Cybersecurity Basics Mastery Course
The usual next step. Builds on these fundamentals across 120 hours to reach entry-level job readiness.
View courseFoundations of Cyber Security & Security Operations
The Foundations of Cyber Security & Security Operations course is a 20-hour programme built for people who want a clear, structured entry point into the field. It is the shortest route to understanding how attacks actually work, how defenders respond, and where you might fit in a security team.
- Duration
- 20 hours
- Level
- Beginner
- Prerequisite
- None
- Certification
- Internal certificate of completion
Overview
What this course is for
You do not need a networking background, a coding background, or an IT job to start. The course begins from first principles (what a network is, how an operating system exposes attack surface, what the CIA triad means in practice) and builds toward the daily reality of a security operations centre.
Who should take it
- Students and final-year engineering candidates deciding whether cyber security is the right specialisation
- Working professionals testing the water before committing to a longer career-change programme
- IT support, helpdesk and network staff who need the security vocabulary their role now demands
- Non-technical professionals moving toward GRC, audit or compliance-adjacent roles
What you will be able to do
- Read and explain a basic security alert without hand-holding
- Describe how a common attack chain moves from initial access to impact
- Identify which control failed in a given breach scenario
- Decide, with evidence, whether a longer cyber security career track is right for you
Roles this leads to
This course is a prerequisite-level qualification rather than a job-entry one. Most learners use it to confirm their interest, then continue into the Cybersecurity Basics Mastery Course or a certification track.
Curriculum
Syllabus, 20 hours
Every module pairs instruction with lab work. You practise the technique in the same session you learn it.
| 01. Introduction to cyber security & the threat landscape How the modern attack surface is shaped, who the threat actors are, and what motivates them. |
| 02. Computer networks & OS basics (Windows and Linux) TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS, ports and services, and how each of them becomes an attack path. |
| 03. The CIA triad in practice Confidentiality, integrity and availability as design constraints rather than exam definitions. |
| 04. Cyber threats, malware types and attack vectors Phishing, ransomware, credential attacks, and how they chain together in a real intrusion. |
| 05. Core security controls Authentication, encryption and access control, what each control actually stops. |
| 06. Security tooling overview Firewalls, antivirus, IDS and endpoint agents: what generates the alerts a SOC analyst reads. |
| 07. Identity and access management fundamentals Least privilege, role design, and why identity is the primary control plane today. |
| 08. Guided hands-on labs Beginner-safe labs that let you observe an attack and the defensive telemetry it produces. |
Schedule
How the 20 hours are structured
Batch dates vary; the sequence does not. Weekday, weekend and evening formats cover the same blocks.
| Block | Hours | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | 4 hrs | The threat landscape and the security mindset Who attacks, why, and how an intrusion actually unfolds. Establishes the vocabulary the rest of the course depends on. |
| Session 2 | 4 hrs | Networking essentials for defenders TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP and HTTPS, ports and services, taught as attack surface rather than as exam trivia. |
| Session 3 | 4 hrs | Operating systems and the endpoint Windows and Linux fundamentals: processes, permissions, and where the security-relevant logs live. |
| Session 4 | 4 hrs | Core security controls Authentication, encryption and access control. For each control: what it stops, and how attackers work around it. |
| Session 5 | 4 hrs | Inside a SOC, plus guided labs How a security operations centre is structured and what an analyst does hour to hour, followed by supervised lab work. |
Practice
Labs you will complete
- Build an isolated virtual lab you can safely break things in
- Capture and interpret your own network traffic in Wireshark
- Map a small network with Nmap and explain every open port you find
- Trace a phishing email through its headers back to its origin
- Locate authentication events in Windows Event Viewer and spot the anomaly
- Deconstruct a published real-world breach into its attack chain, stage by stage
Toolchain
Tools you will use
| Tool | Used for |
|---|---|
| VirtualBox / VMware | Building the isolated lab environment |
| Wireshark | Packet capture and traffic analysis |
| Nmap | Host discovery and service identification |
| Windows Event Viewer | Reading host security telemetry |
| Linux command line | Navigation, permissions and log inspection |
Certification
Certification
This course does not lead to an external certification exam. It concludes with an internal assessment and a Vistramind certificate of completion. Learners who want a certification progress to the Basics Mastery Course or a dedicated certification track.
Progression
Where this leads next
CSA, Certified SOC Analyst
If you already know you want defensive work, this is the fastest route to a recognised credential.
View course
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any IT experience to join this cyber security course?
No. The Foundations course assumes no prior IT or networking experience. It starts from how networks and operating systems work before introducing security concepts, which is why it suits students and career changers from non-technical backgrounds.
How long is the course and how is it scheduled?
The programme runs for 20 hours. It is delivered at our Marathahalli centre in Bengaluru and online, with weekday and weekend batch options so working professionals can attend without taking leave.
Will this course alone get me a cyber security job?
Realistically, no. Twenty hours builds understanding, not job-ready depth. It is designed as a confident starting point. Learners targeting employment usually continue into the 120-hour Cybersecurity Basics Mastery Course or an EC-Council certification track.
Is this course suitable for students still in college?
Yes. It is one of the most common starting points for engineering and BCA students in Bangalore who want to test cyber security as a specialisation before their final year.
Other tracks
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Next cohort · Bengaluru & online
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