Google Cyber Security Certificate Review

Recently I was looking for cybersecurity certifications to demonstrate my skills. But as you can guess, certifications are not cheap. I found that Google has “Cyber Security Professional Certificate” on Coursera and it’s only $39 for a month. The estimated time to finish is 6 months on the program’s page. So it’s $234 but I searched a bit on Reddit and a lot of people were saying it’s less than 6 months to complete the course. I thought I could finish it in 1 or 2 months because I knew some basic skills needed for cybersecurity like basic networking skills, Linux, SQL, and Python. Also, I was able to hack the CTFs on TryHackMe.

Let’s take a look at how this certificate program was prepared:

Section 1: Foundations of Cybersecurity

I started by taking the first section of the program “Foundations of Cybersecurity”. As it sounds this section was dedicated to explain basics like CIA Triad, popular attacks, tools that a cybersecurity analyst uses daily. And, I finished it in 2 hours. I finished it in 2 hours, which was quite sufficient for those who are new to this and have never heard any terms of cybersecurity.

Section 2: Play It Safe: Manage Security Risks

In this section we dive into the more defensive side and learn CISSP’s 8 domains. After that, the instructor explains what threat, risk, and vulnerability are. Then we start learning brief knowledge about what a framework is, what a SIEM tool is, and how an organization responds to an attack. It provides a brief explanation of each term and helps to understand these topics.

Section 3: Networks and Network Security

We start learning about what a network is, what an IP is, common network tools, and components. Then, we are introduced to the TCP/IP and OSI models. We start learning about common network attacks like DoS, DDoS, and IP spoofing, among others. After learning about these common attacks, we delve into topics such as firewalls, proxy servers, and finally, how to harden the networks for security.

Section 4: Tools of the Trade: Linux and SQL

Now we dive into operating systems, understanding what an OS is and how it communicates with hardware. Then, we will be introduced to Linux, exploring its distributions and basic commands like “cd,” “ls,” “mv,” “touch,” and more. After that, we will focus on databases, understanding what a database is and how to query and filter it using SQL. Throughout this section, there are labs where we can try to practice what we’ve learned, such as Linux commands and SQL queries.

Section 5: Assets, Threats and Vulnerabilities

We will cover similar topics in the second section, but it will dive deeper into concepts like what constitutes an asset, security plans, the NIST Cybersecurity framework, the OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, and social engineering attacks. This section is more theoretical and aims to provide a deeper understanding of the defensive aspects of cybersecurity.

Section 6: Sound the Alarm: Detection and Response

In this section, we will learn how to respond to threats using SIEM tools, handbooks, and other resources. We will also explore how to capture and analyze packets using tools like tcpdump and Wireshark. Additionally, we will learn how to analyze logs using SIEM tools such as Splunk and Chronicle. This section includes practical labs where you can gain hands-on experience using these tools.

Section 7: Automate Cybersecurity Tasks with Python

We will be introduced to Python in this section. First, we will examine why Python is used in cybersecurity and create our first script. We will explore programming basics such as data types, variables, functions, and more.

Section 8: Put It to Work: Prepare for Cyber Security Jobs

In the last section of the course, we will prepare for interviews using methods like the STAR method. Additionally, we will learn how to engage with cybersecurity professionals or communities, both locally and on social media platforms.

Overall

The certificate program is well-suited for individuals who have never heard anything about cybersecurity before. Each section is divided into 4 weeks, with each week dedicated to a particular topic related to that section. Typically, each week starts with a video providing a brief overview of the topic. Following the video, there is an article that offers more in-depth information about the subject. The program provides an estimated reading time for each article, but in practice, it often takes less time than indicated. For instance, most articles can be completed in 5–10 minutes, even though they are estimated to take 30 minutes.

If you think about pursuing the CompTIA Security+ certification, completing this course will grant you a 30% discount for Security+, which is a great benefit!

In every section, a Google employee shares their own story of how they started in cybersecurity. I think this is a great aspect of the program because these employees emphasize that no matter which background you come from, it brings valuable skills and perspectives to the cybersecurity field.

One aspect I found lacking in the course is the limited number of labs. Some sections only have 3–4 labs, which I believe is insufficient. Even when labs are provided, they often lack challenges. I understand that this course is designed to be accessible to individuals with no prior knowledge, but I was hoping for more challenging labs that would require problem-solving skills. On a positive note, I appreciate the inclusion of activities such as report writing and documentation creation.

As I mentioned earlier, I had some prior experience with the basics. I completed the entire program, dedicating 4–6 hours per day for 2 weeks, and paid $39 for the certificate. After completing this program, I asked myself this question: Would I buy this certificate program again? The answer is “NO” because I had expected more hands-on experience rather than primarily theoretical information. Instead of purchasing this program again, I would choose to invest my money in HackTheBox Academy, which offers a variety of role paths such as “SOC Analyst” or “Penetration Tester.” Their monthly Gold subscription costs $38 and provides a wealth of hands-on experience, which I believe is the most effective way to learn.