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This list is for anyone getting into cyber security, whether you want to learn how attacks work, defend systems, protect your own accounts or pass a first certification. Our catalogue lists 453 live Udemy courses in ethical hacking and security. These ten are the ones we would buy for each goal. They have over 510,000 student reviews between them, every one is rated 4.5 or higher, and six of them were updated in 2026.
Every rating, review count, length and last-update date on this page comes from our catalogue and is refreshed with it. The pros and cons are written by CourseDuck’s editors from the course syllabus and a sample of the written student reviews, and checked against both; no course pays to be on this list. Udemy prices move with its sales, so treat the price on each card as the current one, not a fixed one.
One rule before you start: the hacking courses below teach attacks so you can test and defend systems. Practise only in the lab the course has you build, or on systems you own or have written permission to test.
How to pick
- You are brand new to security: The Absolute Beginners Guide to Cyber Security, plus the networking crash course if networks are a mystery.
- You want to learn ethical hacking: Learn Ethical Hacking From Scratch, or the Complete Ethical Hacking Bootcamp if you also want to code your own tools in Python.
- You build or test websites: Website Hacking / Penetration Testing, or the OWASP Top 10 course for a no-code overview.
- You work with networks: Getting Started with Wireshark.
- You want to protect yourself: The Complete Cyber Security Course: Hackers Exposed.
- You want a certification: CompTIA Security+, or ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity as a lighter first step.
Start here: the basics
1. The Absolute Beginners Guide to Cyber Security 2026 - Part 1
Alexander Oni’s course is the plain-English starting point for people who do not yet know a firewall from a VPN. About 8 hours over 83 lectures cover how hackers work, the types of malware, networking basics, firewalls, encryption, social engineering and password management, with a later section on AI and cyber security. The only requirements are knowing how to use a computer and the internet. It was updated in August 2026 and has about 58,500 reviews at 4.6. Reviewers praise his clear, enthusiastic delivery and the movie clips and real cases that make terms like phishing and DDoS click. It is conceptual by design, with five quizzes and no hands-on labs, and it is Part 1 of a series.
Pros
- Movie clips and real-world examples make abstract security terms stick
- Covers a wide sweep: networking, hacker types, malware, defenses, VPNs, AI threats
- Includes a dedicated section on AI and cyber security
Cons
- No coding exercises or practice tests, so it stays conceptual, not hands-on
- This is Part 1 of a series, so it stops short of deeper technical skills
- 83 lectures packed into 8 hours means some topics only get a quick pass
What students say
Hailey MakI really enjoyed this course. Alex presented really well for beginners, easy to follow and really fun to learn from him. Will be getting to part 2 of the course.
Yolanda NdlovuIT was good l got to know more about information security triangle there is more to CIA that is privacy and non-repudiation.I also got to know the intentions of hackers
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
2. Introduction to Computer Networking - Beginner Crash Course
Several courses below, Wireshark in particular, assume you know how a network fits together, and Rick Crisci’s crash course is a quick way in. Seven hours over 58 lectures explain Ethernet and MAC addresses, routing, VLANs, VPNs, DNS and DHCP, network management and security, with a 110 minute bonus block on IP addressing and subnetting, 42 quizzes and downloadable PDF study guides. It was updated in February 2026 and has about 15,900 reviews at 4.7. Reviewers credit his everyday analogies and diagrams. Subnetting is the hard part, and one reviewer found it very difficult to follow; there are no labs.
Pros
- Chapter quizzes and summaries help the material stick, according to reviewers
- Everyday analogies make networking concepts easy to follow for total beginners
- Downloadable PDF study guides, with most lectures running only 5 to 10 minutes
- Bonus 110-minute block covers IP addressing, subnets and decimal to binary
Cons
- The subnetting section is hard to follow and feels separate from earlier lessons
- One reviewer found the quizzes too many and tedious, and another disliked a required AI roleplay task
- WiFi gets a single lecture, and the syllabus shows no labs or practice tests
What students say
Nikhat Mallickreally really good explanations here. The fundamentals are paramount for mastery over any subject, and the instructor here really makes the fundamentals solid, preparing you for anything in the future.
Marcin MarzejonInteresting and compacted and making me fall asleep. The tone of voice of the tutour and monotonic pace in which he was talking was making it hard for me not to zone out and focus for more than 15 minutes at a time.
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
Ethical hacking
3. Learn Ethical Hacking From Scratch
Zaid Sabih’s course is the most-reviewed ethical hacking course in our catalogue, with about 137,000 reviews and 687,000 students. In about 15 hours over 142 lectures it sets up a Kali Linux lab, then works through network and WiFi attacks, gaining access to computers, post exploitation and website hacking, explaining how each target works before the attack and how to defend against it afterwards. No Linux, programming or hacking background is assumed. It was last updated in November 2025. Reviewers call Zaid clear and thorough. Lower-star reviews say the WiFi and WPS cracking lectures fail on modern routers, some tools have changed since recording, and answers in the Q&A can be slow. Treat it as a foundation, not job-ready penetration testing.
Pros
- Every section explains how the target works before showing the attack, which one reviewer says makes it stick
- Covers WiFi, network MITM, Windows backdoors, social engineering, and web vulns in one 142-lecture course
- Reviewers repeatedly call Zaid’s explanations clear and thorough
- Refreshed in November 2025 and teaches how to defend against each attack, not just how to run it
Cons
- WiFi and WPS cracking lectures fail on modern routers, and some tools shown have changed since recording
- Q&A responses can take a long time, so a broken lab step may stall progress
- Breadth over depth: three-star reviews call it a foundation, not modern real-world pentesting
What students say
France Thipevery anxious at this moment to learn more about hacking. Very interesting, more especially that some of the lessons herein, i do them on daily basis on live environments
Iraqi Designerكورس جدا مفيد وتقريبا احسن كورس شفته بلامن السيبراني بس عيبه انو مامو استهداف حقيقي بس على VMware واجهزه هو متحكم بيها والشغله الخ انو يحتاج يعلمنا شلون نستغل هلامور على تلفون مثلا اندرويد بلاخص انو اغلب الاجهزه هسه المتخدمه هواتف نو حاسبات
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
4. Complete Ethical Hacking Bootcamp
Zero To Mastery’s bootcamp, taught by Andrei Neagoie and Aleksa Tamburkovski, is the pick if you also want to write your own tools. About 29 hours over 255 lectures build a Kali lab in VirtualBox and walk the five phases of a penetration test, with reconnaissance, Nmap scanning, Metasploit and web app attacks, plus extras on wireless, Android and Active Directory. Three Python projects (a port scanner, a backdoor and a login brute forcer) are woven in, and a nine hour Python section at the end covers the language for people who have never coded. It was updated in August 2026 and has about 19,400 reviews at 4.7. Reviewers like how fast it gets to hands-on work. Low-star reviews say some examples rely on old Windows targets with Defender switched off and that the walkthroughs show more than they explain, so plan on TryHackMe or Hack The Box practice afterwards.
Pros
- Gets to hands-on tools fast; one reviewer says the narration is clear enough to follow at 2x speed
- Three Python projects (port scanner, backdoor, login brute forcer) plus a from-scratch Python section
- Covers the full pentest cycle, with extras on wireless cracking, Android and Active Directory
Cons
- Low-star reviews say examples rely on old Windows targets with Defender off and some sections feel outdated
- More press-this-then-type-this than explanation; one finisher struggled on an easy Hack The Box machine
- Support is thin; one student says nobody answered questions, and the Python videos still use Repl
What students say
Femi AwonusiThis course opened my eyes to what ethical hacking entails and the importance of learning a programming language as a pentester. I'm especially amazed at the time taken to teach Python programming. It's awesome! ZTM is the go-to academy to learn!
Mitchell GriffIt doesn't spend an unnecessary amount of time on the basics and gets to the "fun" stuff promptly. The materials are of good quality, and the narration is very clear. So much so that I can run the lectures at 2x speed and still understand perfectly.
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
5. Website Hacking / Penetration Testing
Zaid Sabih’s second course zooms in on websites. About 10 hours over 100 lectures start with a hacking lab, Linux basics and how websites work, then cover information gathering, file upload, code execution, file inclusion, SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, brute force and post exploitation, with how to fix each bug. It needs only basic IT skills. It was last updated in November 2025 and has about 23,200 reviews at 4.6. Reviewers call it clear and full of useful labs. Some tools have aged (one reviewer notes the free Maltego edition it uses is gone), there are no quizzes or exercises, and one reviewer found it repeats much of Learn Ethical Hacking From Scratch, so check the syllabus if you took that one.
Pros
- Starts from zero: lab setup, Linux basics and how websites work come before any attacks
- Covers the usual web bugs in order, from file upload and SQL injection to XSS and CSRF
- Reviewers call the teaching clear and easy to follow, even for beginners
- Post exploitation gets its own section of 12 lectures and about 88 minutes
Cons
- Some tools have aged; one reviewer says the free Maltego edition it uses no longer exists
- One reviewer calls it a rerun of the instructor’s Learn Ethical Hacking course
- Only about 10 hours, with no quizzes or exercises to test what was learned
What students say
Devki Nandan SinghA very beautiful Explaination of topics... As a beginner i understood most of it without any problem.. Thankyou Zaid Sir.
Kenan OzturgutZaid is simply a superb instructor and incrementally works through complex processes in a clear and comprehensible manner.
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
Defending networks, websites and yourself
6. OWASP Top 10 2025: Web App Security for Beginners (No Code)
The OWASP Top 10 lists the most critical web application security risks, and Soerin Bipat’s course explains it without code in about 99 minutes over 29 lectures, with 23 quizzes along the way. It covers the 2025 release candidate alongside the 2021 and 2017 lists, going through what each threat is, its impact and how to prevent it. It was refreshed in July 2026 and has about 49,800 reviews at 4.5. It suits managers, juniors and anyone who needs to explain the risks to a team, and reviewers like how concise it is. Several call the audio and video quality mediocre, and the newer videos feel tacked onto the 2017 material.
Pros
- Short videos follow a clear pattern: what it is, impact, prevention, then a quiz
- About 99 minutes total, so it fits into a day without much effort
- Covers the 2025 release candidate plus the 2021 and 2017 lists in one course
- Needs no coding background, and the instructor invites direct messages with questions
Cons
- Audio and video quality are called mediocre or bad by several reviewers
- The 2025 and 2021 videos feel tacked onto the 2017 material, and section order is messy
- Quiz questions are sometimes wordy or tricky, and some reviewers find the delivery dry
What students say
Human Motamedi-NazariSome structure is needed...an overview/intro of why and what is also highly appreciated, especially if you are a beginner in this area. Otherwise good cours!
Devina BorooahLearning a little each day adds up to significant growth over time. Consistent daily effort builds knowledge, strengthens skills, and helps achieve long-term goals more effectively.
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
7. Getting Started with Wireshark: The Ultimate Hands-On Course
Wireshark lets you see the packets that actually cross a network, and this short course taught by Chris Greer gets you reading captures in about 4.4 hours over 60 lectures. You download real trace files and work through filters, where to capture, encapsulation, and IP, UDP and TCP analysis. It assumes basic routing and switching. It was last updated in August 2025 and has about 12,200 reviews at 4.8, the highest rating on this list. Reviewers call Greer engaging and like working on real packet captures. Some wanted more troubleshooting and less time on filters, and there is no live capture project at the end.
Pros
- Downloadable trace files with questions, so practice happens on real packets
- Chris Greer is described as engaging, clear and easy to listen to
- Short and direct at about 4.4 hours, with little padding
- Covers filters, IP, UDP and TCP analysis plus a top things to look for section
Cons
- Heavy on filter setup, with less real diagnosing than some reviewers expected
- No live packet capture section at the end to build confidence
- Assumes basic routing and switching, so not for total networking beginners
What students say
ExplodarciusExcelent course, I love how simply were things explained. Sometimes I would appreciate graphical emphasizing. Like in topics like sequence and acknowledgment numbers. When actually people see it on for example arrows I think it's better understandable
Andrejs PetrovsVery detailed, well paced. I particularly enjoyed the lab elements, pausing the video than diving in to the packet file to find the answers to the lab questions. The course was worth checking out and has given me a deeper understanding of whats actually going on on the Wire!
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
8. The Complete Cyber Security Course : Hackers Exposed!
Nathan House’s course is about protecting yourself rather than attacking anyone: volume 1 of a four-part series on security, privacy and anonymity for individuals. About 12 hours over 124 lectures cover threat modelling, the threat landscape, an encryption crash course, hardening Windows, macOS and Linux, social engineering, and a long section on isolation with virtual machines, Whonix and Qubes OS. It has about 58,700 reviews at 4.5. Reviewers call the explanations clear and well structured. It is almost all lecture with no quizzes, the last update was March 2024, Windows 11 is not covered and some resource links are dead, so take it for the concepts and check for newer tools.
Pros
- Reviewers call the explanations clear and easy to absorb, even for people new to security
- Wide sweep of topics: threats, encryption, OS hardening, social engineering and isolation
- Long section on sandboxes, virtual machines, Whonix and Qubes OS
- One reviewer calls the instructor clearly an expert, with 25-plus years in the field
Cons
- Almost all lecture: no quizzes or practice exercises to learn by doing
- Last updated March 2024, with a Windows 10 focus and some dead resource links
- Delivery is dry, and some tools appear with little explanation
What students say
Dustin FynnIt's very in depth and informative, the break down is very nice and easy to absorb and digest the various bits of information taught in the lecture.
Deepak MI had learnt various aspects of the cyber security role in different environments and backgrounds and I also learned how the person is scamed using their own details against them.
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
Certifications
9. CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Complete Course & Practice Exam
If you want a certification, Jason Dion’s Security+ course walks through every SY0-701 exam domain in 31 hours over 265 lectures, with a downloadable study guide, 28 quizzes and a full practice exam. It was updated in September 2026 and has about 123,000 reviews at 4.7. Basic familiarity with networks helps, but the course covers what it needs. Reviewers who passed credit it as their main study source, several with first-try scores in the 80s, and like that the quizzes explain wrong answers. Some say sections run longer than needed, one says the practice questions do not match the exam’s scenario-based style, and a couple of reviewers paired it with Professor Messer’s videos.
Pros
- 265 lectures walk through every SY0-701 domain with a downloadable study guide included
- Quizzes explain wrong answers in detail instead of just flagging them
- Updated in September 2026 for the current SY0-701 exam
- Reviewers report first-try passes with scores in the 80s after using it as their main resource
Cons
- At 31 hours, some reviewers say sections run longer than needed and could be trimmed
- Practice exam questions don’t fully match the scenario-based format of the real test
- A few reviews mention repeated material, typos, and pop-ups between lessons
What students say
Sameer MohammedI like jason he is a very good speaker/instructor but the other instructor might be good but I personally didnt liked the way he teaches /speak or might be his accent which I felt not satisfactory, I Iost the concentration in his toipcs, apologies for this comment if it sound rude, if there is only jason's full course please let us know, would be very happy to take it.
Lindsay BrownI really enjoy the detail courses. I have been studying for the security + exam for a month, however it wasn't until i started this course, did I feel like I was understanding the material. I'm finally understanding the material better. I feel a lot better and more prepared for the security + exam, this course is worth taking to get the best knowledge, and be test ready.
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
10. The Complete Certified in Cybersecurity course 2026 UPDATED!
ISC2’s Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) is an entry-level certification, and Thor Pedersen’s course covers its five domains (security principles, security governance, access management, networking and cloud security, and security operations and incident response) in about 19 hours over 150 lectures, with 24 quizzes, two full practice tests and a study guide. It was updated in June 2026 and has about 16,000 reviews at 4.7. Students like the logical build-up and the summary at the end of each module, and several say they passed the exam after taking it. It is nearly all theory with no labs, and one reviewer found the practice test outdated against the real exam.
Pros
- Clear, logical build-up that beginners say is easy to follow
- A summary closes each module and key themes repeat, which helps retention
- Two full practice tests and 24 quizzes to learn the exam question style
- Updated June 2026, and several reviewers report passing the CC after it
Cons
- Almost all theory with no labs, and one newcomer found it dry
- Some reviewers call parts redundant or off topic for the exam
- One reviewer found the practice test outdated, with under 20% matching the real exam
What students say
Rebecca JensenThis course definitely helped me pass my CC exam! It was thorough but also provided great real life examples so that it was easier to undrstand, when coming from a non-technical background. Would highly recommend!
ROHAN KAILASH BI just passed my exam today, I only took this course materials along with some practice tests. So, this course helped a lot in passing the exam. But I feel the actual exam is a bit more difficult than this practice tests
Reviews from students, via this course's page on CourseDuck.
Where to go next
Every course above has a full page on CourseDuck with its syllabus, our take and more student reviews; the cards link to them. For more choice, the hacking and cyber security category ranks every course we list by student reviews. Related guides: the best IT certification courses (Security+, Network+, CCNA and more) and the best Python courses for writing your own tools.
