Cybersecurity and the X-Factor

Cybersecurity and the X-Factor

This course is part of Cybersecurity: Developing a Program for Your Business Specialization

Dr. Humayun Zafar, CEH, CISM, CRISC, PCIP

Herbert J. Mattord, Ph.D., CISM, CISSP, CDP

Instructors: Dr. Humayun Zafar, CEH, CISM, CRISC, PCIP

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19,039 already enrolled

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

260 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

94%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

260 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

94%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

7 assignments¹

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Taught in English

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This course is part of the Cybersecurity: Developing a Program for Your Business Specialization

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There are 4 modules in this course

What is the X-Factor? In Cybersecurity, the X-Factor related to unknown and unpredictable human behavior within and outside of your organization. “No one really knows why humans do what they do”, (David K. Reynolds), and because of this organizations can be unprepared for malicious, untrained, or even best intentioned behavior that can cause alarm and sometimes irreparable harm.

This course will introduce you to the types of training available to reduce the impact of the X-Factor, evaluate its effectiveness, explore the Security Education, Training and Awareness (SETA) program, and learn why it may fail. The course will conclude with information designed to assist you with some critical components for your business security program. Activities focused on hactivism, cyberinsurance, and ransomware will round out your knowledge base. Your team of instructors has prepared a series of readings, discussions, guest lectures, and quizzes to engage you in this exciting topic.

The X-factor within information security is human behavior within and outside your organization. Our introduction includes an overview of information security management and its goals as well as describing the problem created by non-malicious insider behavior. We include discussion about the purpose of training within organizational cybersecurity efforts and whether it is achieving its purpose.

What's included

4 videos6 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videos Total 16 minutes

Course Overview video 1 minute
Security and Employee Compliance 4 minutes
Industry Q&A: Security and End Users 2 minutes
Pulling it together 8 minutes

6 readings Total 81 minutes

Learning Objectives 1 minute
MISQ Executive: Information Security Management Overview 45 minutes
Phishing Attacks Hurt Convenience Of Online Banking In The Workplace 10 minutes
3 things every CISO should know 10 minutes
Shadow IT: Mitigating Security Risks 10 minutes
Get help and meet other learners in this course. Join your discussion forums! 5 minutes

1 assignment Total 10 minutes

Introduction to the X-Factor Quiz 10 minutes

1 peer review Total 45 minutes

The role of security professionals 45 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Your own compliance behavior 10 minutes

Within this topic we will discuss traditional training efforts. Security education, training and awareness (SETA) programs are designed to reduce the incidence of accidental security breaches. Through the readings you will learn about the design and delivery of these programs as well as various training techniques. This module concludes with a discussion about your experience and opinion about organizational security training.

What's included

4 videos4 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

4 videos Total 17 minutes

Introduction to SETA and training 6 minutes
Industry Q&A: SETA in Real Life 3 minutes
Industry Q&A: Customers and Security Training 3 minutes
Pulling it together 5 minutes

4 readings Total 61 minutes

Learning Objectives 1 minute
Security Education, Training and Awareness 20 minutes
Training 20 minutes
Making Security Awareness Work 20 minutes

2 assignments Total 40 minutes

SETA Practice Quiz 30 minutes
Security Education: Training and Awareness Quiz 10 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 30 minutes

Recent training experience 30 minutes

In this module you will understand why traditional training efforts through SETA programs may fail. You will learn about human behavior and how understanding it can help managers better leverage their security efforts. Finally, through the readings you will also see that this is a global issue. The readings present examples of existing awareness campaigns in U.K., in Australia, in Canada and Africa.

What's included

4 videos5 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videos Total 15 minutes

Overview: Habits and Vulnerabilities 3 minutes
Employee Habits, Errors, and Security Breaches 4 minutes
Habituation: What is it? 6 minutes
Pulling it together 3 minutes

5 readings Total 146 minutes

Learning Objectives 1 minute
Why Do Cybersecurity Awareness Campaigns Fail? 50 minutes
The Impact of Past Behavior 45 minutes
How Does Behavior Become Habitual? 20 minutes
Global Threat Report 30 minutes

2 assignments Total 60 minutes

Why Do Cybersecurity Awareness Campaigns Fail Quiz 30 minutes
Test Your Knowledge! 30 minutes

1 peer review Total 30 minutes

Habits and Training Programs 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Automated Behavior 10 minutes

We will conclude by identifying some novel problems and practices that organizations are experiencing. You will learn about hactivism, cyberinsurance, and ransomware through popular press readings about recent security problems that landed companies on the front page.

What's included

3 videos6 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

3 videos Total 14 minutes

Threat Intelligence: Planning for attacks 5 minutes
Industry Q&A: Threat Intelligence 3 minutes
Pulling it together 6 minutes

6 readings Total 81 minutes

Learning Objectives 1 minute
What is threat intelligence? 20 minutes
Rise of Hacktivism 20 minutes
Cyber Insurance 15 minutes
Protecting yourself from Ransomware 10 minutes
Ransomware 15 minutes

2 assignments Total 60 minutes

Practice quiz: Test your threat intelligence! 30 minutes
Test your knowledge of threat intelligence 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 15 minutes

Identify a potential threat 15 minutes

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Instructors

Instructor ratings

(45 ratings)

Dr. Humayun Zafar, CEH, CISM, CRISC, PCIP

Kennesaw State University

5 Courses 273,482 learners

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Kennesaw State University

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Reviewed on Jul 3, 2020

Very much organised course.So much things get to know.

Reviewed on Apr 3, 2020

This was a pretty challenging course. The sections on theories of human behavior were a bit deep but they did help me to understand how human behavior is so important improving cyber security.

Reviewed on Oct 19, 2020

It is a very enriched course with a lot of information on cyber security.

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