IBM: Cybersecurity Compliance and Framework

It covers governance, risk and compliance (GRC), the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ITIL and more — the structured, policy-and-process world that large organisations actually run their security through. That makes it a solid grounding for people heading toward GRC, audit or security-management roles, where knowing the frameworks matters more than knowing the exploits.

It won't fit if you want hands-on technical security or a deep dive into one specific regulation. Audit it free on edX, with a verified certificate as a paid option and financial assistance available; the certificate is a learning record rather than a formal qualification. One caveat: standards and regulations evolve, so treat the specifics as a starting point (as of 2026).

This course covers cybersecurity principles, industry standards, regulations, and audit processes: governance, risk, and compliance (GRC); the NIST Cybersecurity Framework; IT service management via ITIL; cybersecurity laws including HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS; and audit processes using the COBIT framework and SOC reports, plus standards like OWASP, ISO, and IEEE. It also covers AI ethics considerations including the EU AI Act.