Name: Networking Fundamentals for Security Course (Self-Paced)
Price: 1549.0 USD
Availability: InStock

This course includes

15 hours of project-based training from experts
Answers from real instructors
Retake for free within 1 year
Verified digital certificate of completion
Learn at an accredited institution
Credits: 1.5 CPEs and 1.5 CEUs

This course is self-paced. For live online or in-person instruction, take Networking Fundamentals for Security Course.

Most security training assumes networking knowledge that not every learner has. This foundational course closes that gap, building every concept from first principles with no prior networking experience required.

Learners work through the OSI and TCP/IP models, IP addressing and subnetting, core devices and protocols, wireless security, segmentation, and common attacks such as spoofing and denial of service. Every topic is framed through a security lens.

Target Audience

This course is written for working professionals who need networking literacy for a security-related role but have not had formal networking training. That includes IT support and help desk staff moving toward security work, career changers entering cybersecurity from outside IT, federal employees and contractors taking on security responsibilities for the first time, and commercial IT professionals who want a security-focused foundation before pursuing further certification study. No prior networking or cybersecurity experience is assumed, only basic computer literacy. This course is not for network engineers or anyone already comfortable with subnetting, the OSI model, and common network attack types; those learners should look for a more advanced security or networking course.

Tuition

Full Tuition

$1,549
Due before the class starts

This course includes

15 hours of project-based training from experts
Answers from real instructors
Retake for free within 1 year
Verified digital certificate of completion
Learn at an accredited institution
Credits: 1.5 CPEs and 1.5 CEUs

Learning Experience Highlights

Training from government‑experienced instructors

Receive instruction from subject‑matter experts who bring proven government experience.

Specialized for government & DoD

Courses that are regularly updated based on feedback and industry developments, ensuring versions are mapped to federal competencies.

The instructor was wonderful and so knowledgeable. The course materials were extremely relevant to what my job is. I feel like I can be better because of this class.
— 2025 student

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Real-world solutions

Directly addressing the day-to-day challenges of federal employees.

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100% Online. Start Anytime

24/7 access to our premium course videos and projects.
Industry experts are assigned as your course instructor. Message your instructor with any questions.
Participate in GSUSA online discussion forums — share ideas and receive additional support.
Hands-on quizzes and mini projects to test and reinforce concepts.

Earn a Certificate of Completion

Upon completion of this course, you’ll receive an official certificate testifying to your mastery of the curriculum. We’ll send you a link where you can download your certificate, share it online with your friends, post it to your professional network on LinkedIn, and view all your earned certificates. Congratulations on your achievement!

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Sample credential for completion of Networking Fundamentals for Security Course (Self-Paced)

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Networking Fundamentals for Security Course (Self-Paced) Curriculum

What You'll Learn at a Glance

Explain the purpose of each layer in the OSI and TCP/IP models and how they apply to real network traffic.
Identify IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, subnet a given network range, and determine whether two hosts can communicate directly.
Distinguish the roles of routers, switches, firewalls, and load balancers in a typical network.
Describe how core protocols, including TCP, UDP, DNS, DHCP, and HTTP/HTTPS, move data across a network.
Compare common network topologies and explain how topology choices affect security exposure.
Evaluate basic wireless security settings and explain the risks of common Wi-Fi misconfigurations.
Apply network segmentation and defense-in-depth concepts to reduce attack surface.
Recognize common network-based attacks, including spoofing, sniffing, and denial-of-service techniques.
Interpret a basic firewall rule set and a simple packet capture summary to identify suspicious traffic.
Explain how network monitoring tools support early threat detection.
Describe zero trust networking principles and how they differ from perimeter-based defense.
Apply foundational networking vocabulary correctly in security discussions and documentation.
Evaluate a simple network diagram to identify potential security weaknesses.
Differentiate between public and private addressing and explain why NAT matters for security.

Course Syllabus

Download Syllabus PDF

Module 1: Introduction to Networking for Security Professionals

Lessons:
- Why Networking Knowledge Matters in Security
- How This Course Is Organized
- A First Look at a Network: Hosts, Media, and Data Flow
Applied activity: Learners trace a simple request, their own computer loading a web page, and identify, in plain language, every hop and component that request likely passes through, from their laptop to the web server and back.

Module 2: The OSI and TCP/IP Models

Lessons:
- The Seven Layers of the OSI Model
- The TCP/IP Model and How It Maps to OSI
- Encapsulation and De-encapsulation Walkthrough
- Why Security Tools Are Organized by Layer
Applied activity: Given a short, plain-text packet description, learners identify which OSI layer each listed field belongs to, for example a MAC address, an IP address, a port number, and an HTTP request line.

Module 3: IP Addressing and Subnetting Fundamentals

Lessons:
- IPv4 Addressing: Structure and Classes
- Subnet Masks and CIDR Notation
- Subnetting a Network, Step by Step
- Public, Private, and NAT Addressing
Applied activity: Learners are given a small organization's addressing requirement, a set number of hosts across three departments, and subnet a provided address block to fit, then identify which addresses in the range are unusable.

Module 4: Network Devices and Infrastructure

Lessons:
- Hubs, Switches, and How Switching Works
- Routers and Routing Basics
- Firewalls and Their Placement in a Network
- Load Balancers, Proxies, and Other Intermediary Devices
Applied activity: Learners label a simple, text-described network diagram, placing a router, switch, firewall, and DMZ segment correctly based on a short design scenario.

Module 5: Core Network Protocols and Services

Lessons:
- TCP and UDP: Connection-Oriented versus Connectionless
- DNS: How Name Resolution Works
- DHCP: How Hosts Get an Address
- HTTP, HTTPS, and Common Application Protocols
Applied activity: Learners walk through a short, annotated sequence describing a browser loading a secure website, including the DNS lookup, the TCP handshake, the TLS negotiation, and the HTTP request, and label each step with the protocol responsible.

Module 6: Network Topologies and Architecture

Lessons:
- Physical and Logical Topologies
- Star, Mesh, and Hybrid Designs
- Network Segmentation and VLANs
Applied activity: Learners redesign a described flat network, with all devices on one segment, into a segmented design using VLANs, based on a short scenario involving a guest network and a finance department.

Module 7: Wireless Networking Fundamentals

Lessons:
- How Wireless Networking Works
- Wireless Standards and Frequency Bands
- Wireless Security Protocols: WEP, WPA, WPA2, and WPA3
- Common Wireless Risks and Misconfigurations
Applied activity: Learners review a short description of a small office's wireless setup and identify which choices, including protocol, SSID broadcast, and default credentials, create risk, and what they would change.

Module 8: Network Security Fundamentals and Defense in Depth

Lessons:
- Defense in Depth: Layered Security Concepts
- Zero Trust Networking Principles
- Access Control at the Network Layer
- Putting It Together: A Layered Network Design
Applied activity: Learners evaluate a short case description of an organization relying on a single perimeter firewall and propose at least two additional layers of defense, explaining the risk each addresses.

Module 9: Common Network Threats and Attack Techniques

Lessons:
- Reconnaissance and Scanning
- Sniffing and Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
- Spoofing Techniques: ARP, DNS, and IP
- Denial-of-Service and Distributed Denial-of-Service
- Recognizing Attack Patterns in Everyday Traffic
Applied activity: Learners review a short, described sequence of unusual network activity, such as a spike in ARP replies or a host suddenly resolving a domain to an unexpected address, and identify which attack technique best matches the pattern.

Module 10: Network Monitoring and Basic Defense

Lessons:
- What Network Monitoring Tools Actually Do
- Firewalls, IDS, and IPS: Roles and Differences
- Building Security Habits: What to Watch For
Applied activity: Learners review a short, simplified log excerpt, described in text rather than a live tool, and identify which entries warrant a closer look, based on concepts covered earlier in the course.

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