#brainstation #webdesigner #webdevelopment
Join our growing community of 15,000+ alumni.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, programs, and more from digital attacks and theft.
Cyberattacks are often aimed at assessing, altering, or damaging sensitive information and data. With increased digitization and the expanded use of mobile devices, it is now essential for organizations to understand and implement effective cybersecurity measures.
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Why is cybersecurity important?
In the era of big data, cybersecurity is increasingly important as it involves the protection of digital data from damage, theft, or attack. Digital data can include industry information, intellectual property, identifiable information, personal and protected health information, and more.
For organizations, neglecting to implement a cybersecurity strategy can be extremely damaging, including the loss of sensitive corporate and customer information, and a disruption of service and internal systems.
From a personal perspective, many of the services we use on a daily basis exist online and require sharing of information. A greater awareness of security and learning how to improve one's own security can help with reducing risks and improving the management of personal data.
Personal and organizational security go hand-in-hand, as individual knowledge and habits contribute to organizational security posture. Cybersecurity training and cybersecurity courses are a great way to improve personal and organizational security.
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Will I earn a cybersecurity certificate from this course?
Yes, when you complete the Cybersecurity course, you will earn a BrainStation Cybersecurity Certificate, which can boost your LinkedIn profile and resume, helping you stand out in the job market. Cybersecurity skills can also be invaluable in your organization, as the need for secure processes and structures increases.
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What payment options do you offer?
BrainStation offers some of the most competitive payment options for online cybersecurity courses, with a range of flexible plans and scholarship opportunities.
These include:
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Monthly payment installments
Allowing you to split your tuition into smaller monthly payments.
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Employer sponsorship
Get your tuition reimbursed by your employer.
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Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships to make learning cybersecurity more accessible.
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Monthly payment installments
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Are there any prerequisites for this cybersecurity course?
BrainStation's cybersecurity courses were created for those who are new to cybersecurity and can be considered a beginner-friendly course. Throughout, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the cybersecurity landscape, covering industry trends, knowledge domains, and organizational security demands.
There are no set prerequisites for the Cybersecurity course, although a working knowledge of general technology and computer systems will help you make the most of the course.
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What kind of backgrounds do people have that take this course?
By enrolling in the Cybersecurity course, you can expect to learn from an Instructor with experience in the field and to collaborate with like-minded, ambitious professionals keen to improve their cybersecurity knowledge and skills.
From an educational point of view, 80 percent of learners at BrainStation have a post-secondary education, with 20 percent having earned a Master's degree or PhD.
Professional backgrounds also vary quite a bit, particularly for the Cybersecurity course, as cybersecurity skills are now highly valued across a range of fields and industries, including finance, marketing, healthcare, retail, and more.
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What kind of jobs need cybersecurity skills and knowledge?
The following roles must have knowledge of cybersecurity:
- Systems Administrator
- Network Administrator
- Cyber Security Analyst
- Advanced Threat Analyst
- Information Security Assessor
- Security Analyst
- Security Assessor
- Incident Manager
- Security Engineer
- Security Architect
- Security Administrator
- Security Software Developer
- Cryptographer
- Cryptanalyst
- Security Consultant
- Source Code Auditor
There are many other variations out there — new industries are prioritizing cybersecurity all the time – and even jobs listed here will evolve as cybersecurity becomes more prevalent.
With a clear demand for talent in this space, cyber security courses are becoming more popular to help increase the supply of available and skilled individuals. However, not all courses are the same, as many different types of roles and career paths exist in this field. For example, there are business-oriented paths where the focus might be on policy, audit, or consulting. There are also more technical roles that require programming skills and advanced knowledge in specialized areas of computing and technology.
Due to the diversity of roles for cybersecurity professionals and how large this field is, an introductory course or basic cyber security course might focus on certain business-related areas. A more complete cyber security course can span months to teach the basic technical skills and knowledge required for an entry-level role. Choosing the right course will depend on the desired outcome and needs of each learner.
Additionally, some of the roles mentioned above require outside cyber security certifications that help demonstrate one's expertise. Some of these certifications require years of experience and their own training materials.
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Are cybersecurity jobs in demand?
The demand for cybersecurity skills has surged over the last decade, with postings for cybersecurity jobs increasing by 94 percent.
In the last two years alone, the total number of job openings for a Cybersecurity Analyst has increased by almost 4,000, and cybersecurity jobs now account for 13 percent of all jobs in IT. In addition, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a 32 percent growth in hiring for the role by 2028.