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15 Best Information Security Courses for Beginners

We compared 15 Information Security courses currently listed on Coursera, Udemy and edX, priced from $19.99 to $536.40. 7 come from a named university or institution, including University of Colorado System, University of Leeds and University of California, Irvine. They are ordered by our CourseAsk score, which is built from how thoroughly each course describes what it teaches, whether it comes from a named institution, and how it compares on price — not from star ratings, which our course data does not include.

Courses compared
15
Price range
$19.99 – $536.40
Providers
Coursera, Udemy, edX
Last updated
18 Sep 2026
How these 15 courses were chosen

Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, Udemy, edX, matched to "information security" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.

The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.

There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $19.99 to $536.40, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.

  1. 1
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Information Security Fundamentals

    Offered by EC-Council

    The Information Security Fundamentals course provides a comprehensive introduction to the essential concepts and practices of information security. Learners will understand the importance of information security for the...

    $49.00
    listed price
  2. 2
    Udemy Certificate Grade C

    ISO 27002:2022 - Information Security Controls for Beginners

    Disclosure: This course contains the use of artificial intelligence.ISO 27002:2022 is one of the world's most recognized information security standards for implementing information security controls, cybersecurity practi...

    $109.99
    listed price
  3. 3
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade A University-backed

    Introduction to Applied Cryptography

    Offered by University of Colorado System

    Cryptography is an essential component of cybersecurity. The need to protect sensitive information and ensure the integrity of industrial control processes has placed a premium on cybersecurity skills in today’s informat...

    $49.00
    listed price
  4. 4
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade A University-backed

    An Introduction to Cryptography

    Offered by University of Leeds

    Cryptography is an essential part of secure but accessible communication that's critical for our everyday life and organisations use it to protect their privacy and keep their conversations and data confidential. This co...

    $49.00
    listed price
  5. 5
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade A University-backed

    Introduction to Cybersecurity for Business

    Offered by University of Colorado System

    The world runs computers. From small to large businesses, from the CEO down to level 1 support staff, everyone uses computers. This course is designed to give you a practical perspective on computer security. This course...

    $79.00
    listed price
  6. 6
    Coursera Certificate Grade B University-backed

    Introduction to Cybersecurity & Risk Management

    Offered by University of California, Irvine

    In this case-based Specialization, you will be introduced to the field of cybersecurity through the world of security governance and risk management. Throughout this program, you will practice applying foundational conce...

    $49.00
    listed price
  7. 7
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B University-backed

    Introduction to Ethical Hacking

    Offered by Johns Hopkins University

    This Specialization is designed for post-graduate students aiming to develop ethical hacking skills. Through three comprehensive courses, you will explore methodologies, penetration testing techniques, and the MITRE ATT&...

    $49.00
    listed price
  8. 8
    edX MOOC / Non-credit Grade B University-backed

    Introduction to Software Side Channels and Mitigations

    Offered by Graz University of Technology

    Side channels exist in the real world, but they also exist in computers and can be exploited directly from software. This is a substantial computer security problem today, that we need to learn about to be able to stop a...

    $129.00
    listed price
  9. 9
    edX MOOC / Non-credit Grade B University-backed

    Cybersecurity Fundamentals

    Offered by Rochester Institute of Technology

    Learn cybersecurity fundamentals, including how to detect threats, protect systems and networks, and anticipate potential cyber attacks.

    $399.00
    listed price
  10. 10
    Udemy Certificate Grade B

    Cybersecurity Fundamentals - 6 ISACA Style Exams

    This practice test bundle contains multiple full-length practice exams for the ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate (Cybersecurity Fundamentals) exam. Each exam is built from a pool of original questions, weighte...

    $29.99
    listed price
  11. 11
    Udemy Certificate Grade B Lowest price here

    ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals: Complete Training Course

    Cybersecurity is essential for every organization in today’s digital age. The ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate provides a strong foundation in cybersecurity principles, equipping you with the knowledge and sk...

    $19.99
    listed price
  12. 12
    Udemy Certificate Grade B

    ISO 27701—Privacy Information Management System for Beginner

    Disclosure: This course contains the use of artificial intelligenceAre you looking to understand ISO, ISO 27701, Privacy Information Management System implementation, compliance, audit practices, and international privac...

    $109.99
    listed price
  13. 13
    Udemy Certificate Grade B

    IT Networking Fundamentals: Be a Computer Networking Expert

    Explore the Essentials of Computer Networking: Your Pathway to Digital ConnectivityGreetings, Viewers/Readers!Updated as of 2025Your search for an entry-level exploration into Computer Networking concludes here!Course Hi...

    $99.99
    listed price
  14. 14
    Udemy Bootcamp Grade B

    Metasploit from Scratch: Beginner to Professional

    Metasploit from Scratch: Beginner to Professional - Master Penetration Testing and Exploitation Techniques" is a comprehensive course designed to take you from the basics of the Metasploit framework to advanced exploitat...

    $24.99
    listed price
  15. 15
    edX MOOC / Non-credit Grade C University-backed

    IBM Cybersecurity Fundamentals

    Offered by IBM

    The IBM Cybersecurity Fundamentals course provides an essential introduction to cybersecurity concepts and practices. It covers key areas such as threat assessment, data protection, and network security, equipping you wi...

    $536.40
    listed price

Best Information Security Courses for Beginners compared

# Course Provider Offered by Price
1 Information Security Fundamentals Coursera EC-Council $49.00 View →
2 ISO 27002:2022 - Information Security Controls for Beginners Udemy $109.99 View →
3 Introduction to Applied Cryptography Coursera University of Colorado System $49.00 View →
4 An Introduction to Cryptography Coursera University of Leeds $49.00 View →
5 Introduction to Cybersecurity for Business Coursera University of Colorado System $79.00 View →
6 Introduction to Cybersecurity & Risk Management Coursera University of California, Irvine $49.00 View →
7 Introduction to Ethical Hacking Coursera Johns Hopkins University $49.00 View →
8 Introduction to Software Side Channels and Mitigations edX Graz University of Technology $129.00 View →
9 Cybersecurity Fundamentals edX Rochester Institute of Technology $399.00 View →
10 Cybersecurity Fundamentals - 6 ISACA Style Exams Udemy $29.99 View →
11 ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals: Complete Training Course Udemy $19.99 View →
12 ISO 27701—Privacy Information Management System for Beginner Udemy $109.99 View →
13 IT Networking Fundamentals: Be a Computer Networking Expert Udemy $99.99 View →
14 Metasploit from Scratch: Beginner to Professional Udemy $24.99 View →
15 IBM Cybersecurity Fundamentals edX IBM $536.40 View →

Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.

What the prices here tell you

The 15 priced courses on this page run from $19.99 to $536.40, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $516.41. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.

Who is behind these courses

These courses come from Coursera, Udemy and edX. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 7 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of Colorado System, University of Leeds and University of California, Irvine — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.

Before you enrol

Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 18 September 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.

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