Full Cybersecurity Course From 0: Ethical Hacking & Defense (Udemy.com)
Your Hands-On Cyber Security Journey Starts Here: Go from beginners to Intermediate in Cybersecurity and Ethical hacking
Created by: Sunny dimalu
Last updated June 2026
Our take
Based on the ratings of 505 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in June 2026. No course pays to be reviewed.
Sunny Dimalu's course is a six-phase beginner path that bundles networking, Linux, PowerShell, hacking basics and Bash scripting into one 29.9 hour package. The syllabus shows 333 lectures across 59 sections, and it starts with animated networking lessons before any hacking shows up. It is aimed at people with no security background, plus system administrators. It is not a penetration testing course, and the later sections are short tours rather than deep dives.
Reviewers keep coming back to the teaching. They call the explanations simple, clear and easy to follow as a beginner, and one says questions get answered quickly. One reviewer also credits the illustrations. Complaints are mild. One four-star reviewer says to make it shorter, another wishes there were a document to read alongside the videos, and a two-star reviewer who already knew the basics found it too elementary. Of 505 ratings, 286 are five stars and only 20 are one or two stars.
The course was last updated in June 2026, so it is fresh. Tool coverage is thin in places: Nmap gets about 22 minutes and Wireshark about 46. Treat it as a map of the field, then pick a deeper course on whatever area grabs you. The Wi-Fi labs need a wireless card, which the requirements list as the only special hardware. For a true beginner it looks like good value. Anyone past the basics will probably find it slow.
Pros
- Animated networking lessons that reviewers say make hard ideas easy for beginners to follow
- Reviewers say the instructor explains each concept clearly and answers questions quickly
- Linux, PowerShell and Bash in one course, plus Wi-Fi attacks, Nmap and Wireshark
- Updated in June 2026, with a Bash password generator project near the end
Cons
- At almost 30 hours, one reviewer asks for a shorter version of the course
- One reviewer wanted a written document to study from alongside the videos
- Too basic for people with some experience; a two-star reviewer wanted more depth
I recommend everyone who is new to this field to take this course beacuse it is beginner friendly, you will enjoy as you move ahead. Each section is clearly explained.
Fits true beginners best. The audience list also names sysadmins, but one experienced reviewer found it basic.
What you will learn
- Build a Strong Foundation in Practical Cybersecurity (Hacking and defense)
- You will learn practical system hacking using real-world scenarios
- You will learn computer networking using clear, easy-to-understand animations.
- You will learn programming (Bash scripting), even if you are a first-time programmer.
- Gain Proficiency in Linux and PowerShell Command Line Skills:
- Learn Bash scripting to automate tasks and create practical tools(No Prior Coding experience required)
- Understand and Apply Cybersecurity Defense Techniques
- Become Proficient in Cybersecurity Tools
- Social Engineering Attacks and Defense
- Wifi Hacking attack and defense
- System cleaning and protection
- PowrShell from 0 to intemediate
- Learn Compuer networking and Cryptography
Course content
59 sections · 333 lectures · 30 hours of video 7 quizzes, 11 articles
- 1About the Course 1 free preview1 lecture · 5 min
- 2=== [ PHASE 1: Computer Networking ] === 1 free preview1 lecture · 1 min
- 3Introduction to Computer Networks (ANIMATED) 1 free preview6 lectures · 1 quiz · 16 min
- 4Essential Network terms(Animated)6 lectures · 1 quiz · 18 min
- 5Network Devices explained (ANIMATED)9 lectures · 1 quiz · 43 min
- 6Network Topologies (ANIMATED)5 lectures · 19 min
- 7OSI Models explained (Animated)9 lectures · 1 hour
- 8TCP/IP Model explained (Animated)5 lectures · 18 min
- 9DHCP, ARP, DNS Protocols & Firewall (ANIMATED)7 lectures · 27 min
- 10Cryptogrophy Crash Course - Network Security essentials9 lectures · 52 min
- 11Binary Number System (BONUS)5 lectures · 26 min
- 12=== [ PHASE 2 : Linux Administration & Lab Setup ] ===1 lecture
- 13Setup the Cyber Security & Ethical Hacking Lab12 lectures · 1 quiz · 1.1 hours
- 14Essential Linux commands & File System9 lectures · 37 min
- 15Linux Essentials: Working with Files and directories10 lectures · 44 min
- 16Linux Essentials: Grep, Piping and Output Redirection 1 free preview7 lectures · 31 min
- 17Linux Administration : User management, Sudo command & Root user7 lectures · 35 min
- 18Linux Administration : Networking Commands5 lectures · 17 min
- 19Linux Administration : Install,Remove & Update Packages/Applications8 lectures · 34 min
- 20Linux Administration : File pemissions5 lectures · 25 min
- 21=== [ PHASE 3 : PowerShell ] ===1 lecture
- 22PowerShell : Introduction,Installation & Essential commands.8 lectures · 38 min
- 23PowerShell : Working with files and Directories9 lectures · 46 min
- 24PowerShell: Working with Processes and Services3 lectures · 18 min
- 25PowerShell : Output Redirection and Piping5 lectures · 25 min
- 26Powershell Advanced : introduction to Objects3 lectures · 23 min
- 27PowerShell Advanced : Where Object4 lectures · 27 min
- 28PowerShell Advanced : Networking cmdlets(Commands)4 lectures · 21 min
- 29PowerShell Advanced : User management - Analyze user accounts2 lectures · 12 min
- 30=== [ PHASE 4: Ethical Hacking & Network Security ] ===1 lecture
- 31Introduction to Malware and it's Types7 lectures · 1 quiz · 15 min
- 32Ransomware Security: Full Guide to Attacks and Protection7 lectures · 1 quiz · 31 min
- 33System Cleaning: Scan and Remove Malware (Endpoint Protection)2 lectures · 14 min
- 34Wireshark Crash course : Capture and Monitor network Traffic7 lectures · 46 min
- 35Wi-Fi Hacking: Prerequisites and the Importance of Wireless Security 1 free preview4 lectures · 14 min
- 36WiFi Hacking Fundamentals (Animated)6 lectures · 1 quiz · 36 min
- 37Wireless (Wi-Fi) Hacking: Step 1 – Practical Implementation11 lectures · 59 min
- 38Wireless (Wi-Fi) Hacking Step 2 : Password Cracking Techniques4 lectures · 31 min
- 39Wireless (Wi-Fi) Hacking Step 3– Advanced: Evil Twin Attack3 lectures · 20 min
- 40Wireless (Wi-Fi) Security: Step 5: Secure Your Network Against All Attacks7 lectures · 32 min
- 41Dos and DDos attacks explained (Animated)2 lectures · 11 min
- 42Social Engineering Attacks and Defense Strategies7 lectures · 34 min
- 43Nmap: Network Reconnaissance and Port Scanning6 lectures · 22 min
- 44=== [ Phase 5 Programming: Bash Scripting For Security ] ===1 lecture · 1 min
- 45Advanced Linux For Bash Scripting: Data filtering, Extraction & Transformation10 lectures · 1.2 hours
- 46Absolute Bash Fundamentals9 lectures · 53 min
- 47Variables & Data types4 lectures · 28 min
- 48Arithmatic Operators & User Inputs5 lectures · 32 min
- 49Command Substitution, Variable Substitution, and String Manipulation4 lectures · 26 min
- 50Conditional Statements & File operators11 lectures · 1.4 hours
- 51Working with Loops7 lectures · 1 hour
- 52Arrays4 lectures · 39 min
- 53Break, Continue, Exit & File descriptors(Clean Output)7 lectures · 54 min
- 54Working with Functions5 lectures · 46 min
- 55Select , Case & Positional Parameters - Create Menus8 lectures · 1.1 hours
- 56Project: Secure Password Generator for System Hardening3 lectures · 29 min
- 57=== [ PHASE 6 BONUS : SOC basics ] ===1 lecture · 1 min
- 58TCP & UDP Protocols(Animated): SOC essentials10 lectures · 40 min
- 59Introduction to Logs (Theory)4 lectures · 10 min
Who it is for
The instructor says it suits
- Have no prior knowledge of cybersecurity and Ethical hacking
- Want to protect themselves and their organizations
- System Administrators
- Aspiring Ethical Hackers and cyber Security engineers
- Learners Who Prefer Hands-On Learning
What you need before you start
- A computer with a minimum of 4GB RAM and an internet connection.
- A wireless network card is required only for wireless hacking; the remaining 96% of the course does not need any special device.
How it compares
Against the other 523 rated Udemy courses in Hacking on CourseDuck:
- Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 72% of them
- Reviews505#275 of 524 by number of reviews
- Length29.9 hourslonger than 95% of them
- Last updatedJune 2026more recently than 77% of them
Course Description
Learn Cybersecurity and Ethical hacking from from Scratch
This comprehensive course is designed for beginners with no prior knowledge of cybersecurity. It provides a hands-on approach to mastering the fundamentals of modern cybersecurity , ethical hacking and Bash scripting or Shell scripting .
You'll first build a strong understanding of key concepts like Computer Networking, PowerShell, and Linux—all within this single course. These are crucial tools in today’s cybersecurity landscape.
Course Highlights:
Setting Up a Cybersecurity Lab: Learn to create a safe environment to practice ethical hacking.
Linux Fundamentals & Administration: Master essential Linux commands, user management, networking, and more.
PowerShell Mastery: Control your Windows system through practical PowerShell cmdlets and scripts.
Computer Networking: Understand networking devices, protocols, cryptography, and how data communication works.
Cybersecurity Essentials: Protect against malware, ransomware, Wi-Fi attacks, social engineering, and more.
Advanced Topics: Dive into network monitoring, system hardening, port scanning, DOS/DDOS attacks, and key tools like Wireshark and Nmap.
Bash Scripting & Automation: Learn Bash scripting to automate tasks, create practical tools, work with variables, loops, functions, and build real-world security and administration scripts.
By the end of this course, you’ll gain a practical, real-world skillset in cybersecurity, from beginner to intermediate level. The teaching approach is structured: first, learn how hacking attacks work, then understand the defenses against them.
24/7 Support: Get your questions answered within 10 hours through the course’s Q&A section.
Join now to develop a strong foundation and hands-on experience in cybersecurity and ethical hacking!
Instructor Details
- 4.6 Rating
505 Reviews
Sunny dimalu
I am Sunny Dimalu,
I graduated with a degree in Computer Science Engineering. After completing my studies, I began my professional journey in 2016 with my first job as a Full-Stack Web Developer, where I worked on building real-world applications using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, MySQL, and Python (Django).
However, I was always fascinated by the deeper, more complex and facinated side of technology Cybersecurity. Even during my development role, I spent my free time exploring socket programming, network scanning, and web scraping,
In 2017, after about 1.5 years as a developer, I made a bold decision I resigned from my development job to fully pursue Ethical Hacking. A year later, in August 2018, I secured my first professional role as a Penetration Tester, officially beginning my career in cybersecurity.
Since then, every role and every project has been about continuous learning, evolving my skills, breaking technical limits, and mastering new layers of cybersecurity.
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Reviews
By Adonyo Maurice on 7/12/2026
This is course is well structured, the instructor gives a thorough explanations of each and every concept. It's good for someone trying to navigate into the field of cybersecurity, I'm still taking the course but so far so good. Thank you so much Sunny
By Anudeep Patnala on 4/6/2026
I recommend everyone who is new to this field to take this course beacuse it is beginner friendly, you will enjoy as you move ahead. Each section is clearly explained. The course tutor is very highly skilled in this domain as he explains every tiny bit with very clear intend. Every thing is pin pointed without any wastage of time. Your questions are also answered quickly . My personal experience was soo good , its completely worth the money .
By Shelley Jones on 2/2/2026
I'm a little more advanced, so it's kind of basic stuff. still waiting to go into depth of it.
By Eliot on 1/7/2026
I learnt that computer network allows computers (devices) to communicate with each other. sharing of resources like files, data, printers and scanners, messages, internet connections and email, etc. We have types of computer networks: LAN (Local Area Network) MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) WAN (Wide Area Network) WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) PAN (Personal Area Network)
By Yugvir Singh on 12/19/2025
Tutor Definitely knows things from the very basic level. He has good foundation and that's why He is able to explain things with this simplicity. I would like to enroll for more Cyber Security courses by him.
By Ahad Shaikh on 8/19/2025
I recently completed this ethical hacking course,and i really enjoy it the way he teaches is really awesome, and i am looking forward to the instructor next course or video with full of practical
By David Jenkins on 3/28/2025
Sunny is an outstanding instructor. He is detailed and thorough and explains concepts in a clear and understandable manner. He also addresses many questions that I and other students might think to ask. His presentations are well thought out and presented in a graphical manner. I like the animations which aid in better understanding the material. Sunny answers questions very quickly and effectively. It is obvious that he wants the student to learn and understand the material. There are no teaching assistants, so you are dealing directly with Sunny the instructor. I find that very refreshing. Sunny's teaching pedagogy is very much in line with my learning style. I would love to have him as my mentor in learning cybersecurity. Thank you Sunny for this course. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have learned a lot. I will be referring back to this course periodically to refresh my understanding.
By George Anthopoulos on 1/12/2025
Outstanding Learning Experience with Sunny Dimalu! Taking the course with Sunny Dimalu has been a transformative journey! Whether you're a complete beginner or someone with some IT background, this course truly delivers on its promise to guide you from zero to proficient in cybersecurity. He is very responsive to my questions and that helped not to quit! Thank you, Sunny, for an unforgettable learning experience!
By Frederick Sanger on 10/15/2024
This is a good match for beginners like me. I have not finished the course yet but, it's amazing so far . The instructor explained everything clearly and used real-world examples to make the concepts easier to understand. Good job! many thanks, Sunny.
By Anthony on 9/20/2024
Exceptional Course for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals! All of my expectations were surpassed by this course. As an individual who is enthusiastic about acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals and complexities of ethical hacking, I found this course to be exceedingly informative and well-organised. The things that I cherished: Complex concepts are explained by the instructor in a manner that is both clear and concise, rendering them easily comprehensible to even the most novice of students. The learning process was made more engaging and tangible by the practical exercises and hands-on experiments that I was able to implement immediately. The content is exhaustive and regularly updated, covering both the fundamentals and advanced techniques of cybersecurity and ethical hacking. I gained a more profound comprehension of the methods and solutions to cybersecurity challenges as a result of the strong emphasis on real-world scenarios. I not only acquired valuable skills but also the confidence to pursue cybersecurity as a career path by the conclusion of this course. I wholeheartedly recommend this course to those who are committed to learning ethical hacking, computer networks and cybersecurity. A superb investment in your future! My gratitude to the instructor for facilitating an exceptional educational experience!
Quality Score
No CourseDuck member has rated this course yet. Taken it? Give each part a thumbs up or down.
Overall Score : 92 / 100






