Cybersecurity learning materials:

Free recommended Cybersecurity related learning materials:

Educator: Kaled Aljebur

Email: kaled.aljebur@ you should know my email :)

Email me or follow the links on which courses you prefer.

Please let me know if there is any broken link :)

TAFE Queensland South West Cisco Academy:

Academy URL: https://www.netacad.com/portal/academy/55221
Note: the above link may not work due to the expected Netacad Convergence update.
You Can find our academy if you search TAFE Queensland South West in the field By Name in Cisco Academy Locator.

1. IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software.
2. NDG Linux Essentials.
3. JavaScript Essentials.
4. CPA - Programming Essentials in C++.
5. CPP - Advanced Programming in C++.
6. PCAP - Programming Essentials in Python.
7. DevNet Associate Networking Essentials.
8. Cybersecurity Essentials.
9. CyberOps Associate.
10. CCNAv7: Introduction to Networks.
11. CCNAv7: Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials.
12. CCNAv7: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation.
13. Cloud Security.
14. CCNA Security/ Network Security.

Cisco Skills for All Academy:

1. Networking Essentials.
2. Endpoint Security.
3. Cyber Threat Management.
4. Network Defense.
5. Ethical Hacker.
6. Python Essentials 1.
7. Python Essentials 2.

Palo Alto Networks Academy:

1. Network Security Fundamentals.
2. Cloud Security Fundamentals.
3. Firewall 10.1 Essentials: Configuration & Management (EDU-210).
4. Optimizing Firewall Threat Prevention (EDU-114).

AWS Academy:

1. AWS Academy Cloud Foundations.
2. AWS Academy Cloud Architecting.
3. AWS Academy Cloud Security Foundations.

The following materials are not managed by our academies:

Free learning resources:

1. Microsoft:
   • Azure and other learning paths.
   • Windows security documentation .
   • Microsoft Sentinel intro.
   • Microsoft Sentinel learning path .
2. Try Hack Me - Learning Paths.
3. Splunk Free Training.
   • Splunk BOTS (CTF activities).
4. picoCTF.
5. pwnable.kr CTF.
6. VMware.
7. Qualys.
8. Clark Center fo Cybersecurity resources.
9. API Security University.
10. EC-Council.
11. Ethical Hacking Ebook1.
12. Ethical Hacking Ebook2.
13. Linux Professional Institute.
    • Linux Essentials.
    • Web Devlopment Essentials.
    • Open Source Essentials.
    • Security Essentials.
14. Linux Tutorial.
15. Services in Ubuntu Server.
16. The Art of Hacking.
    • Awesome Bugbounty Tools.
17. Alison courses.
18. Graylog Academy.
19. SolarWinds Academy.
20. Linux From Scratch, how to build your Linux Distro.
21. Kusto Query Language (KQL) help.
    • Kusto Query Language (KQL) learning path.
    • Kusto Detective Agency, rookie!.
22. Learning Malware Analysis.
23. Developer Roadmaps.

Penetration Testing labs and velnerable systems:

1. Vulnerability & Exploit Database.
2. PentestGround.
3. Damn Vulnerable Web Application (DVWA).
4. PortSwigger Web Security Academy.
5. WebSploit Labs.
6. OWASP Juice Shop documentation.
   • OWASP Juice Shop demo site or other demo site.
   • OWASP Juice Shop online guide book.
   • OWASP Juice Shop tutorials (PDFs included) in GitHub.
7. PentesterLab free Exercises. (Unselect Pro in the filter if needed)
   • Web for Pentester I.
   • Web for Pentester II.
8. Blue Cape Security.
9. Security Blue Team.
10. Blue Team Labs.

Regulations, Standards, and Guides:

1. HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
2. GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation.
3. NIST - National Institute of Standards and Technology:
   • SCAP - Security Content Automation Protocol
     • STIGs - implementation of SCAP 1.2 and 1.3.
     • OpenScap - implementation of SCAP 1.2.
   • NIST SP 800-63 Digital Identity Guidelines.
   • NIST SP 800-53 - Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations.
   • CSF - Cybersecurity Framework
   • Privacy Framework.
   • Risk Management Framework .
   • Guide to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security.
   • Cryptographic Standards and Guidelines.
   • Recommendation for Key Management.
4. STIGs - Security Technical Implementation Guides.
5. CIS - Center for Internet Security:
   • CIS Critical Security Controls.
   • CIS Bunchmarks.
6. HIPAA Australia: The Privacy Act 1988.
7. Australian Cyber Security Centre:
   • Hardening Microsoft Windows 10 and Windows 11 Workstations.
   • Cyber Security Guidelines.
   • Essential Eight.
   • Information Security Manual (ISM).
   • Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents - Mitigation Details.
   • Incident response - Guides.
   • Cyber Incident Response Plan - Template.
   • Secure-by-Design.
   • Cloud security guidance.
8. OWASP Mobile Application Security.

Tools:

1. SnortIDS manual:
   • SnortIDS 3.
   • SnortIDS 2.9.16.
2. Wazuh SIEM:
   • Wazuh Virtual Machine (OVA).
   • Wazuh documentation.
3. SANS resources.:
   • SANS Faculty Free Tools full list.
   • SANS Faculty Free Tools search directory.
   • SANS Security Policy Templates.
   • SANS Security Presentations.
4. SolarWinds NPM and other tools.
5. Zabbix Network Monitoring Solution:
   • Documentation.
   • Virtual Machine Appliance.
6. OSSEC Host Intrusion Detection System.
7. JavaScript/CSS quick test tool.
8. Velociraptor - digital forensic and incident response tool.
9. Bitnami Application Catalog.
10. Cisco Free Open Source Security Tools.
11. CyberChef.
    • CyberChef Github repository.

Programming and scripting:

1. Python Courses.
2. Intro to Object Oriented Programming - Python.
3. Web:
   • HTML+CSS.
   • JavaScript.
   • TypeScript Intro, TypeScript Tutorial.
   • ReactJS for websites:
     • ReactJS Tutorial1.
     • ReactJS Tutorial2.
     • ReactJS Tutorial3.
     • Fullstack quick project: ReactJS (not native) frontend with PHP backend (CRUD).
   • React Native for mobile apps:
     • Getting Started.
     • React Native Tutorial1.
     • React Native Tutorial2.
   • PHP, PHP Tutorial.
   • Django Tutorial and Documentation.
   • Django Tutorial.
   • Django REST Framework.
   • Django REST API Backend CRUD.
   • Django REST API Backend CRUD - QuickStart.
4. Windows OS Scripting:
   • PowerShell Intro.
   • PowerShell Scripting.
   • PowerShell Tutorial.
5. Unix OS Scripting:
   • Bash Scripting.
   • Shell Scripting.
6. Assembly Language and Reverse Engineering:
   • Assembly Language Tutorial.
   • Reverse Engineering For Everyone!.
7. Mobile Apps:
   • Swift, Swift Doc for Apple Devices.
   • Android.
   • Kotlin, Kotlin Tutorial for Android devices.

AI - Artificial Intelligence:

1. Microsoft Artificial Intelligence resources.
2. Secure AI guide from Australian Cyber Security Centre.
3. Artificial Intelligence Tutorial.
4. Machine Learning Intro.
5. Intro to Machine Learning with Python.

Cryptography:

1. Understanding Cryptography.
2. Introduction to Cryptography.

Blockchain:

1. Blockchain Tutorial - Python examples.
2. Blockchain Tutorial for Beginners to Advanced Level.

Quantum Cryptography:

1. Quantum Cryptography Intro.
2. Role of Python in Quantum Computing.
3. Quantum Cryptography Tutorial.
4. Practical Introduction to Quantum-Safe Cryptography - Python codes from IBM.
5. A Tutorial on Quantum Key Distribution .
6. NIST Post-Quantum Encryption Standards.
7. Programming Quantum Computers: A Primer with IBM Q and D-Wave Exercises.
8. Quantum Toolbox in Python from QuTiP.

Required OS and the related applications:

1. VMware Workstation Pro.
   • It is better to remove Microsoft Hyper-V:
     • From Windows Features, remove the following then restart:
       • Device Guard / Credential Guard.
       • Hyper-V.
       • Virtual Machine Platform.
       • Windows Hypervisor Platform.
       • Windows Sandbox.
     • In admin CMD, apply bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off.
2. Kali:
   • Kali24.3 VMware VM, Offensive Security.
   • Kali24.3 ISO, Offensive Security.
   • Kali24.3 Live, Offensive Security.
   • Kali24.3a Purple ISO, Defensive Security.
   • Kali Purple Documentation.
3. Metasploitable 2.
4. Xubuntu.
5. Reverse Engineering:
   • REMnux: A Linux Toolkit for Malware Analysis, Ubuntu Based Linux VM.
   • FLARE-VM, Tools for Windows OS.
6. CAINE Computer Aided Investigative Environment, for Digital Forensics.
7. Debian Linux Distro.
8. LinuxMint22 Xfce ISO.
9. Ubuntu Server ISO.
10. Hiren's BootCD PE, Windows live ISO for PC Maintenance.
11. pfSense ISO.
12. IPFire.
13. Windows Server 2025 ISO.
14. Windows Server 2019 Essentials ISO.
15. Windows Server 2012 R2 ISO.
16. Windows 11 Enterprise ISO.
    • For offline installation (if needed):
      • Make sure the VM is not connected to the Internet, like connecting to vmnet1.
      • During the installation, connection type step, use Shift+F10 if no I don't have Internet option.
      • Type oobe\bypassnro in the open cmd window.
        • Notice that bypassnro is located in C:\Windows\System32\oobe\BypassNRO.cmd
      • Hit Enter and the VM will restart.
      • After restart, you will see the option I don't have Internet which was missing before in the connection step.
    • To stop auto shutdown after the installation:
      • In the virtual machine, download and extract PsExec.
      • Run CMD as administrator and change the directoty to the extracted folder, like cd C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads\PSTools.
      • Use this command in the administrator CMD window psexec -i -s cmd.exe.
      • In the new CMD window, type services.msc.
      • In the services window, disable Windows License Monitoring Service, then restart the machine.
        • You may dsiable Windows Update as well because any update will enable the auto shutdown.
    • To re-new the evaluation period:
      • Run CMD as administrator and and use slmgr -dli or slmgr -dlv to check the available licence.
      • In the administrator CMD, use slmgr -rearm then restart twice.
      • Check the license again.
17. Windows 10 Enterprise ISO.
18. Windows Applications:
    • Sysinternals Suite.
    • Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit.
    • Notepad++.
    • 7-Zip.
    • PuTTY Terminal Emulator.
    • VSCode - Visual Studio Code.
    • Python Interpreter.

Class supporting tools:

1. Draw.io.
2. Miro.
3. Figma.
4. UML.