Skip to content
Computer Science · Cyber security (defence)

Cyber Defense Lab

Defend a city of servers: set firewall rules, judge a phishing email, work out how long a password really lasts, patch before the deadline and plan the response when something goes wrong.

Start lesson 1Practice exam
Also on your phone · HackLab
Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play
Live labLessons24
Loading 3D lab…
First lesson01 · What are we protecting?See all 24 lessons →

Report a mistake

What is wrong?
0 / 2000 · at least 10 characters
Sent along with your report
  • Page
  • About Cyber Defense Lab · cyber
Plus your browser type. Reports go to our support system; see the privacy notice.
The course

6 worlds · 24 lessons

World 1 · Defend the City

FREEWhat we protect, what threatens it, and how to think about risk
  1. 01What are we protecting?Confidentiality, integrity, availability · 12 min
  2. 02Threats, vulnerabilities and riskLikelihood times impact · 13 min
  3. 03Defence in depthMany layers beat one wall · 12 min
  4. 04Meet the cityYour assets and where they sit · 11 min

World 2 · Passwords and the Mathematics of Guessing

PROHow long a guess really takes, and what to do about it
  1. 01Length and entropyBits of unpredictability · 14 minPRO
  2. 02How fast can a guess go?Online, slow hash, fast hash · 14 minPRO
  3. 03Passphrases and managersEasy to remember, hard to guess · 13 minPRO
  4. 04Second factors and passkeysSomething you know, have, are · 14 minPRO

World 3 · Phishing Anatomy

PROHow the bait is built, how to read a link, and what to do if you bite
  1. 01Anatomy of a phishing messageBait, hook, urgency · 14 minPRO
  2. 02Reading a linkDomain tricks · 14 minPRO
  3. 03Stamps on the envelopeSPF, DKIM, DMARC · 14 minPRO
  4. 04If you clickedCalm, quick steps · 12 minPRO

World 4 · The Firewall Room

PRORules, doors, walls and logs: how a network defends itself
  1. 01Rules and default denyWho may enter? · 14 minPRO
  2. 02Doors and servicesShrinking the attack surface · 13 minPRO
  3. 03Segments and blast radiusDo not put everything in one room · 13 minPRO
  4. 04Reading the logsNoticing the strange · 14 minPRO

World 5 · Patch, Back Up, Respond

PROFix known flaws, keep copies you can restore, and have a plan before the bad day
  1. 01Vulnerabilities and CVENaming the flaws · 14 minPRO
  2. 02Patching is the best boring defenceRace the clock · 13 minPRO
  3. 03Malware families and ransomwareKnow the shapes · 14 minPRO
  4. 04Backups and the response planRecover calmly · 15 minPRO

World 6 · People, Privacy and Doing It Right

PROThe human layer, your data footprint, secure design and the rules of the game
  1. 01Social engineeringAttacking the human · 14 minPRO
  2. 02Privacy and your data footprintWhat apps know · 13 minPRO
  3. 03Secure by designLeast privilege and trust no input · 14 minPRO
  4. 04Ethics, law and careersDefenders and the rules · 15 minPRO