Understanding offensive cyber operations is no longer optional鈥攊t's essential for any cybersecurity professional aiming to proactively defend systems in today鈥檚 high-stakes digital environment. This course equips you with a strategic, ethical understanding of attacker behavior, helping you move beyond reactive security and into informed, adversary-aware defense.



Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Deconstruct offensive cyber architectures and adversarial mindsets, exploring motivations and frameworks to strengthen system defense.
Analyze the cyber-attack lifecycle from reconnaissance through post-exploitation and impact analysis.
Implement core offensive technics and tools, including human-centric social engineering aspects.
Navigate AI-driven offensive techniques and emerging threats, including automated attack systems and the use of large language models.
Skills you'll gain
Details to know

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September 2025
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There are 6 modules in this course
In this course, you鈥檒l learn how to think like an adversary to strengthen your cybersecurity skills and defenses. You鈥檒l explore attacker methodologies, attack surfaces, and exploitation techniques while mastering frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to categorize and understand offensive tactics. Through expert guidance, modern threat scenarios, and ethical perspectives, you鈥檒l uncover how adversaries use social engineering, AI-driven exploits, and advanced offensive tools to compromise systems. By the end, you鈥檒l be equipped to anticipate threats, apply strategic defense informed by offensive knowledge, and responsibly adapt to the evolving landscape of cyber warfare.
What's included
1 video1 reading1 plugin
In this module, you鈥檒l learn the foundations of offensive cyber operations and the attacker mindset that drives modern threats. You鈥檒l explore core cybersecurity concepts, attack surfaces, and the role of ethical hacking in strengthening defenses. You鈥檒l analyze attacker motivations, psychological tactics, and operational goals to understand why adversaries exploit human and technical weaknesses. Finally, you鈥檒l examine the evolving adversary landscape, threat actor types, and offensive frameworks that shape today鈥檚 cybersecurity challenges.
What's included
10 videos1 reading1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt
In this module, you鈥檒l explore the full cyber attack life cycle from reconnaissance to post-exploitation. You鈥檒l examine how attackers gather intelligence through OSINT and passive reconnaissance, craft payloads during weaponization, and deliver exploits through phishing, injection, and other techniques. You鈥檒l analyze common vulnerabilities and exploitation tactics to understand how adversaries penetrate defenses. Finally, you鈥檒l study persistence, lateral movement, and data exfiltration, applying frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to classify real-world adversary behaviors and strengthen defensive strategies.
What's included
10 videos1 reading1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt
In this module, you鈥檒l examine the core offensive techniques and tools adversaries use to compromise systems and networks. You鈥檒l explore malware fundamentals, from classification and behaviors to the tools security professionals use for analysis. You鈥檒l dive into social engineering, studying phishing, spear phishing, and advanced impersonation methods such as deepfakes that exploit human psychology. Finally, you鈥檒l analyze network and system-level attacks, including password-based intrusions, denial-of-service campaigns, and protocol-level exploits targeting DNS and VoIP. By connecting these offensive techniques to defensive strategies, you鈥檒l build the knowledge to anticipate, detect, and mitigate modern cyber threats.
What's included
10 videos1 reading1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt
In this module, you鈥檒l examine the cutting edge of offensive cyber operations and prepare for future threats. You鈥檒l explore how artificial intelligence is transforming offensive tactics, from AI-powered vulnerability detection to automated attack campaigns and agentic AI. You鈥檒l analyze emerging attack surfaces such as adversarial AI, prompt injection, the Dark Web, and supply chain vulnerabilities that expand opportunities for exploitation. Finally, you鈥檒l study the strategic implications of offensive capabilities for organizations and national security, while applying proactive defense approaches, including Security for LLMs and threat hunting methodologies. By mastering these advanced concepts, you鈥檒l gain the foresight and confidence to anticipate and mitigate next-generation cyber threats.
What's included
10 videos1 reading1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt
In this concluding module, you鈥檒l synthesize the knowledge gained throughout the course by designing an offensive cyber operation blueprint. Acting in the role of an ethical offensive operator, you鈥檒l apply reconnaissance, attack surface mapping, vulnerability identification, and emerging threat considerations to create a simulated offensive plan against a fictional organization. Through this project, you鈥檒l transform theoretical understanding into practical application, building confidence in analyzing threats and preparing proactive defense strategies.
What's included
1 video1 peer review
Offered by
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