15 Best Network Security Courses for Beginners
We compared 15 Network Security courses currently listed on Coursera and Udemy, priced from $19.99 to $79.00. 3 come from a named university or institution, including University of Colorado System, IBM and Johns Hopkins University. 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 – $79.00
- Providers
- Coursera, Udemy
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 15 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, Udemy, matched to "network 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 $79.00, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Fundamentals of Computer Network Security
Offered by University of Colorado System
This specialization in intended for IT professionals, computer programmers, managers, IT security professionals who like to move up ladder, who are seeking to develop network system security skills. Through four courses,...
$49.00listed price -
2
Fundamentals of Network Security and Cryptography
Offered by Packt
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 yo...
$49.00listed price -
3
Palo Alto Networks Network Security Fundamentals
Offered by Palo Alto Networks
In the Palo Alto Networks Network Security Fundamentals course, you'll explore the essential principles of network security and learn how to maintain a secure computing environment. By the end, you'll have a solid unders...
$49.00listed price -
4
Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Offered by IBM
Vigilance against cyberthreats and attacks becomes increasingly important year over year as we continue to accelerate the amount of sensitive information in digital, web-accessible formats. Do you want to arm yourself wi...
$49.00listed price -
5
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...
$79.00listed price -
6
An Introduction to Ethical Hacking with Kali Linux
Offered by Packt
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 th...
$49.00listed price -
7
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&...
$49.00listed price -
8
Introduction to Data Networks and the Internet - Bachelor's
Offered by Illinois Tech
This course covers current and evolving data network technologies, protocols, network components, and the networks that use them, focusing on communication to and from the Internet and Local area networks. Course content...
$49.00listed price -
9
IT Fundamentals for Cybersecurity
Offered by IBM
There are a growing number of exciting, well-paying jobs in today’s security industry that do not require a traditional college degree. Forbes estimates that there will be as many as 3.5 million unfilled positions in the...
$49.00listed price -
10
Introduction to Networking and Cloud Computing
Offered by Microsoft
This course forms part of a series of courses that offers a good starting point for a career in cybersecurity. It will help you gain knowledge and skills related to networking and cloud computing and get you one step clo...
$49.00listed price -
11
Cisco Solutions and Networking Fundamentals
Offered by Packt
This specialization covers the full spectrum of networking concepts, from the foundational elements of network management and Cisco device configuration to advanced network security and automation techniques. The first c...
$49.00listed price -
12
The Complete Ethical Hacking Bootcamp: Beginner To Advanced
Offered by Packt
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 yo...
$49.00listed price -
13
CCNA 1 V7.1 Cisco Introduction to Networks demo tests
Exam Content:-The Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA) v1.0 course gives you a broad range of fundamental knowledge for all IT careers. You will learn how to install, operate, configure, and verify basic...
$19.99listed price -
14
Cisco Cybersecurity Fundamentals (200-201 CCNACBR) v1.2
Cisco Cybersecurity Fundamentals (200-201 CCNACBR) v1.2 – Full Practice Exams (by NextGen LabWorks)This course from NextGen LabWorks includes a full set of practice exams to help you prepare for Cisco Cybersecurity Funda...
$19.99listed price -
15
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...
$29.99listed price
Best Network Security Courses for Beginners compared
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 $79.00, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $59.01. The options are closely priced, so cost is unlikely to be your deciding factor. 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 and Udemy. 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. 3 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of Colorado System, IBM and Johns Hopkins University — 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.