Life · Scam-safe digital life
Cyber security course for beginners: protect yourself online in six steps
Six short lessons that protect your money, accounts and devices without any technical knowledge. List what matters, turn on updates, lock your accounts, spot scams, secure your home devices and backups, and write a one-page plan for when something goes wrong, with official help lines for Australia, the UK and the US.
About this course
Cyber security course for beginners: protect yourself online.
Starter · About 1 hour of learning · 6 lessons · 15 quick checks · 2 downloads
Who it's for
Adults in Australia, the UK, the US and elsewhere who want to protect their money, accounts and devices; no technical knowledge needed.
How it works
6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time.
Sources we rely on
24 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.
By the end you can
- List the accounts and devices that matter most and put them in priority order
- Turn on automatic updates and decide what to do with unsupported devices
- Secure your most important account with a unique password, a password manager and multi-factor authentication
- Recognise the pattern of a scam and check requests through a channel you trust
- Write a one-page plan with first steps and the reporting contacts for your country
Downloads
- Personal cyber security checklist .xlsxAccounts and devices inventory (no passwords), a 20-point checklist with progress tracking, and the Okafor household worked example.
- “If something goes wrong” one-page plan .docxFill-in plan card with first steps and the official reporting contacts for Australia, the UK and the US.
Rules by country
Learning time
About 1 hour of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.
Sources
Check the originals.
Drafted with AI assistance and run through automated quality and source checks. How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.
General information only. Life courses don't give health, financial or legal advice.
- Protect yourself and your family online · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook (published 7 October 2026) · Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Core cyber security tips · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Set up multi-factor authentication · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Use passkeys · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Use unique and strong passwords · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Keep your devices and software up to date · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Learn how to spot scams · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Secure your devices · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Secure your online activity · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Personal cyber security handbook: Getting help · ASD’s ACSC (Australia)
- Stop. Check. Protect. · Scamwatch, National Anti-Scam Centre (ACCC, Australia)
- IDCARE: national identity and cyber support service · IDCARE (Australia and New Zealand)
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month (Secure Our World): 4 core steps · Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA, US)
- How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams · Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice (US)
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- IdentityTheft.gov: report identity theft and get a recovery plan · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Top tips for staying secure online · National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, UK)
- Turn on 2-step verification (2SV) · National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, UK)
- Backing up your data · National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, UK)
- Report a scam email · National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, UK)
- Report a scam text · National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, UK)
- Report a scam phone call · National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, UK)
- Report Fraud service goes live (4 December 2025) · Report Fraud, City of London Police (UK)
Publisher
Who publishes this course.
Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.
How it's made: drafted with AI assistance from published official, government and vendor guidance, then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. The course guide is an AI presenter and is labelled as one. Read how these courses are made.
Last updated:
General information, not legal, financial, medical or professional advice. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.
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