Cybersecurity Training Certificate

BHCC is pleased to collaborate with Socratic Arts to offer the Cybersecurity Training Certificate program. If you are interested in a career in Cybersecurity, this program is for you. To determine if you qualify, please review the prerequisite requirement section below.  You may not enroll in the program until you have submitted the required information.

There are two main courses in the program:

NON-108E Cybersecurity: Immediate Immersion

Cyber attacks are considered to be one of the top five risks to businesses globally, and the level of threats from script kiddies, cyber criminals, and even nation-state actors is increasing daily. Businesses experience literally thousands of cyber attacks per day. Cybersecurity: Immediate Immersion is designed to impart initial cybersecurity skills in eight weeks of study at 25 hours per week to help students determine if careers in cybersecurity are right for them. Students work through three online real-life tasks (about two weeks per task).

Cybersecurity: Immediate Immersion includes the following tasks:

1. Exploit a website (and fix its vulnerabilities)
2. Insider threat?
3. Analyze malicious network traffic

This course requires a textbook, which can be purchased at the publisher's website. As soon as you have registered for the course, you will buy the book: https://nostarch.com/packetanalysis3.

NON-118E Cybersecurity Defense

This course builds on the defensive skills and experience students gained in Immediate Immersion. The 15 week course is designed to impart a strong foundation of defensive information security skills, preparing students for entry-level careers as security operations center analysts and digital forensics analysts. Students work through six online real-life tasks in a private cloud environment with help, advice and feedback from a knowledgeable mentor and extensive online learning resources. The tasks are embedded in the realistic, but fictional, context of work as an entry-level employee of a government cyber operations agency.

This course includes the following tasks:

1. Analyze a remote intrusion attempt
   A security operations center analyst has seen evidence of a password cracking attempt within a key network. Students analyze a packet capture file and event logs within a security information and event management system (the Splunk SIEM) to determine if any passwords were compromised and if the network was breached as a result.
2. Investigate an incident using a SIEM
   Students analyze a possible “watering hole” attack in which clicking on a malicious link embedded in an otherwise legitimate website launches an exploit kit that infects a user’s machine with a “banking trojan.”
3. Compile indicators of compromise to guide forensic analysis 
   Students use a “hash” of a possible malware-containing file to conduct research using VirusTotal, online sandboxes, and open source intelligence sources to determine specific indicators of compromise to guide forensic analysis of memory and file system images of infected devices.
4. Examine a compromised host’s memory 
   Students perform a forensic examination of a memory image taken from a computer to identify sophisticated malware that infected the system.
5. Conduct a forensic disk examination 
   Students perform disk forensics on an infected system. By analyzing an image of the computer’s file system, the students are able to identify malware infections and to create a timeline for the attack.
6. Close your investigation
   Students are asked to conclude their investigation by compiling a timeline for the attack and writing a comprehensive report for technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Upon successful completion of the two courses, you will separately enroll in Udemy’s 31-hour CompTIA Security + prep course, which includes the SY0-701 practice exam. You will also purchase the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Practice Exam Set 1. *Please note: Prices are set by Udemy and subject to change and BHCC has no control of the cost charged by Udemy.

Udemy is a global teaching and learning platform that provides online video courses. You must continue your learning through Udemy immediately after successfully completing your 23-week training. The program's cybersecurity mentor will support you as you work through the Udemy course.

In total, you are looking at 27 weeks, or six months, to complete the training and be ready to sit for the certification exam. Once you pass the CompTIA Security + exam, you will earn your cybersecurity certification. Links to purchase the supplementary training through Udemy:

CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Complete Course & Exam

CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Practice Exams Set 1

Prerequisite Coursework or IT Work Experience Required

To qualify for the Cybersecurity Training Certificate Program, you must meet one of the four prerequisites listed below. If you do not meet one of the prerequisites, you will not be eligible to apply. 

Review each and choose one to submit your information. Once submitted, your document will be evaluated and you will be notified whether you are able to proceed with registration for the first course, “Cybersecurity: Immediate Immersion”. Being approved to register means you meet the eligibility requirement to enroll in the program. 

If you register in advance of being approved, you will be dropped from the course and refunded your money minus 3% administration fee.

Prerequisite List (Review and Choose One)

• IT Work Experience: You are currently working in the IT field or have recently been employed in an entry-level IT position. Submit your resume to bhcc-cyberprogram@socraticarts.com.

OR

• An associate's degree or beyond in Computer Science, Engineering, or Information Technology. Or a degree in Cybersecurity, Network Technology and Administration, or Computer Information Systems. Submission of your academic transcript is required. Please email a copy of your transcript to bhcc-cyberprogram@socraticarts.com.

OR

• A certificate from any of these programs of study: Computer Support Specialist, Health IT Support Systems, IT Support, Network and Security Certificate or its equivalent. Submission of your BHCC academic transcript is required. Please email a copy of your transcript to bhcc-cyberprogram@socraticarts.com.

OR

• Successfully completed a non-credit IT coursework at the Division of Workforce and Economic Development at Bunker Hill Community College. Course accepted are:
  • NON-500E (Part 1 Cisco Networking) and NON-501E (Part 2 Comp TIA A+)
  • CPT-100E (Cisco Networking Technology Certificate)

If you have successfully completed any of these non-credit courses and/or have earned your industry-recognized certification, please email proof of your certification to Jack Chan at jchan@bhcc.edu. At minimum, you must have passed the non-credit course to meet this prerequisite.

Socratic Arts

Socratic Arts is one of the leading Cybersecurity training academies. With its Story-Centered, learn-by-doing approach, students will learn the skills they need to succeed in the Cybersecurity field. 

Despite the specter of COVID still looming, professionals with cybersecurity skills are more in demand than ever. Emsi, a national labor analytics firm, recently revealed that the U.S. has less than half of the cybersecurity candidates it needs to keep up with the burgeoning demand.

Student Testimonials

“Before enrolling in the Cyber Academy, I was working as the digital marketing manager for an e-commerce website (and) …had very little understanding of information security. The Cyber Academy has had a resounding impact on my professional career and I was able to secure employment within the information security field in less than one year.

The many skills I developed are sought after by countless employers.”

-- Clif

“For those who might be considering the program, it’s important to know that your success has almost nothing to do with the knowledge you have coming in. If you don’t have a background in IT, it is really not an issue. The most important factor in your success is your commitment, your disposition, and whether you are willing to dig in, teach yourself, and grab onto a problem like a terrier. If you have those qualities and the desire, you will absolutely be great at this.

I highly recommend this program for anyone who is thinking about a career change, wants to build their skills, or wants to go into a diverse and growing field. “

-- Celeste

“It’s hard to express how much Cyber Academy changed my life. It literally turned my life around. When I enrolled, I was dropout who was making a meager living as a massage therapist—I always knew my potential was being squandered, but I didn’t think there was any way to change that without going back to college.

“I discovered that infosec is a field full of intelligent, curiosity-driven people just like me...and not only that, but it’s a field where curiosity is not merely tolerated but prized. I felt I had finally found my people.

“When I enrolled, I wasn’t expecting to make a massive career change within a few months. Within a month of completing Cyber Academy, I had a full-time job with benefits for the first time in my life—and I’ve never felt happier or felt more fulfilled.”

-- Alice

"I like how the class was created around an investigation of cyber security crime. It was cool to learn as if I was solving a real cybercrime."

-- Student