REQUEST MORE INFO

Speak With a Live Admissions Advisor:

773-234-0536 | Mon-Fri 9am to 6pm Local Time

Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program

The Cybersecurity Kickstarter program is a combined certification program designed to take learners from zero experience to job-ready in cybersecurity, all in one structured, stackable package. By combining the Certified Cybersecurity Associate with the Certified Cybersecurity Analyst, this offering introduces core cybersecurity concepts, develops technical fluency, and builds hands-on defensive security skills aligned to real-world roles.

Cybersecurity Kickstarter is ideal for anyone seeking a supported, job-aligned entry point into the field.

  • Duration 200 Hours
  • Difficulty Beginner

Request More Information

By requesting more info, I agree to receive phone calls/texts from this bootcamp program. See Details*

Sign up to receive email updates. See our Privacy Policy.

At a Glance

  • Designed for beginners with no prior IT experience
  • Beginner training requiring only basic computer literacy
  • 200-hour training program delivered entirely online
  • Approximately 60% hands-on labs and 40% interactive lessons
  • Students earn the Cybersecurity Associate and Cybersecurity Analyst certifications upon successful completion

Your Learning Style

Learner’s complete interactive lessons alongside hands-on cybersecurity labs that simulate real-world scenarios such as analyzing network traffic and investigating potential threats.

Your Schedule

This program is self-paced to fit your lifestyle.

Your Future

Learners completing this certification for beginners develop foundational skills aligned with entry-level cybersecurity roles.

Explore Our Immersive Learning Experience

Hands-On Cybersecurity Labs

Hands-On Cybersecurity Labs

The Cybersecurity Kickstarter program begins with digital literacy and cybersecurity fundamentals, then transitions into applied SOC (Security Operations Center) workflows, including log analysis, threat detection, and incident response. With 60% hands-on labs, performance-based assessments.

Approximately 60% of the program consists of hands-on labs, allowing students to apply cybersecurity concepts while developing practical skills used in real-world security environments.

Applied Projects and Case Studies

Applied Projects and Case Studies

Throughout the Cybersecurity Kickstarter program, students complete applied exercises and case studies that reflect real cybersecurity incidents.

These case studies help students demonstrate practical experience when pursuing cybersecurity roles.

Applied Certification assessment

Applied Certification assessment

To earn the Certified Cybersecurity Associate and Certified Cybersecurity Analyst credentials, learners must complete applied certification exams designed to evaluate practical cybersecurity knowledge.

Each exam includes a question-based assessment and a hands-on challenge followed by completing a written report documenting the investigative process and findings.

Skills Portfolio Development

Skills Portfolio Development

As learners complete labs throughout the Cybersecurity Kickstarter program, they earn skills reflecting the practical cybersecurity tasks they have performed.

These documented skills can be shared to demonstrate progress and practical cybersecurity knowledge.

ACE Credit Recognition

ACE Credit Recognition

6 college credit hours, independently validated and academically recognized.

This program carries an ACE credit recommendation, independently validated by faculty reviewers against college-level academic standards. That means this is not just job preparation. It is coursework that a college can recognize toward a degree.

Imagine Your Career

Cyber Security Certification Investigates Digital Crimes

Cybersecurity professionals play an essential role in protecting digital systems, investigating cyber incidents and preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data.

The Cybersecurity Kickstarter program introduces the foundational concepts used in modern cybersecurity operations, including threat identification, system protection and network defense.

Graduates of this program for beginners may pursue early-career roles such as:

  • Cybersecurity Associate
  • Cybersecurity Intern
  • Cybersecurity Analyst
  • Cybersecurity Operations Technician
  • Tier 1 SOC Analyst

These roles represents the first step in a career path that may expand into specialized fields such as incident response, security operations, and digital forensics.

Alumni Success Stories

Students from our programs now work at notable organizations nationwide, including:

  • Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program Meta Logo
  • Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program cvs Logo
  • Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program autodesk
  • Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program Team Cymru Logo

Choose Your Learning Track

Our program options are designed to fit your learning style, your schedule, and your entry into the IT field.

SELF PACED

  • Instructor-led training
  • Hands-on labs and exercises
  • Foundational IT and cybersecurity skills
  • Career-focused learning path
  • Industry-relevant curriculum
  • Dedicated learner support

CYBERSECURITY KICKSTARTER PROGRAM

$6,400*

Explore Pricing Options Prepay discount available

The Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program is designed to help aspiring technology professionals build foundational IT and cybersecurity skills through instructor-led training, hands-on labs, and career-focused learning. This program provides a structured pathway into the tech industry while preparing learners for future certification and bootcamp opportunities.

Explore Pricing Options

Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program Outline

The Cybersecurity Kickstarter program is structured around six progressive courses designed to introduce foundational cybersecurity concepts and practical technical skills.

Each course includes lessons, hands-on labs and case studies that culminate in an applied certification exam.

Curriculum Overview
  • Intro to Cyber

    Intro to Cyber

    • Demonstrate effective prompt engineering with a locally hosted AI assistant to support coding and cybersecurity problem-solving.
    • Analyze suspicious files in VirusTotal to identify potential malware threats.
  • Computer Foundations

    Computer Foundations

    • Navigate the Linux file system and manipulate files and directories using command-line operations.
  • Network Fundamentals

    Network Fundamentals

    • Analyze home network security practices to recommend protections for diverse user needs.
    • Analyze HTTP and HTTPS traffic in Wireshark to distinguish between unencrypted and encrypted credentials.
    • Analyze FTP and SFTP traffic in Wireshark to compare exposed data with encrypted communications.
  • Network Administration

    Network Administration

    • Implement a DHCP server in Cisco Packet Tracer to assign IP addresses dynamically.
    • Apply administrative functions in a system environment to manage users, settings, and resources.
    • Implement port security on a Cisco switch in Packet Tracer to restrict access and protect network infrastructure.
    • Configure initial settings on a Cisco router in Packet Tracer to enable basic network functionality.
  • Windows System Administration

    Windows System Administration

    • Analyze processes in Windows Task Manager to evaluate system performance and detect anomalies.
    • Execute Windows management commands to administer system settings and resources.
    • Configure Windows Server settings to establish core system functionality and management.
    • Create and manage Active Directory objects to administer users, groups, and resources.
    • Implement basic Group Policy Object configurations to manage Windows system settings.
    • Configure DNS settings to enable name resolution within a Windows Server environment.
    • Implement user password policies to enforce authentication security requirements.
  • Linux System Administration

    Linux System Administration

    • Examine how generative AI and large language models are reshaping security, including automation, prompt injection risks, and ethical considerations.
  • Cloud Computing

    Cloud Computing

    • Explain virtualization concepts to evaluate their role in isolating systems and enhancing security.
    • Create an EC2 instance in AWS to support secure cloud-based operations.
    • Manage a Windows Server EC2 instance in AWS using RDP and basic command-line operations.
    • Perform Windows command-line operations on an EC2 instance in AWS to manage files and directories.
    • Manage AWS IAM users by applying policies and enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication to secure accounts.
    • Design a secure AWS VPC to control network traffic and protect cloud resources.
  • Cybersecurity Fundamentals

    Cybersecurity Fundamentals

    • Analyze network traffic in Wireshark to identify attacks and extract incident details.
    • Exploit insecure VNC configurations to demonstrate unauthorized remote access risks.
    • Research security vulnerabilities in public databases to analyze severity, impacts, and affected software.
  • The Foundations of LLMs for Security Professionals

    The Foundations of LLMs for Security Professionals

    • Experiment with LLM chatbot parameters to evaluate their impact on cybersecurity-focused responses.
    • Apply LLM-assisted techniques to analyze logs, identify anomalies, and extract security-relevant entities.
    • Simulate prompt injection attacks on an AI-powered chatbot to expose sensitive information and demonstrate access control risks.
  • Assessment & Challenge – Portal Incident

    Assessment & Challenge – Portal Incident

    • Written Assessment – Through a series of short-answer questions, learners explain concepts and demonstrate their ability to communicate technical knowledge clearly.
    • Practical Challenge & Report – Learners complete a hands-on challenge and submit a coordinating report that documents their findings and approach.
  • Cybersecurity and SOC Operations Basics

    Cybersecurity and SOC Operations Basics

    • Identify the stages of the Cyber Kill Chain.
    • Explain the purpose of each phase in the Cyber Kill Chain.
  • Networking and Security Fundamentals

    Networking and Security Fundamentals

    • Analyze network traffic in Wireshark to identify indicators of malicious activity.
    • Analyze packet data to detect brute-force attempts and credential theft.
    • Extract forensic artifacts for investigation.
  • Operating System Security

    Operating System Security

    • Implement Windows Firewall rules to block ICMP Echo Requests.
    • Evaluate the effectiveness of firewall rules through system testing.
    • Implement Wazuh to monitor file integrity and generate real-time alerts for sensitive file changes.
    • Apply BitLocker encryption on a Windows Server to secure drive protection.
    • Perform malware detection and removal on a Linux system using ClamAV.
  • Network Security

    Network Security

    • Implement an OpenVPN client and server connection to establish secure remote access.
    • Apply chain rules in iptables to control network traffic on a Linux system.
    • Implement Windows Firewall rules to control outbound and inbound network traffic.
    • Apply firewall rules to secure networks and manage device communication.
    • Create Snort rules to detect and alert on malicious network activity.
  • Cloud Security

    Cloud Security

    • Launch and manage an Ubuntu EC2 instance in AWS using SSH and basic Linux operations.
    • Create an AWS Lambda function and configure CloudWatch to monitor execution behavior.
    • Create an S3 bucket to host and control access to a Single Page Application.
    • Create an ECS Fargate container to deploy an application in a cloud environment.
  • SIEM and Log Analysis

    SIEM and Log Analysis

    • Analyze SIEM dashboard alerts to differentiate routine events from indicators of compromise.
    • Analyze Splunk alerts and logs to investigate suspicious activity related to a web-based attack.
    • Create a Splunk dashboard to visualize and monitor Apache HTTP 404 errors.
    • Integrate Apache access logs into Splunk and create real-time alerts to monitor server errors.
  • Malware Analysis and Forensics Fundamentals

    Malware Analysis and Forensics Fundamentals

    • Analyze a suspicious file with static and dynamic techniques to identify malware behavior and evasion methods.
    • Perform dynamic malware analysis using Sysinternals tools to observe system behavior.
    • Analyze malware using static and dynamic techniques to identify characteristics, behaviors, and removal methods.
  • Incident Response

    Incident Response

    • Analyze Shodan search results to identify internet-facing devices and potential vulnerabilities.
  • GenAI for SOC Analysts

    GenAI for SOC Analysts

    • Experiment with large language model parameters to evaluate their impact on chatbot responses.
    • Analyze Apache and authentication logs to identify indicators of web-based attacks and unauthorized access.
    • Analyze a suspicious PHP file in VirusTotal to identify malicious behavior such as reverse shell activity.
    • Analyze email samples to extract indicators of compromise and determine phishing activity.
    • Simulate prompt injection attacks against an LLM-powered chatbot to reveal weaknesses in guardrail implementation.
    • Analyze LLM outputs to identify and mitigate risks of sensitive information disclosure.
  • Assessment + Challenge – Blindspot Breach

    Assessment + Challenge – Blindspot Breach

    • Written Assessment – Through a series of short-answer questions, learners explain concepts and demonstrate their ability to communicate technical knowledge clearly.
    • Practical Challenge & Report – Learners complete a hands-on challenge and submit a coordinating report that documents their findings and approach.
DOWNLOAD CURRICULUM GUIDE

Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program Outcomes

This cybersecurity program prepares learners with foundational knowledge and practical experience required to begin a cybersecurity career.

  • Learn Top Cybersecurity Skills

    Develop technical knowledge of cybersecurity concepts including networking, system administration, threat detection and cloud security.

  • Earn an Industry Certification

    Students who successfully complete the program earn the certified cybersecurity associate credential and demonstrate readiness for an entry level cybersecurity certification pathway.

  • Begin Your Cybersecurity Career

    Graduates complete the cybersecurity training program prepared to pursue entry-level cybersecurity roles and continue advancing their technical cybersecurity knowledge.

REQUEST MORE INFO

Hear from Our Students

I gained the necessary skills and experience to get into the IT and cybersecurity [industries]. The labs in each course provided realistic situations you would see in a real Cybersecurity Analyst role. I am currently an IT administrator, and I would never have had this position without the knowledge I gained from this course.

Rob R.

I have so much gratitude and thanks [for] this program, because, without it, I would have never gotten here. I definitely do not believe that I would have gotten this job if it wasn't for this program. It really has changed my life. And I couldn't be more happy [with] where I am at right now. I love my job now. I think it's awesome. It's amazing to have that option to work from home.

Morgan R.

REQUEST MORE INFO

Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program FAQs

What does the Cybersecurity Kickstarter Program do?

The Cybersecurity Kickstarter program combines two stackable certifications, the Certified Cybersecurity Associate and the Certified Cybersecurity Analyst, into one structured program designed to take learners from zero experience to job-ready. Through interactive lessons, hands-on labs, and applied case studies, the program builds the technical fluency and practical defensive security skills needed to pursue an entry-level cybersecurity role.

Yes. The program is built specifically for learners with little or no technical background and requires only basic computer literacy to get started. It begins with digital literacy and cybersecurity fundamentals before progressing into applied SOC workflows such as log analysis, threat detection, and incident response. The Certified Cybersecurity Associate portion establishes foundational IT knowledge and career awareness, while the Certified Cybersecurity Analyst portion develops the hands-on defensive skills aligned to real-world Tier 1 SOC and analyst roles.

The Cybersecurity Kickstarter program is $6,400. This single tuition covers both certifications, all six courses, hands-on labs, case studies, and the applied certification exams.

The Cybersecurity Kickstarter program is offered as an online self-paced program with approximately 200 content hours. We recommend a pacing of 10 hours per week over 20 weeks, though learners can move faster or slower depending on their schedule.

Learners develop a broad set of foundational and applied cybersecurity skills, including:

  • Cybersecurity fundamentals and the evolving threat landscape
  • Networking concepts, protocols, and the OSI model
  • Network traffic analysis and security monitoring
  • Windows administration, including Active Directory, Group Policy, and DNS
  • Linux system administration and permissions management
  • Network security controls such as VLANs and access control lists
  • Virtualization and secure cloud infrastructure (including AWS)
  • Cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST, MITRE ATT&CK, and the Cyber Kill Chain
  • Vulnerability, exploit, and malware investigation
  • SOC operations, log analysis, threat detection, and incident response
  • Awareness of how AI and large language models influence cybersecurity operations

The program is delivered entirely online and is fully self-paced. Approximately 60% of the content consists of hands-on labs that simulate real-world cybersecurity scenarios, with the remaining 40% delivered through interactive lessons.

Upon successful completion, learners earn two industry credentials: the Certified Cybersecurity Associate and the Certified Cybersecurity Analyst. Each certification requires passing an applied exam that includes a question-based assessment, a hands-on challenge, and a written report documenting the investigative process and findings.

No prior cybersecurity experience is required. Learners only need basic computer literacy to begin. The program is intentionally structured to bring beginners up to a job-ready level through six progressive courses.

Yes. Over 60% of the program is lab-based, allowing learners to practice real-world cybersecurity tasks in simulated environments.

Graduates are prepared to pursue entry-level cybersecurity roles such as Cybersecurity Associate, Cybersecurity Intern, Cybersecurity Analyst, Cybersecurity Operations Technician, and Tier 1 SOC Analyst. These positions serve as the launch point for a full cybersecurity career, with room to grow and specialize as you build experience.

  • Processor:
    1. Intel Core i5 (or above)
      Suitable for general computing tasks.
      Balances performance and power efficiency.
    1. Apple Silicon Processors (M1 and later)
      Designed specifically for Macs.
      Offers impressive performance and energy efficiency.
  • RAM (Memory):
    1. Minimum: 8GB (for basic functionality).
    2. Recommended: 16GB (for smoother multitasking and future-proofing).
  • Storage:
    1. Minimum- 100GB of internal drive space (not USB or external).
    2. Type - Preferably solid-state drives (SSDs) for faster read/write speeds.
  • Operating System:
    1. Windows 10 or 11 (Not S Mode)
    2. macOS 11 or above

Download Curriculum Guide

By requesting more info, I agree to receive phone calls/texts from this bootcamp program. See Details*

I would like to sign up to receive email updates from QuickStart. See our Privacy Policy.

Request More Info

By requesting more info, I agree to receive phone calls/texts from this bootcamp program. See Details*

Sign up to receive email updates. See our
Privacy Policy.