Course Title: Cybersecurity Fundamentals and Network Defense
Total Duration: 30 Hours
Target Audience: IT professionals, network administrators, security engineers, and beginners with a basic understanding of networking.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of networking concepts (IP, TCP/UDP, Routing & Switching).

Here's a 30-hour Cybersecurity Course Plan that covers foundational to intermediate topics, including hands-on labs and real-world scenarios.

Course Title: Cybersecurity Fundamentals and Network Defense
Total Duration: 30 Hours
Target Audience: IT professionals, network administrators, security engineers, and beginners with a basic understanding of networking.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of networking concepts (IP, TCP/UDP, Routing & Switching).

Course Structure & Breakdown

Module 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity (2 Hours)
- What is Cybersecurity?
- Importance of Cybersecurity in the Digital Era
- Key Cybersecurity Domains (Network Security, Application Security, Cloud Security, etc.)
- Cyber Threat Landscape: Types of Attacks & Attack Vectors
- Cybersecurity Frameworks (NIST, CIS, ISO 27001)

Module 2: Networking Essentials for Security (3 Hours)
- OSI & TCP/IP Model: Relevance to Security
- Subnetting and IP Addressing (IPv4 & IPv6)
- Network Devices & Security Functions (Firewalls, IDS/IPS, Switches, Routers)
- Common Network Protocols & Their Security Concerns (HTTP/S, DNS, ICMP, SNMP)
- Secure Network Architecture

Module 3: Threats, Vulnerabilities & Attacks (3 Hours)
- Malware Types: Virus, Worm, Trojan, Ransomware, Rootkits
- Phishing & Social Engineering Techniques
- Denial of Service (DoS/DDoS) Attacks
- Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) & Spoofing Attacks
- Zero-Day Attacks and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

Module 4: Network Security & Firewalls (4 Hours)
- Security Zones & Network Segmentation
- Stateful vs. Stateless Firewalls
- Firewall Policies, NAT, ACLs
- Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS)
- Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) Overview (Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco)
- Hands-on Lab: Configuring Firewall Rules & Packet Filtering

Module 5: Cryptography & Secure Communication (3 Hours)
- Symmetric vs. Asymmetric Encryption
- Hashing & Digital Signatures
- PKI, Certificates, and SSL/TLS Encryption
- VPN & Secure Remote Access (IPsec, SSL VPN)
- Hands-on Lab: Configuring IPsec VPN

Module 6: Endpoint & Application Security (3 Hours)
- Endpoint Protection (EDR, Antivirus, Anti-Malware)
- Secure Coding Practices (OWASP Top 10)
- Web Application Security: SQL Injection, XSS, CSRF
- Cloud Security Considerations (AWS, Azure, GCP Security Best Practices)
- Hands-on Lab: Identifying & Mitigating Web App Vulnerabilities

Module 7: Security Operations & Incident Response (4 Hours)
- Security Operations Center (SOC) Functions
- SIEM & Log Management (Splunk, ELK)
- Threat Intelligence & Hunting
- Incident Response Lifecycle (Detection, Analysis, Containment, Recovery)
- Hands-on Lab: Analyzing Logs & Identifying a Security Incident

Module 8: Identity & Access Management (IAM) (3 Hours)
- Authentication vs. Authorization
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) & Least Privilege
- Identity Federation & SSO
- Hands-on Lab: Implementing Role-Based Access Control

Module 9: Compliance & Risk Management (3 Hours)
- Security Policies & Governance
- Risk Management Process & Frameworks
- Compliance Regulations: GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS
- Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Planning
- Final Hands-on Lab: Security Audit & Risk Assessment