Network Security

Over about eight weeks you work through packet sniffing, password cracking, port scanning, exploits, access-control lists, intrusion detection with Snort, and securing network services — real tool-based practice rather than a conceptual tour. That makes it a strong fit for people ready for practical security work, and too steep if you want a gentle overview or you're new to networking.

You can audit it free on edX; the verified certificate is paid (typically a few hundred dollars for a MicroMasters course). Its real distinction is that it's part of RIT's Cybersecurity MicroMasters, which can count toward actual academic credit at RIT — worth knowing if a formal qualification, not just the skills, is part of your plan (as of 2026).

Network Security goes deep on defending data networks. Over eight lab-driven weeks you work through packet sniffing, password cracking, port scanning, exploits, access-control lists, intrusion detection with Snort, and DHCP/DNS/switch and man-in-the-middle attacks and their mitigations — analysing attack/defend scenarios to judge what actually works.