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Free to enrolNewBeginner

Cyber Security for Beginners: Types of Cyber Attacks

Spot phishing, ransomware and 18 more attacks through real, everyday scenarios — no tech background needed.

5.0(10 ratings)123 learners2 hours on-demand videoUpdated 7/2026
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Cyber Security for Beginners: Types of Cyber Attacks — preview poster
Quick answer

What does the Cyber Security for Beginners course cover?

Cyber Security for Beginners maps 20 major types of cyber attack — phishing, ransomware, DDoS, zero-days and more — in plain language, using real incidents including WannaCry, the Mirai botnet and the $25M Arup deepfake. It runs 1h 47m across 63 short animated lectures, is free to enrol on Udemy, and needs no technical background.

Last reviewed August 2026
Outcomes

What you'll learn

Recognise all 20 major types of cyber attack — phishing, ransomware, DDoS, zero-days and more — and explain how each works in plain English.
Spot the red flags of scam emails, texts and calls, including spear phishing, whaling and deepfake fraud, before you click or reply.
Protect accounts and devices with high-payoff habits: passphrases, multi-factor authentication, a password manager, updates and backups.
Learn from real incidents — WannaCry, the Mirai botnet, 23andMe, TalkTalk and the $25M Arup deepfake — and what went wrong in each.
Explain how attackers get in: malware, Trojans, drive-by downloads, stolen sessions, brute force, DNS spoofing and man-in-the-middle.
Build a personal defense-in-depth playbook and finish with a printable cyber-hygiene checklist you can apply the same day.
Curriculum

Course content

28 sections · 63 lectures · 1h 47m total length

Social engineering
PhishingSmishing & vishingSpear phishingWhaling, including deepfake CEO fraud
Malware
Viruses and wormsTrojan horsesRansomwareDrive-by downloadsSpyware & keyloggers
Password & access attacks
Password attacksBrute forceSession hijacking
Network attacks
DoS / DDoSMan-in-the-middleEavesdroppingDNS spoofing
Application & other threats
SQL injectionCross-site scripting (XSS)CSRFInsider threatsBirthday attacksZero-day exploits
The Defense Playbook
Defense in depthThe five habits that stop most attacksPrintable cyber-hygiene checklist
About

About this course

Cyber attacks are no longer just an IT problem — they arrive in your inbox, your text messages and your phone calls. This course gives you a complete, beginner-friendly map of 20 major types of cyber attack, and the practical habits that stop them.

Every lesson is a short 2–7 minute animated explainer in plain language. Each attack is taught the way a good teacher would explain it: an everyday analogy first — phishing opens with a fisherman hiding a hook inside bait — then what the attack is, how it actually works, and exactly how to protect yourself.

The biggest threats each include a real-world case study: the forged-invoice con that took Google and Facebook for more than $100 million, WannaCry's global outbreak, the 23andMe credential-stuffing breach, and the Mirai botnet that knocked Twitter, Netflix and Reddit offline for a morning.

By the end you won't just know the names of these attacks — you'll recognise them when they knock, and know exactly what to do.

This course contains the use of artificial intelligence. The animated visuals and voice narration are AI-generated; every lesson is scripted, fact-checked and quality-reviewed by the instructor.

Who it's for

  • Everyday internet users who want to protect their money, accounts and identity online.
  • Complete beginners curious about cyber security — no IT background required.
  • Employees and business owners who want to recognise phishing, ransomware and social-engineering attacks before they cause damage.
  • Students and career-switchers who want a friendly first map of the cyber-attack landscape.

Requirements

  • No technical background needed — every attack is explained in plain language with everyday analogies.
  • Any computer, tablet or smartphone is enough to follow along.
  • Curiosity about how online scams and attacks actually work.
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