PC Security Advanced

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
2594 Students

Use ethical hacking techniques to locate and close security holes in your own network.

When is hacking legal? When you use it to secure your own network. This new method of hacking, called ethical hacking or white-hat hacking, uses common and readily available hacking tools and techniques to audit your network so you can locate and close security holes. Whether you're running a small home network or you're an enterprise network administrator, this course will teach you how to better protect your system against those who wish to gain unauthorised access.

You'll gain an understanding of the complex method of electronic breaking and entering. You'll learn the terms and programming behind the interaction between hardware and software when communicating through a network. You'll follow packets of data from one point to another through an entire network, and find out where the flaws exist for data loss and security breaches. You'll discover the role of the seven layers of the OSI model, and the dependencies of hardware and software interaction through packet transmission. And you'll find out how private data can quickly become public knowledge.

Hackers are costing businesses around the globe several billions of dollars every year. Don't become part of that sad statistic. Sooner or later, you know that somebody is going to try and break into your network. Why not learn how hackers think so you can harden your defenses against them?

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

If you've ever wondered about the different types of hackers, what motivates them, and when hacking is considered ethical, this lesson answers these questions and more! You'll learn about the white-, black-, and gray-hat hackers, why they hack, the methods they use, and the ethics of computing and hacking. You'll also get your feet wet by learning how to conduct a security audit on your network by trying to penetrate it just as a hacker would!

This is the lesson where you'll learn about people hacking! Social engineering is the official term for the physical and psychological methods hackers use to gain entry to your system. Intrigued? Good. Get ready to learn the insider techniques of how hackers gain information about your networks through preying on the weakest link in any organization—its employees!

If you've ever used the Google search engine to find information on the Internet, you know how powerful it is. Hackers know this too, and they have found a way to use the built-in power of Google to gather information about your network! By learning how the search engine works, you'll see why and how Google stores so much public and private information. Then, you'll learn how hackers extract this wealth of information and how they use it against you.

In this lesson, you'll learn advanced Google hacking techniques so that you can perform a Google hack for your security audit. Get a full list of advanced hacking operators and discover—in depth—the advanced method of querying Google. Through a step-by-step example, you'll see how a search query is performed and what results look like. And of course, you'll learn how to incorporate this hacking method into your own security audit!

Have you ever wondered what really goes on within your network? The OSI 7 Layer Network Model is the standard on which networks are built, so in order to fully understand how networks are hacked, you need to understand this model. But have no fear! You'll learn the purpose, function, and communication methods of each layer within the model. And I assure you it will be painless!

Have you ever wanted to see what kind of information your network is sending out into cyberspace? Well, it's all in the packets. Once you understand the OSI 7 Layer Network Model, you can now understand packets that travel across a network. It's in those packets that hackers can gain the most information about your network. You'll learn how communication between two networks takes place—from the initial handshake to the termination of the connection—and how you can capture packets from your network just as a hacker would.

Now that you've learned how a hacker scouts out your network and gains information, it would be nice to know from what direction they'll attack you from, won't it? Learn how to look for signs that your network has been exposed or penetrated. By understanding the levels of security, from vulnerability through exposure, you'll view a hack through the eyes of a real hacker.

We all know that common ports connect printers, USB devices, and the like. But, did you know that there are also ports hidden inside your computer? And more importantly, do you know how these hidden ports can endanger you if they are left exposed on your network? In this lesson, we'll look at a PC from the inside out. This lavishly illustrated lesson will help you understand what ports are, where they are located, and what they do. Then, it's a short step to understanding how leaving these ports open can result in a hacker learning the services and software running on your network.

While the term necessary evil is a cliché, we do have a few necessary evils in the computing world. In order to make networks function, sometimes we need to run programs that might not be good for our security. You'll need to learn to manage the risk involved with running these services by understanding what they do, how they operate, and what you can do to keep them from exposing your network core.

Get ready to learn about rootkits in this information-packed lesson! A hacker's best friend, these malicious programs run undetected in the background of your system, launching malicious attacks, sometimes even without your knowledge. It's both hard to find and hard to get rid of rootkits, so for the sake of your PC's security, get ready to apply this lesson today!

Have you ever analyzed your risk? In this lesson, you'll learn how to conduct a risk analysis in order to determine the most vulnerable points within your network. Hand in hand with the analysis is your audit plan, where you can probe your computer or network for the weakest links. And then, we'll talk about what to do once you've found them.

If you like forensics television shows like CSI, this lesson is for you. No PC security course could be complete without an introduction to computer forensics, which is a precise science used to contain security breaches and minimize loss in the event of an attack. Learn how to become a computer investigator so that you'll be prepared if a hacker ever violates your system.

Debbie Mahler

Debbie Mahler teaches students at college and university level on a wide range of business-related topics. She worked for nearly 15 years in the PC repair business, has a successful online IT business, has written six books, and writes for s... Read more

Read Debbie Mahler's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

As with Introduction to PC Security, Debbie Mahler has written another marvelous course in Advanced PC Security. She writes beautifully and the use of analogies is wonderful and makes tough stuff easy to understand. This is a comprehensive and challenging course and very worthwhile; but made easier because of Debbie's great style and manner.

Verified Student

Debbie Mahler is a great instructor. Her courses are the most informative courses I have taken online. The information covered in the course continues to help me long after the courses are completed.

Verified Student

Excellent course and perfect follow-up to the introductory PC security course.

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the PC Security Advanced you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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PC Security Advanced

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$389AUD

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Microsoft Word 2010 Intermediate

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
3012 Students

Master the more advanced features of Microsoft Word 2010 and learn how to create an index, build a list of figures, design a table of contents, do desktop publishing, perform a mail merge, and use timesaving shortcuts.

Microsoft Word 2010 is a powerful and popular program, yet most people use only a fraction of its features. In this course, you'll learn Microsoft Word's more advanced features, which can make writing easier, faster, and more fun. You'll improve your creativity and efficiency at the same time!

In the first part of the course, you'lllearn how to perform a mail merge, and we'll explore shortcuts, styles, and templates. Shortcut keys and macros let you type repetitive words and phrases quickly and accurately at the touch of a button. Styles let you save text formatting. Templates let you create documents that contain predefined formatting and text, making it a snap to create documents that look right every time.

In the second part of the course, we'll cover how to use Word as a simple desktop publishing program to create signs, flyers, menus, brochures, and even newsletters. You'll learn how to insert different types of graphics in a document including digital photographs from your own camera, clip art images provided by Microsoft, and different types of charts such as bar, line, or pie charts.

Next, you'll find out how to wrap text around graphic images and divide a page into columns and text boxes. Both columns and text boxes give you different ways to display text beyond the traditional appearance of text that fills an entire page.

Finally, in the last part of this course, you'll learn about printing labels, making form letters, and creating an index, table of contents, and list of figures automatically. If you need to create long documents, you'll appreciate Word's ability to keep track of page numbers for your chapter headings or index entries.

Whether you need to produce a short letter, flyer, report, or book-length manuscript, this course will teach you how to get the most out of Microsoft Word 2010!

We've come a long way since the days of the typewriter. What used to take hours can now be done in seconds with Microsoft Word 2010. And the less time you spend typing, the more time you can spend being creative and having fun. In this lesson, you'll learn shortcuts in Word that can help you create documents faster and more accurately than ever before. Not only will these shortcuts save you time, but they'll help you create letters and reports more easily than you might have thought possible.

What you write is half of communication. The other half is getting people to read what you write. One way to make your writing more appealing is to make it look presentable with formatting. Of course, formatting text is easy, but applying different types of formatting over and over again can get tedious. That's why today you'll learn a fast and easy way to format chunks of text quickly and consistently using something called <i>styles</i>. You'll find out what a style is, how to apply it, and more important, how to create and save your own styles to use in any document. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to make any document look presentable with just the click of your mouse.

If you've ever baked cookies, or even just watched someone else do it, you know how difficult it can be to make all the cookies in a batch look exactly alike. Some turn out big, some small, some gooey, and some burned! However, if you use a cookie cutter, you can make identically shaped cookies every time. That's the same principle you'll learn in this lesson, instead of using a cookie cutter, though, you'll use something called a <i>template</i>. A template stores the formatting of a document so you can apply it to another document. Templates let you format entire documents as easily as formatting a single word. Word offers lots of convenient templates stored right on your computer or available over the Internet, and you'll also find out how you can create your own.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so what better way to spice up your documents than by adding pictures? Today, you'll learn how to add your own digital photographs to a document so you can show everyone your vacation pictures, family holidays, or just interesting sights you've captured with your own camera. In addition to adding your own photos, you can also add clip art from Word's massive library of free graphics. And you'll find out how to resize, rotate, and style your pictures, as well as wrap your document text around them. By the end of this lesson, you'll see why Word documents are about much more than words!

Digital photographs and clip art are just the beginning of what you can do with graphics in Word. Today, you'll discover how to add a variety of informational graphics, including charts, graphs, and WordArt, which allows you to display text as a graphic image. Not only will you learn how to add these graphics, but you'll also find out how to edit them when your data changes. We'll finish off the lesson by seeing how Word allows us to format documents with multiple columns—a handy skill for creating newsletters and publications!

Do you often create long documents? If so, you'll appreciate this lesson, which shows you how to divide a large document into parts called sections. Sections allow you to format part of a document a certain way without that formatting effecting the rest of your text. For example, you may want headers and footers to appear on some pages but not others. Sections make this easy! We'll also spend some time inserting footnotes and endnotes in a document. If you need to write research papers or other academic content, Word makes it a snap to add and format these previously pesky notes!

If you've ever seen a spreadsheet, you know how rows and columns let you organize numbers and text on the screen. Well, tables do the same thing in Word. In this lesson, you'll see how to create tables of all different sizes right in a Word document! We'll cover how to modify tables, too. And don't think Excel users get to have all the fun—you can even enter formulas to perform calculations in your tables, sort them, and style them for a customized look. Your data has never looked so appealing!

You probably print most of your documents on standard letter-size paper. While this is great for ordinary letters or business reports, sometimes you may want to get creative with your paper sizes. But then there's the trouble of printing. In this lesson, you'll see how you can define the dimensions of the paper you're using so Word will print everything correctly. You'll also learn how to print names and addresses directly on envelopes of any size. After this lesson, you won't feel confined to boring 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper anymore!

As you've probably already figured out, Word can do more than write letters. It can also function as a simple desktop publishing program for creating greeting cards, calendars, or newsletters. Today, you'll find out how text boxes are the key to simple desktop publishing, and you'll see how other elements come into play in customized documents. Along the way, we'll look at business cards and greeting cards to get a feel for how desktop publishing works. If you've always wanted to create a document that combines text and graphics in an artistic or visually appealing way, you'll find out how to do that and much more.

With the basics down, it's time to take our desktop publishing skills to the next level. Today, you'll discover the magic of linked text boxes that give you the power to move your text anywhere you want on the page and keep it flowing. You'll see how to create, position, resize, and group text boxes so you have total control over your text.

Did you ever get one of those "personalized" letters from a company in the mail? You can be sure that nobody typed the entire sales letter from scratch. Instead, the company used a form letter and something called mail merging. In this lesson, you'll learn how to store long lists of names and addresses that you can use over and over again in a form letter. Just create a document once, leave blanks for inserting information such as names and addresses, and let Word personalize each letter for you. Now you, too, can create personalized letters for business or personal use, such as sending out holiday greetings to family members and friends.

Look in most books, and you'll find a table of contents at the beginning and an index in the back. Often, these are the last components added to a document, since they need to have accurate titles and page numbers. But Word takes a lot of the tedious work out of creating these components. In this final lesson, you'll see how you can use Styles to make creating a table of contents a snap, and we'll explore how to tag index terms so Word knows what page they're on, even if they move later. Word can also help you keep track of any figures, such as charts, illustrations, or graphs, in your document. By letting Word worry about the details, you can create an accurate table of contents, index, or list of figures with very little extra effort on your part. These finishing touches will make your most important documents shine!

Wallace Wang

Wallace Wang is the author of over 40 computer books including "Microsoft Office 2007 For Dummies." In addition to writing computer books, he has also co-authored "Breaking Into Acting for Dummies" and ghost written several books about investing i... Read more

Read Wallace Wang's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

What people are saying about our courses

I really liked the course and the instructor. It was definitely more challenging than the introductory course. I would recommend this course to others if you really want to dig in to Microsoft Word and learn more about what it can do.

Verified Student

Thanks for providing a means of learning that is convenient, thorough and easy to understand!

Verified Student

This is the first online course I have ever taken and I liked it a lot. The teacher was thorough and made me feel like he really wants his students to get something out of it. Thanks!

Verified Student

See More Reviews

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Microsoft Word 2010 Intermediate you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.