Internet Security for Beginners (openHPI)

Why is the Internet insecure by nature of its design? What are the weak spots of the Internet and how are they exploited by cybercriminals? We want to answer these questions and a lot more in this course. Additionally, we will advise you on how to protect yourself from such cyberattacks.

Course contents

Week 1:
We will explain the basic terms vulnerability, attack, and incident in the first week. Furthermore, we will elaborate on attackers, their motives and their origins.
Week 2:
In week 2, we will explain the idea and the concept of digital Identities and passwords. We will discuss the digital footprint, the feasibility to (easily) crack passwords and guidelines to chose a secure password.
Week 3:
In this week we will discuss several issues about malware. We will cover different types, such as, viruses, worms, and trojans, talk about botnets and mention some countermeasures.
Week 4:
In week 4, we will talk about dangers and risks that arise through the usage of open routes in the Internet. Therefore, we will discuss how attacks can capture messages and eavesdrop or even manipulate and compromise connections. Furthermore, some security mechanisms for those open communication channels, such as firewalls and encryption are illustrated.
Week 5:
In the 5th week, we will take a closer look at the general topic encryption. Therefore, we explain different cryptographic algorithms and how they can be used for various purposes.
Week 6:
In this week we will talk about several topics related to data privacy and private sphere in the digital world. Starting at the Internet as one big eco-system we will also cover privacy in the context of smartphones and wearables, the Internet-of-things or cloud computing, for example.
Final Exam:
Show what you have learned during the course by taking the final exam and qualify for a certificate.