What is information security?

Information security is the practice of keeping data protected from theft, destruction, or misuse. It's different from cybersecurity in that cybersecurity refers to protecting physical computer assets, while information security concerns defending data from hackers. The practices of information security protect data from accidental breaches, unauthorized access, and malicious attacks. Whether you're storing your data or transmitting it from one place to another, information security keeps your data safe. The term "data" includes printed media as well as electronic information, and information security practices protect your data whether or not it's confidential.

Why study information security?

Our world has become increasingly dependent on data, and malicious people want to get their hands on information, which makes information security vital to our modern society. Piracy, identity theft, and intellectual property crimes are on the rise every year, so the demand for people and software that protects data continues to grow. Data breaches cost money and can damage reputations, so keeping information protected can prevent catastrophic problems. A working knowledge of information security is crucial if you're interested in a career in information technology.

What are typical careers that use information security skills?

You can apply your knowledge of information security in a vast array of industries. Companies all over the country are looking for information technology specialists to help keep their sensitive and proprietary data safe, and jobs are available in the finance, healthcare, government, law enforcement, and insurance sectors, as well as in other areas. Cybersecurity and information technology companies are also hiring, and these businesses work with various clients to protect data from hackers and other attacks. You may even be able to start your own business in information security.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn information security?

Learning information security with online courses on Coursera allows you to gain a foothold in this growing field. You can gain firsthand experience in the issues that drive the information security industry, as well as the methods that data professionals use to combat hackers and data pirates. Opportunities exist to work toward becoming an IBM cybersecurity analyst, learn about cryptography, and understand regulatory compliance.

What are the benefits of taking an online Information Security course?

Online Information Security courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Information Security skills. Choose from a wide range of Information Security courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Information Security courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Information Security, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Information Security Courses - Learn Information Security Online

Explore the Information Security Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Data Management
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, Data Storytelling, Data Warehousing, SQL, Data Governance, Data Security, Data Migration, Database Design, Data Literacy, Descriptive Statistics, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Mining, Cloud Storage, Data Visualization Software, Data Store, IBM DB2, Data Management, Relational Databases, MySQL, Excel Formulas
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
17K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
BI Foundations with SQL, ETL and Data Warehousing
Skills you'll gain: Data Warehousing, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Linux Commands, SQL, IBM Cognos Analytics, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Dashboard, File Management, Star Schema, Unix Shell, IBM DB2, Business Intelligence, Interactive Data Visualization, Relational Databases, Stored Procedure, Databases
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
24K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Google
Connect and Protect: Networks and Network Security
Skills you'll gain: Network Security, Hardening, Network Protocols, Network Architecture, Intrusion Detection and Prevention, TCP/IP, Vulnerability Assessments, Computer Networking, Cybersecurity, Network Infrastructure, Firewall, Cloud Computing, Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
6.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Google Cloud
Google Cloud Database Engineer
Skills you'll gain: Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Infrastructure, Application Deployment, Prompt Engineering, Kubernetes, Containerization, Database Architecture and Administration, MySQL, Cloud Computing Architecture, PostgreSQL, Identity and Access Management, Cloud Storage, Data Migration, Cloud Services, Database Administration, Cloud Management, Virtual Machines, Cloud Security, Cloud Applications, Operational Databases
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
49K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Back-End Development
Skills you'll gain: Istio, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Software Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Linux Commands, Unit Testing, Object-Relational Mapping, Application Deployment, NoSQL, Kubernetes, Bash (Scripting Language), MongoDB, Shell Script, OpenShift, Git (Version Control System), Cloud Applications, Containerization, GitHub, Jupyter, Grafana
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
49K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Google Cloud
Preparing for Google Cloud Certification: Cloud Developer
Skills you'll gain: Containerization, Cloud Applications, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Infrastructure, Application Deployment, Docker (Software), Kubernetes, Application Development, CI/CD, Cloud Development, Microservices, Authentications, Serverless Computing, Identity and Access Management, Cloud Storage, Cloud Services, Virtual Machines, Generative AI, Cloud API, Prompt Engineering
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
49K reviews
Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Erasmus University Rotterdam
International Security Management
Skills you'll gain: Security Management, Intelligence Collection and Analysis, International Relations, Public Safety and National Security, Safety and Security, Risk Management, Cybersecurity, Governance, Cultural Diversity, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.2K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Data Science Fundamentals with Python and SQL
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, SQL, Descriptive Statistics, Jupyter, Statistical Analysis, Data Analysis, Probability Distribution, Pandas (Python Package), Data Visualization Software, Statistics, Data Visualization, Web Scraping, Relational Databases, Stored Procedure, Databases, Computer Programming Tools, Automation, Data Science, GitHub, Python Programming
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
71K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Google Cloud
Preparing for Google Cloud Certification: Cloud Engineer
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Infrastructure, Identity and Access Management, Kubernetes, Google Cloud Platform, Prompt Engineering, Cloud Storage, Containerization, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Management, Cloud Services, Load Balancing, Cloud Engineering, Application Deployment, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Virtual Machines, Data Storage Technologies, Cloud Computing, Network Infrastructure, Docker (Software)
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
59K reviews
Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Google Cloud
Preparing for Google Cloud Certification: Cloud Architect
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Infrastructure, Identity and Access Management, Kubernetes, Google Cloud Platform, Prompt Engineering, Application Deployment, Cloud Storage, Containerization, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), Cloud Computing, CI/CD, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Security, Cloud Management, Cloud Services, Load Balancing, Service Level Agreement, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Virtual Machines, Process Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
59K reviews
Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Virginia Darden School Foundation
IBM & Darden Digital Strategy
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Thinking, Digital Transformation, Business Strategy, Cloud Computing Architecture, Competitive Analysis, Cloud Services, Large Language Modeling, Artificial Intelligence, Business Transformation, Cloud Security, Cloud Technologies, Cloud Infrastructure, Big Data, Cloud Platforms, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Cloud Hosting, Generative AI, Product Lifecycle Management, Business Technologies
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
45K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, Data Storytelling, Data Warehousing, SQL, Database Design, MySQL, Presentations, Descriptive Statistics, Extract, Transform, Load, Business Intelligence, IBM DB2, Tableau Software, Relational Databases, Star Schema, Data Visualization Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Regression Analysis, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Excel Formulas, Microsoft Excel
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
14K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months