What Is Cyber Foundations?

Cyber Foundations is a 12-week, applied learning program designed to build real technical competency for people entering cybersecurity on a structured, employer-aligned path.

This is not a boot camp or a course collection. It is a sequenced, competency-based Tier I program that prepares students for Tier II specialization and future employment.

How the Program Works

Cyber Foundations is a 12-week applied program built around live instruction, asynchronous labs, GitHub-based submissions, and portfolio-ready deliverables.

Students move through five sequenced modules that build from core cybersecurity concepts to applied security operations.

12-week structure

Rolling enrollment

Students can begin without waiting for a traditional cohort start date.

Live instruction and async labs

The program combines guided teaching with hands-on technical practice outside of class.

Students document and submit their work through GitHub to build professional habits and a visible project portfolio.

GitHub-based submissions

Five portfolio deliverables

Each module produces a completed artifact that demonstrates applied competency.

Completion prepares students to advance into specialization tracks such as PKI, SOC Analysis, Cloud Security, GRC, or Offensive Security.

Tier II preparation

  • Explain how hardware, operating systems, software layers, virtualization, users, permissions, and basic system architecture work together in modern IT environments.

  • Understand core networking concepts including OSI, TCP/IP, DNS, IP addressing, subnetting, and basic cloud models such as IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, VPCs, subnets, and security groups.

  • Apply foundational cybersecurity concepts including the CIA Triad, authentication vs. authorization, access control models, common threats, risk language, security policies, and basic threat modeling.

  • Explain symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing, digital signatures, TLS/SSL, certificate authorities, certificate lifecycle, trust chains, and basic PKI concepts.

  • Document technical work professionally through GitHub, write incident summaries and executive-facing risk explanations, present a completed portfolio, and identify a Tier II specialization pathway.

Tier I Graduate Competencies

Before advancing into Tier II specialization, Cyber Foundations graduates must demonstrate competency in five core areas that prepare them for advanced cybersecurity training and portfolio-based career development.

The 5 Curriculum Modules

Cyber Foundations is organized around five applied competency modules. Each module spans two weeks and produces hands-on GitHub artifacts that demonstrate readiness for Tier II specialization.

  • Module 1 — Digital Infrastructure Literacy

    Weeks 1–2


    Students build foundational infrastructure fluency across hardware, operating systems, Windows and Linux environments, file systems, command-line navigation, virtualization, users, permissions, scripting basics, and infrastructure documentation.
    Deliverables: Virtual machine setup documentation, CLI task checklist, Bash or PowerShell script, and annotated infrastructure diagram.

  • Module 2 — Networking & Cloud Fundamentals

    Weeks 3–4


    Students learn how data moves across networks and how cloud environments are structured through OSI, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, HTTP/S, IP addressing, subnetting, firewalls, diagnostic tools, VPCs, subnets, security groups, and basic zero trust concepts.
    Deliverables: Network map, connectivity analysis, traffic capture notes, cloud virtual network walkthrough, and security group documentation.

  • Module 3 — Security Fundamentals

    Weeks 5–6


    Students apply core cybersecurity concepts including the CIA Triad, authentication, authorization, MFA, SSO, RBAC, common threats, vulnerability vs. threat vs. risk, NIST CSF, CIS Controls, security policy structure, incident triage, and basic threat modeling.
    Deliverables: Vulnerability findings, threat analysis worksheet, NIST CSF mapping, basic security policy, and threat model.

  • Module 4 — Cryptography & PKI Fundamentals

    Weeks 7–8


    Students learn foundational digital trust concepts including symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing, digital signatures, TLS/SSL, certificate authorities, trust chains, certificate lifecycle, revocation, OpenSSL, and enterprise PKI basics.
    Deliverables: TLS certificate comparison, trust chain analysis, OpenSSL command walkthrough, self-signed certificate documentation, and certificate lifecycle notes.

  • Module 5 — Technical Communication & Career Readiness

    Weeks 9–10


    Students learn to document technical work professionally, structure GitHub repositories, write incident summaries, communicate risk to non-technical stakeholders, align their portfolio to target roles, and select a Tier II specialization pathway.
    Deliverables: Incident summary report, executive summary, GitHub portfolio review, career map, and Tier II selection rationale.

  • Capstone Block — Portfolio & Tier II Readiness

    Weeks 11–12


    Students compile and polish all lab artifacts, complete peer and instructor review, present their GitHub portfolio, and confirm their Tier II specialization pathway. Successful completion includes a final competency check across all five core areas.
    Deliverables: Final GitHub portfolio, executive summary README, peer review, live or approved async presentation, and Tier II readiness plan.

Tier II Readiness Requirements

Cyber Foundations is the required Tier I pathway into CVI’s Tier II specialization programs. Advancement is based on demonstrated competency, completed lab work, portfolio quality, and readiness for advanced cohort expectations.

Complete all required labs
Students must complete and submit all 10 module labs through GitHub, including work from Digital Infrastructure, Networking & Cloud, Security Fundamentals, Cryptography & PKI, and Technical Communication.

Demonstrate competency in all five core areas
Students must show readiness across the five Tier I competencies through lab outputs, written documentation, technical reasoning, and instructor or mentor review.

Submit a polished GitHub portfolio
Final repositories must be complete, readable, well-organized, and professionally documented, with all major artifacts included.

Pass the final competency review
Lab outputs and portfolio artifacts are reviewed against the Tier I competency rubric to confirm readiness for advanced specialization.

Present the final portfolio
Students complete a live or approved asynchronous portfolio presentation explaining what they built, what they learned, and how their work supports their next pathway.

Identify a Tier II specialization pathway
Students select a target track such as PKI, CMMC, GRC, RMF, AI Security, or Cloud Security and explain their readiness plan.

Meet participation expectations
Students attend at least 9 of 12 live sessions or complete the approved asynchronous equivalent to remain in good standing.

Investment & Student Support

Cyber Foundations is designed to make the first step into cybersecurity structured, affordable, and supported. The program combines live instruction, applied labs, portfolio-building, mentorship, and pathway guidance so students are not left to figure out the next step alone.

Program Investment

Tuition: $300

Registration Fee: $25, applied toward tuition

Payment Plan: Available over 8 weeks

Students also receive two mentorship sessions, skill-alignment guidance, mock interview support, networking opportunities, and priority access to Tier II specialization pathways after completion.

Guarantee: 3-week money-back guarantee

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What You’ll Walk Away With

Students finish with documented lab artifacts across infrastructure, networking, cloud, security fundamentals, cryptography, PKI, and technical communication.

A completed GitHub portfolio

Through thoughtful examples and guided exploration, you'll learn to approach obstacles with fresh eyes. This course is about unlocking flexibility, not following formulas.

Verified Tier I competency

Students create an executive summary README that explains what they built, what they learned, and where they are headed next.

A professional project summary

Students gain practical exposure to tools and environments such as Windows, Linux, GitHub, Wireshark, Nmap, OpenSSL, cloud networking, and command-line workflows.

Hands-on experience with core tools

Each graduate identifies a specialization pathway and connects their portfolio work to future goals in PKI, CMMC, GRC, RMF, AI Security, or Cloud Security.

A Tier II readiness plan

Successful graduates receive a CyberVisionaries Institute completion certificate and a LinkedIn-ready digital badge recognizing verified foundational competency.

A CVI Tier I certificate and digital badge

Graduates receive priority access to the next available Tier II specialization cohort before it opens to the public.

Priority access to Tier II programs

Who This Program Is For

Cyber Foundations is for people who are serious about entering cybersecurity but need a clear, structured place to begin.

Some students come in with no technical background. Others bring experience from IT, military service, college programs, business, criminal justice, or self-study. What they share is a readiness to practice, document their work, ask better questions, and build toward specialization with intention.

This program is especially useful for learners who want more than scattered tutorials or exam memorization. Cyber Foundations gives you a guided Tier I pathway before you move into advanced tracks such as PKI, CMMC, GRC, RMF, AI Security, or Cloud Security.

Veterans and military-connected individuals transitioning into civilian tech roles — your discipline and mission mindset are assets here.

You do not need a degree, certification, or prior cybersecurity role to begin. You do need curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to build evidence of what you can do.

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Where You Go Next

Cyber Foundations is the entry point into the CyberVisionaries Institute pathway. After completing Tier I requirements, graduates can move into Tier II specialization tracks aligned to their career goals and demonstrated readiness.

  • PKI & Digital Trust Engineering

    Build on the cryptography and certificate work from Cyber Foundations to study certificate lifecycle, trust chains, CA architecture, TLS, and enterprise PKI deployment.

  • CMMC Compliance

    Use the security fundamentals, policy, risk, and documentation work from Tier I to prepare for controls implementation and compliance readiness.

  • GRC — Governance, Risk & Compliance

    Extend your work in risk language, frameworks, policy writing, and stakeholder communication into governance and audit-focused cybersecurity roles.

  • RMF — Risk Management Framework

    Build from NIST CSF, threat modeling, risk analysis, and technical documentation into the federal risk management process.

  • AI Security

    Apply your foundation in infrastructure, cloud, risk, and security fundamentals to emerging work in AI governance, model risk, and secure AI system design.

  • Cloud Security

    Build on networking, IAM basics, VPCs, subnets, and security groups to move toward cloud-native security architecture and compliance.

Completion Requirements

To complete Cyber Foundations and receive Tier I recognition, students must meet all program requirements and demonstrate readiness across the five core competency areas.

  • Complete all 10 required module labs

  • Submit all lab work through GitHub

  • Maintain a complete and organized GitHub portfolio

  • Pass the final competency review in all five core areas

  • Present the final portfolio during Week 12 or complete an approved asynchronous presentation

  • Attend at least 9 of 12 live sessions or complete the approved asynchronous equivalent

  • Submit a career map identifying a target Tier II specialization pathway

  • Remain in good standing throughout the program

Completion confirms that a student has met CVI’s Tier I standard and is eligible for Tier II specialization consideration.

Certification Alignment

  • CompTIA A+

    Cyber Foundations reinforces basic hardware, operating system, troubleshooting, virtualization, command-line, and endpoint concepts that support early IT fluency.

  • CompTIA Network+

    The networking and cloud modules introduce core concepts such as OSI, TCP/IP, DNS, IP addressing, subnetting, diagnostic tools, cloud networking, and security groups.

  • CompTIA Security+

    The security, cryptography, and technical communication modules align with foundational concepts in risk, threats, access control, secure architecture, incident response, governance, and cryptography.

  • Industry Readiness

    The program emphasizes applied competency, GitHub documentation, and Tier II readiness rather than memorization alone.

Ready to Build Your Foundation?

Cyber Foundations runs on a rolling cohort basis, with new cohorts starting throughout the year. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis — accepted applicants receive notification and a registration link to complete enrollment.

If you are ready to commit to 12 weeks of applied cybersecurity training and build a portfolio that demonstrates real competency, start your application now.

Not ready to apply yet? Attend an upcoming info session to get your questions answered before you decide.

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Rolling enrollment | Tier I pathway | Hands-on labs | GitHub portfolio