You do not need to spend thousands of dollars to learn cybersecurity. Some of the best training resources are completely free — created by industry experts, universities, and major cybersecurity companies. These courses can take you from zero knowledge to job-ready skills.
We have curated the best free cybersecurity courses available online, organized by skill level and specialization. Pair these with our cybersecurity learning roadmap for a structured path to a security career.
Best Free Courses for Beginners
1. TryHackMe — Pre-Security and Introduction to Cybersecurity
Platform: TryHackMe
Duration: 40+ hours
Format: Interactive browser-based labs
Certificate: Yes (completion certificate)
TryHackMe is the best platform for absolute beginners. The Pre-Security path teaches networking fundamentals, how the web works, Linux basics, and Windows basics — all through interactive labs in your browser. No setup required.
After completing Pre-Security, move to the Introduction to Cybersecurity path which covers offensive security, defensive security, and career pathways. Many rooms are free, and the premium subscription ($10/month) unlocks everything.
2. Cisco Networking Academy — Introduction to Cybersecurity
Platform: Cisco Skills for All
Duration: 6 hours
Format: Self-paced video and quizzes
Certificate: Yes (Cisco digital badge)
This short course from Cisco covers the cybersecurity landscape, common threats, attack types, and how organizations protect themselves. It is non-technical and designed for people with zero background in IT or security.
The Cisco badge carries weight on LinkedIn and resumes, making this a quick win for anyone starting their cybersecurity journey.
3. SANS Cyber Aces Online
Platform: SANS Institute
Duration: 15+ hours
Format: Video lectures and quizzes
Certificate: No
SANS is the most respected cybersecurity training organization in the world, and Cyber Aces is their free introductory course. It covers operating system fundamentals (Windows, Linux), networking concepts, and system administration basics.
While the production quality is not flashy, the content is solid and written by SANS instructors who train Fortune 500 security teams.
4. Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate (Audit)
Platform: Coursera
Duration: 6 months (self-paced)
Format: Video lectures, labs, and assessments
Certificate: Free to audit (certificate requires Coursera Plus)
Google’s cybersecurity certificate covers security fundamentals, threat analysis, network security, Linux, SQL, Python, SIEM tools, and incident response. You can audit all course materials for free — you only pay if you want the official certificate.
This is one of the most comprehensive free learning paths available and is designed to prepare you for entry-level security analyst roles.
Best Free Courses for Web Security
5. PortSwigger Web Security Academy
Platform: PortSwigger
Duration: 50+ hours
Format: Reading + interactive labs
Certificate: No
Created by the makers of Burp Suite, the Web Security Academy is the best free web application security course in existence. It covers every vulnerability type in depth: SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, SSRF, authentication flaws, access control, business logic errors, and more.
Each topic includes detailed explanations followed by hands-on labs where you exploit real vulnerabilities. This is essential training for anyone interested in bug bounty hunting or web application pentesting.
6. OWASP Top 10 Training
Platform: OWASP Foundation
Duration: Self-paced
Format: Documentation and projects
Certificate: No
The OWASP Top 10 is the industry standard for web application security risks. OWASP provides free documentation, cheat sheets, testing guides, and vulnerable applications (WebGoat, Juice Shop) for hands-on practice. Every cybersecurity professional should know the OWASP Top 10.
Best Free Courses for Penetration Testing
7. TCM Security — Practical Ethical Hacking
Platform: YouTube / TCM Academy
Duration: 25+ hours
Format: Video course
Certificate: No (free version)
Heath Adams (The Cyber Mentor) offers an excellent practical ethical hacking course that covers networking, Linux, Python, reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, Active Directory attacks, web application hacking, and report writing. The full course is available on YouTube for free.
This course is widely regarded as one of the best preparations for a career as a penetration tester and for the PNPT certification.
8. HackTheBox Academy — Free Modules
Platform: HackTheBox
Duration: Varies per module
Format: Interactive labs with guided content
Certificate: No
HackTheBox Academy offers several free modules covering Linux fundamentals, Windows fundamentals, web requests, introduction to networking, and more. The free tier provides enough cubes (credits) to access beginner modules without paying.
The quality is excellent — each module combines theory with practical exercises on real machines.
Best Free Courses for Defensive Security
9. Splunk Free Training
Platform: Splunk Education
Duration: 10+ hours
Format: Self-paced e-learning
Certificate: Yes (completion badges)
Splunk is one of the most widely used SIEM platforms in the industry. Their free training covers Splunk fundamentals, search and reporting, dashboards, and security use cases. Learning Splunk is valuable for SOC analyst and security engineer roles.
10. Blue Team Labs Online — Free Challenges
Platform: BTLO
Duration: Varies
Format: Hands-on investigation challenges
Certificate: No
BTLO offers free defensive security challenges covering incident response, digital forensics, log analysis, SIEM investigations, and malware analysis. If you are interested in blue team careers (SOC analyst, incident responder, threat hunter), this is the best free hands-on platform.
Best Free Courses for Specialized Topics
11. Malware Analysis — Malware Unicorn Workshops
Platform: malwareunicorn.org
Duration: 10+ hours
Format: Workshop materials with exercises
Certificate: No
Amanda Rousseau (Malware Unicorn) provides free reverse engineering workshops that cover x86 assembly, static analysis, dynamic analysis, and anti-analysis techniques. The workshops are used at major security conferences and are some of the best free malware analysis training available.
12. Cryptography — Khan Academy
Platform: Khan Academy
Duration: 5+ hours
Format: Video lessons and exercises
Certificate: No
Khan Academy’s cryptography course covers ancient ciphers through modern encryption algorithms in an accessible, visual format. Understanding cryptography is fundamental for many areas of cybersecurity, from web security to network protocols.
Course Comparison Table
| Course | Focus Area | Level | Hands-On Labs |
|---|---|---|---|
| TryHackMe Pre-Security | General foundations | Beginner | Yes |
| Cisco Intro to Cybersecurity | Overview / concepts | Beginner | No |
| SANS Cyber Aces | OS and networking | Beginner | No |
| Google Cybersecurity (audit) | Comprehensive | Beginner | Yes |
| PortSwigger Academy | Web security | All levels | Yes |
| OWASP Training | Web security | Intermediate | Yes |
| TCM Practical Ethical Hacking | Penetration testing | Beginner-Intermediate | Yes |
| HTB Academy (free) | Various security topics | Beginner-Intermediate | Yes |
| Splunk Training | SIEM / blue team | Beginner | Yes |
| BTLO | Defensive security | Intermediate | Yes |
| Malware Unicorn | Malware analysis | Intermediate | Yes |
| Khan Academy Crypto | Cryptography | Beginner | No |
Recommended Learning Path
If you are starting from scratch, follow this order:
- Cisco Intro to Cybersecurity — Get the big picture (1 week)
- TryHackMe Pre-Security — Build foundational skills (2-3 weeks)
- Google Cybersecurity Certificate (audit) — Deep dive into core concepts (2-3 months)
- TCM Practical Ethical Hacking — Learn pentesting methodology (1 month)
- PortSwigger Web Security Academy — Master web hacking (ongoing)
- HackTheBox / TryHackMe — Practice on real machines (ongoing)
This path takes roughly 6-9 months of consistent study and will prepare you for entry-level cybersecurity positions and beginner certifications like CompTIA Security+ or eJPT.
Tips for Self-Directed Learning
- Set a schedule — Dedicate at least 1-2 hours daily. Consistency beats intensity.
- Take notes — Use Obsidian, Notion, or CherryTree to document what you learn
- Practice more than you watch — Spend 70% of your time in labs and 30% on theory
- Join communities — Discord servers (TryHackMe, HackTheBox, TCM Security) provide support and motivation
- Build as you learn — Write scripts, create tools, and document your journey through a blog or GitHub
- Read cybersecurity books — Books provide depth that courses often lack
Final Thoughts
The barrier to entering cybersecurity has never been lower. With the free courses listed above, you can build job-ready skills without spending a dollar. What matters most is not the price of your training — it is the time and effort you invest in practice.
Start with the recommended learning path, set up a home hacking lab, and commit to learning something new every day. Within a year, you can be ready for your first cybersecurity role. Check our complete cybersecurity roadmap for the full career path.