Student wearing headphones and studying on a laptop, engaging in a flexible online cybersecurity training session.

About Beginner CyberSecurity Certificate Course

If you’re new to cybersecurity, this is where your journey begins. The Beginner Cybersecurity Certificate Course is designed for students with zero prior experience – no tech background required.

Four Modules, One Solid Cybersecurity Foundation

Over the span of four modules, you’ll get a strong foundation in the most important areas of cybersecurity:

Policies, Laws, and Society – Learn what cybersecurity really means, why it matters, and how cyber laws and global events shape the online world.
Programming Basics – Get hands-on with Python and discover how simple coding skills can help you understand how technology works (don’t worry, we start at the absolute basics).
Cloud & Networking – Explore the world of virtual machines, cloud platforms, and how everyday systems connect across the internet.
Applied Security – Try out practical security tools like authentication methods, endpoint protection, and strategies for keeping data safe.

From Basics To Safe Habits

Each course is broken into 4 modules that each house 10 bite-sized video micromodules, with activities that help you practice what you’ve just learned. By the end, you’ll understand core cybersecurity concepts, have a taste of coding, and know how to recognize and prevent common online threats.

The Beginner course is all about making cybersecurity accessible — giving you the confidence to say, “I can do this.” Whether you want to protect your own digital life, explore career options, or build toward the Intermediate course, this is your first step.

Module 1

About Module 1 – Python & Programming Foundations

This module introduces Python for cybersecurity. You’ll learn key programming concepts and how Python powers automation, web development, data analysis, and security tools—gaining the skills to write, run, and build your own programs.

Micromodule 1: What is Programming
Micromodule 2: Lifecycle of a Program
Micromodule 3: Python Syntax & Variables
Micromodule 4: Python Data Types & Operations
Micromodule 5: Python Lists & Dictionaries
Micromodule 6: Python Conditionals
Micromodule 7: Python Loops
Micromodule 8: Python Functions
Micromodule 9: Algorithms
Micromodule 10: Python Deployment Locations

Module 2

About Module 2 – Authentication & System Protection

In this module, you’ll build a practical authentication-and-security toolkit from the ground up. You’ll start with what authentication is and why it matters, then harden password logins, add 2FA/MFA, compare biometric options, and streamline access with SSO and token-based authentication. Next, you’ll strengthen system and data defenses with firewalls/IDS/antivirus, access control, physical safeguards, masking, and encryption (symmetric vs. asymmetric), all framed by the CIA Triad. You’ll wrap by applying digital signatures to deliver authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation.

Micromodule 1: Introduction to Authentication
Micromodule 2: Password-Based Authentication
Micromodule 3: Two-Factor & Multi-Factor Authentication
Micromodule 4: Biometric Authentication
Micromodule 5: Single Sign-On & Token-Based Authentication
Micromodule 6: System & Data Protection
Micromodule 7: Data Protection & Encryption
Micromodule 8: The CIA Traid
Micromodule 9: Traditional & Behavioral Security Methods
Micromodule 10: Digital Signatures

Module 3

About Module 3 – Cloud, Virtualization & Containers

In this module, you’ll trace the shift from pre-cloud, on-premises systems to today’s cloud landscapes, then build practical skills with the technologies that power them. You’ll learn how virtual machines and containers enable isolated, efficient workloads; compare cloud service models and deployment models; and apply core cloud security principles, including the shared responsibility model, encryption, and IAM. you’ll wrap by using container sandboxing to test and analyze software safely – tying together the concepts you need to plan, deploy, and secure modern environments.

Micromodule 1: Understanding the pre-Cloud Era
Micromodule 2: Introduction to Cloud Computing
Micromodule 3: The History of Cloud Computing
Micromodule 4: Virtual Machines (VMs) Basics
Micromodule 5: Introduction to Containers and Docker
Micromodule 6: Advanced Docker Usage
Micromodule 7: Cloud Service Models Explained
Micromodule 8: Types of Cloud Deployment
Micromodule 9: Security in Cloud Computing
Micromodule 10: Practical Applications & Summary

Module 4

About Module 4 – Cyber Law, Crime, & Ethics

In this module, you’ll build a working grasp of cyber law and its real-world impact – from what it is and how it evolved, to who can enforce it across borders, and how it protects creativity (IP) and drives cybersecurity regulation and international cooperation. You’ll examine cybercrime itself (common offenses, motives, dark-web ecosystems, and offender profiles), how cases are investigated, and the ethics and professional responsibilities that guide legitimate security work. You’ll finish by exploring emerging pressures on the legal landscape – ransomware-as-a-service, insecure IoT, and AI used for both attack and defense – and the policy questions they raise about accountability and privacy.

Micromodule 1: Understanding Cyber Law
Micromodule 2: Evolution & Milestones in Cyber Law
Micromodule 3: Jurisdiction & Legal Principles in Cyberspace
Micromodule 4: Intellectual Property Rights in the Digital World
Micromodule 5: Cybersecurity Regulations & International Cooperation
Micromodule 6: Cybercrime and Criminal Motivations
Micromodule 7: The Dark Web & Cybercriminal Profiles
Micromodule 8: Cybercrime Investigation and Enforcement
Micromodule 9: Cyber Ethics & Professional Responsibility
Micromodule 10: Emerging Trend and the Future of Cyber Law

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About Soft Start Cybersecurity Program

Funded by the National Telecommunications and Information Agency

The program offers two certificates: beginner and intermediate. Each certificate offers four modules, delivered as short video lessons and micromodules that make it easy to follow along at your own pace.

SoftStart.com Cybersecurity Program – A program of the California Cybersecurity Task Force, Workforce Development and Education Subcommittee

Soft Start Program
Empowering California’s Cybersecurity Education

Join an emerging model for tech-driven education — Soft Start Cybersecurity Education is free, flexible, and designed for complete beginners. Our courses make it easy to learn the essentials and take your first step into one of the fastest-growing fields in the world.