Become a Cybersecurity Analyst in 6 Months

In this unit, you'll get a peek behind the curtain of the cybersecurity stage. You'll study the behavior, motivations, and game plan of your adversary — the cybercriminal. You'll learn about threat actors, the most common types of attacks, plus the frameworks and models used to build a robust defensive playbook. 

You'll understand how professionals set the defense standards through the CIA Triad, and the cyber kill chain model. You'll also study real-life data breaches to get a glimpse of how rapidly the dominoes can fall. Finally, you'll be introduced to the CompTIA Security+ certification exam and become familiar with Linux and Unix.

Topics Covered:

• The CIA Triad: Three-Legged Stool

• Threat Actor Types and Attributes

• Cyber Kill Chain

• Ethical Hacking 

• Using Linux and Unix

• Intro to CompTIA Security+ Certification

Identity and Access Management (IAM) is one of the most important disciplines within cybersecurity. It aims to manage user identities and their access to enterprise resources and data. IAM governance and programs—including policies, processes, and technologies—manage user identities and access, as well as what a user can do within a system through authentication, authorization, and accounting. At the end of the unit, you’ll have the option to prepare for and take the Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals exam (Exam SC-900), which is 50% off for students taking this course.

Topics Covered:

• Controlling Access

• Zero Trust

• Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals

In the Security Assessment and Testing unit, you will learn how to conduct security assessments and recommend remediation activities. You will also learn how to create Information Security (IS) audit test plans, which will give you insight into how IS auditors approach their engagements. Exposure to advanced concepts around web security testing and the use of Kali Linux is also included. Mini-projects in this unit will allow you to explore another side of penetration testing,  real-world vulnerability management challenges, and software testing plans. Labs in this unit will give you another slice of the red-team world, taking you through attacking web servers, exploring a vulnerable web application, and cracking passwords.

Topics Covered:

• Logical and Physical Security Testing

• Mobile Device Security

• Governance Risk and Compliance

• Security Policies 

In general, cybersecurity consists of the process and techniques used to protect sensitive data, computer systems, networks and software applications from cyber attacks.

Some of the most popular topics covered in cybersecurity include:

• Unauthorized access to systems and data.

• Disrupting the normal functions of a business and its processes.

• Using ransomware attacks to encrypt data and extort money from victims.

Entry-level roles generally do not require any coding experience, but programming is a powerful skill to have in your toolkit as you progress in your career. This course will teach you basic Python, Perl and Powershell. No coding experience is required for acceptance into this Cyber Security Bootcamp.

Professionals working in the cybersecurity field must have a strong analytical mindset, robust communications skills and a highly collaborative work ethic. In this course, you’ll also build the following technical skillset:

• Incident response.

• Threat intelligence.

• Operating system security.

• Application security.

• Network scanning tools.

• Network mapping.

• Firewall.

• IDS/IPs.

• Vulnerability assessments.

• IT controls.

• Packet capture.

While building the technical skillset, Cyber Security Bootcamp students will have access to the following tools:

• Nmap for network scanning.

• Wireshark: A free and open-source network protocol analyzer.

• Metasploit for vulnerability scanning, enumeration, executing attacks and more.

• Kali Linux for digital forensics, penetration testing, ethical hacking and more.

• Kleopatra for security key encryption.

• Autopsy for digital forensics.

• OpenVAS for vulnerability scanning.

• Zenmap, the graphical interface of Nmap, used for scanning, network mapping and more.

• GoPhish to run phishing simulations.

• Low Orbit Ion Cannon for stress testing and denial-of-service attack application.

You’ll be able to gain an entry-level position as a cybersecurity analyst, specialist and incident analyst/responder.

Graduates also pursue other roles, such as SOC analyst, cybersecurity engineer, cybersecurity consultant, cybersecurity manager / administrator, systems engineer, network engineer / architect, software developer / engineer, vulnerability analyst, cyber crime analyst/ responder and IT auditor.

This course is designed to be completed in 6 months or less depending on how much time you dedicate each week. It is completely flexible with you in the driver’s seat.

Potential salary ranges depending on your work experience, geographic location, role and work sector.

Cybersecurity analysts roles for those at the beginning of their career (0-3 years experience) have an annual median advertised salary of $98,560. (Source: Lightcast, Oct 2022 - Sep 2023; 0-3 years minimum experience required. New York.)

Yes, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, cybersecurity jobs are expected to grow 35% through 2031, much faster than average for other occupations.

According to Cybersecurity Ventures, there are an estimated 3.5 million unfulfilled cybersecurity jobs as the demand to fill these jobs far outweighs the number of individuals qualified to undertake a complex field.

Yes! You’ll have the skills you need to succeed in 6 months’ time with a support system ready to help you in your job search.

Yes, Stony Brook University has partnered with Springboard to offer online tech bootcamps. Springboard developed the curriculum in partnership with industry experts and hiring managers, and administers and leads the courses. This partnership allows students like you to build technical skills while earning a certificate of completion from Stony Brook University.