Learners completing “Defend Against AI-Driven Phishing and Social Engineering” will master the skills needed to recognize, defend against, and simulate cutting-edge phishing campaigns powered by generative AI. By the end of the course, learners will: identify advanced features of AI-generated phishing emails; interpret attacker tactics and persuasive language; generate and test realistic scenarios using tools like SniperPhish and PentestGPT; and track engagement to discover vulnerabilities. Unique to this course is its hands-on, tool-focused approach, equipping entry-level cybersecurity professionals, technical support staff, and aspiring penetration testers with practical labs, real-world simulation, and instant feedback—requiring no prior AI or ML experience. Learners will benefit by acquiring the same skills employers expect for live engagements, bridging the gap between theory and automation, and preparing to address rapidly evolving, compliance-focused threats in diverse business environments.



Defending Against AI-Driven Phishing and Social Engineering
This course is part of Generative AI for Cybersecurity Specialization


Instructors: Rick Bodnar
Access provided by Arab Open University
Recommended experience
Skills you'll gain
Details to know

Add to your LinkedIn profile
October 2025
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Build your subject-matter expertise
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 3 modules in this course
Get ready to master practical phishing and social engineering strategies empowered by generative AI. This module delivers essential, actionable skills for identifying and both defending against—and crafting—sophisticated attacks. Through immersive labs, real-world tools, and hands-on exercises, learners will quickly understand how attackers leverage AI for automation and persuasion, while also building the competencies employers expect in active engagements. By focusing on practical techniques over dense theory, participants will recognize, analyze, and simulate cutting-edge threats with clarity and speed—even with limited prior experience.
What's included
9 videos2 readings3 assignments3 plugins
Unlock the hidden insights in network traffic with practical machine learning tools—no prior experience required. This module guides learners step by step through using isolation forests, a powerful and industry-standard ML model, to detect anomalies in real-world network scans. With hands-on scripts, simple explanations, and instant visual feedback, professionals gain the skills to spot unusual patterns and support rapid security investigations. By completing this module, even those new to machine learning will be able to apply these techniques confidently and begin transforming raw data into actionable intelligence.
What's included
6 videos3 readings2 assignments2 plugins
Feeling overwhelmed by noisy, complex network data? This module empowers professionals to segment, visualize, and interpret traffic using powerful AI-driven clustering techniques. Through hands-on scripts and guided workflows, learners will discover how clustering uncovers stealthy threats, isolates rogue devices, and highlights misconfigurations. From choosing the right clustering method to mastering visualization, participants gain immediately actionable skills. Even those skeptical or new to AI will quickly see how these tools transform chaos into clear, actionable intelligence—boosting confidence and delivering real-world results.
What's included
7 videos2 readings2 assignments2 plugins
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Offered by
Why people choose Coursera for their career




Explore more from Information Technology
¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.




