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The Beginners 2026 Cyber Security Awareness Training Course (Udemy.com)

Learn to Spot Targeted Email Phishing, Social Engineering Attacks, Hacker Tactics, Browsers/Mobile Threats and Much More

4.6
27,119 reviews

Created by: Reza Zaheri

Last updated May 2026

Our take

Based on the ratings of 27,119 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in May 2026. No course pays to be reviewed.

Reza Zaheri's course is a short, non-technical tour of the ways people actually get tricked: phishing emails, business email compromise, smishing, vishing, ransomware and search engine optimization tricks. It then moves into everyday habits like password managers, two-factor authentication, passkeys, browser settings and smartphone safety. At about 3.2 hours and 52 lectures, it is aimed at employees who need annual security training and at home users with no IT background. The syllabus shows an update in May 2026.

Reviewers mostly praise the delivery. Words like engaging, concise and passionate come up again and again, and one person who already knew the material still enjoyed how it was presented. The downloadable resources and the red flags lesson on suspicious email get specific thanks. The complaints are small. One reviewer found the pace too fast, another was bothered by a clicking noise in the background, and a third felt some claims about how far an attacker can get were hyperbolic. Only 348 of 27,119 ratings are one or two stars.

Roughly 92 percent of ratings are four or five stars, and 54,209 students have taken it, so the formula clearly works for its audience. It is awareness training, not a technical security course, so there are no hands-on exercises and little detail on how attacks work under the hood. Short enough to finish in an evening or two, it makes a sensible pick for a team onboarding list or for a relative who clicks on everything. Anyone chasing a security career should look elsewhere.

Best forEmployees who need annual awareness training, and home users who want plain-English habits to avoid phishing.
Skip it ifYou want hands-on technical security labs or a first step toward a security job.

Pros

  • Instructor is described as engaging, concise and passionate, even by a reviewer who knew the material
  • Covers phishing, smishing, vishing, ransomware and business email compromise in short lessons
  • Includes passkeys and 2FA coverage, and was updated in May 2026
  • Fifteen quizzes and downloadable resources back up the lessons

Cons

  • One reviewer found the pace fast, with little time to absorb each point
  • One reviewer was distracted by background clicking noise in some presentations
  • Awareness only, so no hands-on exercises or deep technical detail on how attacks work
Really good stuff. Though familiar material, Reza presents it in such an engaging way.
Nathan Miller, a student

Genuinely beginner. No IT knowledge is needed, and the pitch is non-technical, suited to staff and home users.

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What you will learn

  • You will be trained, on all the ways hackers can socially engineer you, through email, text, calls, browsing, files, mobile phones, connected home devices etc
  • You will know the human emotions that hackers like to trigger, to trick you into giving them access to your money, personal accounts, systems & company network
  • You will stop successful social engineering attacks, by spotting red flags in phishing emails, text messages and phone calls
  • Learn how to securely configure your browser to block malicious scripts, cookies, trackers etc. as well as maintain good privacy/anonymity on the Internet
  • You will be well versed on how to securely use Windows, Apple Macs, iPhones, Androids etc
  • You will be visually guided on how to effectively and efficiently manage all passwords, 2FA & the new Passkeys
  • You will be shown proven and effective cyber security software to keep your systems private and secure
  • You will confidently manage your emails, business files, computers, mobile devices and Internet browsing
  • You will feel safe, secure, and private on the Internet

Course content

23 sections · 52 lectures · 3.3 hours of video 15 quizzes, 17 articles

  1. 1Greetings from your instructor Reza 1 free preview2 lectures · 2 min
  2. 2Practical Training Guide1 lecture
  3. 3How Hard is It To Get Hacked? 1 free preview1 lecture · 3 min
  4. 4Targeted Email Phishing & Social Engineering 2 free previews5 lectures · 1 quiz · 26 min
  5. 5Please Leave a Review and Feedback1 lecture · 1 min
  6. 6Macro Malware2 lectures · 5 min
  7. 7Business Email Compromise 1 free preview1 lecture · 1 quiz · 6 min
  8. 8Smishing2 lectures · 1 quiz · 4 min
  9. 9Vishing 1 free preview2 lectures · 1 quiz · 6 min
  10. 10Ransomware2 lectures · 1 quiz · 5 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • I created this beginners course for employees in a business or corporation, who wants to be trained on how to protect their sensitive customer data and network from hackers
  • This course is ideal for employees that need to be trained as part of annual Cyber Security Awareness Training requirements
  • I also wrote this course for any home computer users who are worried about being socially engineered by hackers for their emails, sensitive files, and passwords
  • Someone who wants to browse the Internet securely and privately, and not be tracked by marketing companies when on the Internet
  • It is PERFECT for complete beginners (with little experience or skills in IT/ Cyber Security), but who want to learn basic cyber security awareness in a non-technical way
  • Someone who doesn’t necessarily WORK as a cyber security professional, but wants to be SKILLED in cyber security awareness
  • However, ANYONE (even people skilled in IT) will benefit from, and enjoy this course!

What you need before you start

  • Be ready to have a good time learning!
  • You do not need ANY PRIOR KNOWLEDGE or experience of Cyber Security to take this course!
  • A keen interest and excitement in protecting yourself, your family and your business from the bad guys

How it compares

Against the other 523 rated Udemy courses in Hacking on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 72% of them
  • Reviews27,119#6 of 524 by number of reviews
  • Length3.2 hoursshorter than 68% of them
  • Last updatedMay 2026more recently than 72% of them

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Course Description

  • Are you worried about hackers social engineering you for your sensitive files, emails, or access to your computer or network? 


  • Are you scared your company passwords will be stolen?

  • Are you anxious about being a victim of identity theft?


  • Do you want to learn cyber security awareness and online self defense to protect yourself?

  • Do you want to be taught in an engaging, memorable  and effective way, how to securely manage all your sensitive emails, files, passwords, mobile phones, and browsing?



  • Do you want to know how, where, and most importantly why you would be targeted?

  • Do you want to feel safe, secure, and private on the Internet?


Then this is the PERFECT course for you!

And you are going to love it.


I designed this '1:M Cyber Security' beginners course for company employees, and home users, looking for engaging, memorable  and effective cyber security awareness training!

This course is designed to teach you the BASICS of cyber security awareness, social engineering, network security and online self defense, even if you have no IT / Cyber Security experience or knowledge.

What makes my course different, is that I speak passionately from the heart, using visuals, humor and storytelling throughout the training, to make it engaging, memorable  and effective! The training is literally 98% real world images and examples!

You will love watching the modules, because the curriculum is comprehensive enough to give you all the information you need to stay safe, secure and private on the Internet, and presented to you in a simple and entertaining way.

And while the content is presented in VERY simple terms, everyone, (even people with IT/Cyber Security skills) could learn from this course, because to be frank, ANYONE can being socially engineered these days (even including experts in the IT industry sometimes).

Furthermore, the entire time I was recording in studio, I kept thinking to myself “how can I make this material really fun and interesting??” I really tried to put myself in the mind of my students, so that I could present the information in a way that you would find interesting and engaging.


What students are saying about this course:


★★★★★  Engaging & interesting!

"This is the greatest Security Awareness training I have ever attended. The presenter made me feel like I was in the room with him. He was extremely personable and knowledgeable."  - Terrie


★★★★★ Great instructing!

I think...one of the best instructors I have found on Udemy. Good tone, easy to follow along. The presentations are visually appealing, superb body language and don't complicate things. Reza knows what he is talking about! - Nicholas


★★★★★  Fantastic course!

"The information presented, is clear, concise. Well thought out. The presenter is very knowledgeable and engaging in his delivery style. First class course." - Shaun


★★★★★

Very good material for beyond just introductory. There are a lot of quizzes which really are well thought out and challenge the thinking and the understanding. A huge amount of additional resources also accompany the material. - Harold


★★★★★  Incredible!

"A cyber security course that is IMMEDIATELY useful, and fun to watch!" - Andrew


★★★★★  Amazing course!

I have learned a lot and specially how to protect myself online. Great speaker with really good and catchy explanations! Recommended 100% - Ana


★★★★★

"Very excellent course. I will keep it close and watch over and over again" - Olukayode


★★★★★  Very relevant!

"I liked that there were screen shots of actual attacks, with the red flags highlighted as its being discussed." - Heather


★★★★★

"Extremely valuable information security course. Everyone should attend!" - Michal


★★★★★

"You do an amazing job of communicating technical content in a non-technical way. A participant could be 8 or 80 and the course material would be understood with your approach" - Richard


★★★★★  Highly recommended!

"A fantastic speaker and compelling material!" - Pedro


★★★★★ "Very informative course"

"Reza's style is very engaging and we also benefit from his decades long experience in the field" - Kaushik


★★★★★

"Brilliant course. Brilliant presenter." - Kevin


★★★★★  Sensational!

Provides very important tips. I recommend that everyone take this course. - Denis


★★★★★ Far more interesting than I expected!

"The instructor's knowledge and engaging manner added a level of entertainment. The flow and consistency made this an excellent training." - Jennifer


★★★★★ This was a great course!

"I learned a lot, was a good pace, excellent presentation by Reza and quizzes helped with enforcing the learning" - Lorraine


★★★★★

"The simplicity with which it is told is amazing "- Radha


★★★★★

"Explanations are crystal clear and concise. Information is presented in such a way that it is easy to remember. Instructor has a lot enthusiasm!" - Chris


★★★★★ Great content!

"A thorough but easy explanation that even someone who isn't tech savvy would understand. Thank you!" - Joseph



SOME BENEFITS OF TAKING MY COURSE:

  • You will receive really engaging, memorable  and effective security awareness training!

  • You won’t spend hours looking at boring PowerPoint slides!

  • I intentionally cut out all the technical jargon, so that you are trained in simple plain English

  • Most of what you will learn can be applied both at home, and at work

  • This course is based on the real world, drawing on my 22 years of experience on the cyber front lines
Read More Beginner Beginner Level product length iconTime: 3.2h

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Instructor Details

Reza Zaheri

I’m Reza Zaheri, a cyber security professional with over 22 years of leadership and hands-on experience working Cyber Security with Fortune 100 companies.

I have lived and breathed cyber security for a very long time: having spent the first few years of my career conducting numerous security assessments and managing a Security Engineering team, I then moved on fight the bad guys on the cyber front lines for over 10 years, by directing Digital Forensics & Incident Response teams for Fortune 100 companies.

I was responsible for incident detection, investigation and digital forensics of all cyber security incidents across the United States, as well as providing digital forensics assistance to Latin American regional offices.

I managed and participated in hundreds of investigations, working with the FBI and DHS at times, and saw first hand how the bad guys were trying to break into our computers, emails, mobile phones and networks.

And it was also during this time, using all the first-hand knowledge I had gained over the years, that I decided to create my very own Enterprise Security Awareness program, whereby I presented the engaging cyber security training either in-person, or via online videos, to 30,000 of my fellow employees across the United States and Latin America.

Read More

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Reviews

4.6

27,119 ratings on Udemy

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By Michael Oluwatomi Efenaro on 8/28/2026

The course is very key to understanding how to navigate safely on the internet. The contents are very clear, and narrative very precise and fits course content. Great job by the presenter.

By James Hall on 8/26/2026

Some of the statements are a bit hyperbolic. There is a bit more involved for complete network access and the ability to laterally traverse it based on his example.

By Tarah Splawn on 7/6/2026

I love how engaging the teacher was and how he made me want to learn. He was easy to understand and the concepts he used were easy to understand.

By Vaishali Salian on 6/17/2026

Amazing explanation that effectively captures the audience’s attention, presenting the flow of the hacking process in a clear and engaging manner. The highlighted red flags provide valuable insight into potential vulnerabilities, enabling proactive measures to mitigate risks before they can impact the system.

By Ome Bosin on 6/2/2026

Its brilliant, highly informative! Love the information about hovering your mouse. Always known about the errors in e-mail as a red flag. Really great session!

By Dan Burke on 4/20/2026

The information presented in this course is well-paced, timely, and easy to understand. Reza Zaheri delivered the lessons in an engaging and conversational manner, while also emphasizing the items that were of the utmost importance. The quizzes were easy, but the information presented in them reemphasized the points in the lectures incredibly well.

By Megan Grosdidier on 3/27/2026

This man had good engagement in his voice and I like that the videos weren't too long because sometimes I have a short attention span.

By Mihai Alexandru Pop on 2/25/2026

Learnt some really valuable information that I didn't already know. Mr. Reza was very pleasant to listen to and he made things quite fun to listen to as well. It was not monotonous and I appreciate all the many resources shared.

By Woodrow Willis on 2/19/2026

Enjoyed the instructors passion and real world examples. More real world examples and deeper dives into how they function is only thing I would add.

By Alina Tudorache on 1/29/2026

Thank you, Reza, for the most refreshing and high-energy course on security. So far, I have taken several other IT security courses and, even though they have been informative, they have also been rather dull or sleep-inducing. None of them were quite as entertaining, catchy and fun as yours! Thanks for those trick questions in your quizzes (hehe) and for the cutest mouse hovering there is! And, remember, click and it's game over :)

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Overall Score : 92 / 100

The Beginners 2026 Cyber Security Awareness Training Course
Visit course on Udemy Write a review
  • Video Duration: icon 3.2h
  • Price: $139.99
  • Provider: icon Udemy
  • Updated: icon May 2026
  • Level: Beginner Beginner
  • Language: icon English
  • Certificate: icon Yes
  • Lectures:52 in 23 sections
  • Practice:15 quizzes
  • Students:54,200
  • Subtitles:11 languages
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