The 7 best Network Security courses in 2026

Updated in May 2025. This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course. This course provides essential skills in network security, troubleshooting, and preparation for certification exams. You will gain a deep understanding of core networking services, security practices, common network attacks, and effective defense strategies. By the end, you'll be well-prepared to handle network issues and ensure secure operat

To round out your skills in network administration, in this course, you'll explore network-security fundamentals like passwords, Layer 2 security, wireless security, and remote-access security. You'll also be introduced to automation and programmability as it pertains to making network administration more efficient and effective. Finally, you'll engage in troubleshooting for each of the prior areas of concern, ensuring that you can adequately address any networking problems that might arise. This is the third and final course in a multi-course Specialization. All of the courses in this Speci

In this 1-hour long project-based course, you will create a network topology using cisco packet tracer. Throughout the project, you will be able to authenticate the switches and the router in your the network topology, make PCs from different VLANs communicate with each other, and Finally configure DHCP protocol on the router and be able to protect your switch ports from attackers. This guided project is for people who are interested in getting started in the network security field and for the people interested in computer networking architecture. This guided project will enhance your skills

The Network Defense Essentials (NDE) : Hands-On Edition course focuses on network security and defense strategies. Learners will understand the fundamentals of network security and its importance, comprehend the essentials of network security, and apply Information Assurance (IA) principles including confidentiality, availability, integrity, non-repudiation, and authentication. The course covers various network defense approaches, network security controls, and essential network security protocols. By the end of this course, learners will be able to implement network security controls, dis

As Bitcoin adoption continues expanding, transaction integrity and decentralized network reliability are becoming increasingly important across cryptocurrency environments. Organizations and individuals are paying closer attention to transaction validation, node operations, and cyber resilience practices that support trusted blockchain ecosystems. This Bitcoin Transaction & Network Security course is designed for professionals, learners, digital finance enthusiasts, and technology-focused individuals seeking practical awareness of transaction structures and blockchain network operations. The

Learn three of the most in-demand skills in modern Linux administration: service management, containers, and security hardening. Through the industry-proven lens of the CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-006) exam, you'll manage services and system state with systemd, including unit files and systemctl, and deploy and manage containers with Docker and Podman, including images, volumes, and networking. You'll implement discretionary and mandatory access controls, configure firewalls with firewalld and iptables, apply SELinux or AppArmor policies, secure remote access, and review logs with journalctl and audit

Job-ready cybersecurity path: security frameworks, SIEM tools, Linux, SQL, and Python for security.