What Do You Do In An Intro Course To Cyber Security?

Many people looking to enter the tech industry find themselves asking the same question: What do you do in an intro course to cyber security?

There is a misconception that cybersecurity training begins with advanced hacking, breaking firewalls, and writing complex code on day one. The reality is different. A strong introductory course is not about Hollywood-style hacking; it is about building a structural foundation that allows you to understand how digital systems communicate, where they are vulnerable, and how to protect them.

At Eric Reed Cybersecurity Training, we believe that success in this field is not a result of natural genius or magic. It is the result of a process. It requires consistency, the right roadmap, and an intolerance for standing still. Whether you are taking a CompTIA Security+ boot camp or entering our comprehensive Level Up Program, an introductory course breaks down into four specific pillars of execution.

1. Building the Infrastructure: Networking Fundamentals

You cannot secure what you do not understand. Before you can defend a network from an attack, you must understand how data moves from one point to another. This is why the first phase of any solid introductory cybersecurity course focuses heavily on networking.

In this phase, you move past the user interface and look at the logic driving the system. You stop seeing “the internet” and start seeing protocols, ports, and packets.

Key Networking Concepts

During this stage of training, you focus on the mechanics of connectivity:

TCP/IP and OSI Models: You learn the layers of communication, from the physical cables to the applications on your screen.
IP Addressing and Subnetting: You learn how devices are identified and organized on a network.
Ports and Protocols: You identify standard traffic lanes (like HTTP on port 80 or SSH on port 22) so you can spot anomalies later.

This knowledge aligns closely with the CompTIA Network+ curriculum. Without this fluency in networking, advanced security tools are useless because you won’t understand the data they provide.

2. Mastering Core Security Principles and Threats

Once you understand the infrastructure, the course shifts to the primary objective: defense. This is where the core of the “Introduction to Cyber Security” happens. This section is usually aligned with the CompTIA Security+ certification, which acts as the global standard for entry-level practitioners.

Here, the focus is on the “CIA Triad”—Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Every security decision you make in your career will tie back to maintaining these three elements.

Identifying the Enemy

You define what you are fighting against. An introductory course categorizes threats so you can recognize them in the wild:

Malware Analysis: Understanding the difference between viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and spyware.
Social Engineering: Learning how attackers manipulate human psychology through phishing, vishing, and tailgating.
Network Attacks: Studying methods like DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service), Man-in-the-Middle attacks, and packet sniffing.

This is not just theory. You analyze case studies of real-world breaches to see how these concepts play out in enterprise environments.

3. Practical Application: Labs, Tools, and the Command Line

Theory alone does not get you hired. Employers need to know you can operate the tools of the trade. A high-quality intro course transitions from textbook definitions to hands-on application.

This is the part of the training where you get comfortable with the command line interface (CLI). While most users rely on a mouse and a graphical interface, security professionals work in the terminal.

The Linux Essential

A significant portion of cybersecurity tools run on Linux. In your introductory training, you learn to navigate Linux distributions, manage file permissions, and run scripts. If you plan to advance toward CompTIA Linux+ or penetration testing, this groundwork is non-negotiable.

Vulnerability Scanning

You also learn to use scanners. You will run software that interrogates a network to find open doors, unpatched software, and weak configurations. This teaches you how to think like a sysadmin and an attacker simultaneously.

4. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)

Cybersecurity is not just a technical challenge; it is a business function. Companies do not secure their data just for fun; they do it to comply with laws, protect intellectual property, and maintain trust.

In an intro course, you cover the rules of engagement. This includes:

Risk Management: How to calculate the cost of a potential breach versus the cost of preventing it.
Regulations: an overview of standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.
Ethics: The critical difference between a “white hat” ethical hacker and a criminal actor.

Understanding GRC is vital for roles like Security Analyst or Compliance Officer. It ensures that the technical measures you implement align with business goals.

Structuring Your Path to Success

Knowing what you do in an intro course is only half the battle. The other half is executing a plan to learn it efficiently.

We see many students attempt to self-study without direction. They bounce between YouTube videos and outdated forums, creating gaps in their knowledge. Success in cybersecurity requires structure. It requires a proven system.

This is why we developed the Level Up Program. It is designed to take you from a beginner to a fully certified professional by stacking certifications in a logical order. You start with the fundamentals discussed here and progressively move toward advanced certifications like CompTIA CySA+ or even CISSP.

The Importance of Mentorship and Funding

Pierce Novak, one of our successful students, passed 11 certification exams in 7 months while working full-time. He did not do this by guessing what to study next. He followed a roadmap. He utilized mentorship. He also leveraged funding options.

Education should not be a financial barrier. Whether through employer tuition programs, military pathways like ArmyIgnited, or workforce development grants, resources exist to help you fund this training.

The Next Step is Execution

So, what do you do in an intro course to cyber security? You build the discipline and skills required to protect modern infrastructure. You learn the language of networks, the methods of attackers, and the tools of defense.

If you are ready to stop wondering and start executing, the path is clear. You do not need a background in IT to begin; you only need the willingness to follow a structured process.

Explore our career pathways to see where an introductory course can take you. If you are serious about making a change, check the schedule for our upcoming Security+ training sessions.

The threats are real, and the industry needs prepared professionals. Your future in cybersecurity is waiting for you to make the first move.