Cybersecurity · Free online course
Cybersecurity for Small Business
Protect a small business without a security team: the owner's role, phishing and payment fraud, passwords and MFA, devices and Wi-Fi, ransomware and backups, customer data under India's DPDP Act, and what to do in the first hours of an incident. Built on public lessons from the FTC, CISA, the FBI and Professor Messer.
- 9 modules
- 2h 46m of video
- Beginner
- English
- ₹0, free
₹0Free for good
Worth ₹1,999 by length and depth against classroom training. It has always been free; that is not a former price.
No card. Checkout takes a minute and gives you a receipt.
Overview
About Cybersecurity for Small Business
Protect a small business without a security team: the owner's role, phishing and payment fraud, passwords and MFA, devices and Wi-Fi, ransomware and backups, customer data under India's DPDP Act, and what to do in the first hours of an incident. Built on public lessons from the FTC, CISA, the FBI and Professor Messer.
Cybersecurity for Small Business is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for small business owners, office managers and the person who looks after IT. It has 9 modules and 2h 46m of video lessons by US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Professor Messer, National Cybersecurity Alliance (StaySafeOnline) and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.
Who it is for: Small business owners, office managers and the person who looks after IT
This course includes
- 2h 46m of video lessons
- 9 modules with written notes and diagrams
- One final assessment: 15 questions, pass mark 60%
- Ask-an-engineer support from practising engineers
- Lifetime access, the course does not expire
- Optional verifiable certificate when you finish
- Step 1 of 3
Learn the 9 modules
2h 46m of video lessons, written notes and a practice task per module, at your own pace.
- Step 2 of 3
Pass the final assessment
15 questions drawn from every module, pass mark 60%, 3 attempts.
- Step 3 of 3
Take the certificate, if you want it
Optional, paid once, only if you choose it. The course stays free either way.
See the certificate and its price
A look inside
From the lessons
Start with security
by FTCvideos
The owner's job in cybersecurity
by StaySafeOnline.org
Phishing and scams against your business
by FTCvideos
Passwords, MFA and who can log in
by Professor Messer
Devices, Wi-Fi and remote access
by FTCvideos
Ransomware and backups
by FTCvideos
Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits and are shown from YouTube.
What you learn
What you will be able to do
Explain why small businesses are attacked and set the owner's priorities; recognise phishing, business email compromise and common scams, and stop fraudulent payments; set a password, MFA and access policy; secure laptops, phones, Wi-Fi and remote access; build a backup scheme that survives ransomware and prove it with a restore; handle customer data in line with India's DPDP Act 2023; and respond to an incident, including reporting to CERT-In, the 1930 helpline and the Data Protection Board.
- Explain why small businesses are attacked and rank the risks to your own
- Lead security as an owner: responsibilities, budget and policies
- Recognise phishing, scams and business email compromise, and stop fraudulent payments
- Set a password, MFA and access policy staff will follow
- Secure laptops, phones, Wi-Fi and remote access
- Build ransomware-proof backups and calculate data loss and restore time
- Handle customer data under India's DPDP Act 2023
- Respond to an incident and report to CERT-In, 1930 and the Data Protection Board
Syllabus
Course content, module by module
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.
- Modules
- 9
- Video lessons
- 25
- Of video
- 2h 46m
- Final questions
- 15
- 01
Start with security
4 lessons · 10m - 02
The owner's job in cybersecurity
1 lesson · 31m - 03
Phishing and scams against your business
4 lessons · 9m - 04
Passwords, MFA and who can log in
3 lessons · 18m - 05
Devices, Wi-Fi and remote access
4 lessons · 25m - 06
Ransomware and backups
3 lessons · 22m - 07
Keeping customer data safe
3 lessons · 11m - 08
When it goes wrong
2 lessons · 27m Final assessment · 15 questions, pass mark 60%
Project
The course project
Optional practice that ends in the kind of job the course prepares you for, with the documents that go with it.
About 8 hours
Securing a 25-person travel agency: asset inventory, risk register, security baseline, incident response plan and staff training record
Act as the person the owner has asked to make a small business safer. Build the asset inventory, score the risks, write the security baseline staff will follow, write a one-page incident response plan with Indian reporting routes, and record the staff training. The sample pack shows each document for a travel agency in Kochi that handles passports, payments and customer bookings.
Sample document pack, 5 documents, filled in for the scenario
- Asset inventoryAsset inventory: Meher Travels and Tours, Kochi
- Risk registerCyber risk register: Meher Travels and Tours
- ProcedureSecurity baseline: rules for staff and settings for IT
- PlanIncident response plan: one page
- Training recordStaff security training record: October 2026
Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.
Tools
Software, hardware and lessons
Software
None required. You will review the settings of the email, accounts and devices your business already uses.
Hardware
None.
Who it is for
Beginner. No technical background is needed. Written for owners, managers, office administrators and the person who ends up looking after IT in a business of 5 to 100 people.
Video lessons by
- US Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Professor Messer
- National Cybersecurity Alliance (StaySafeOnline)
- America's SBDC
- FTCvideos
- StaySafeOnline.org
- FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
- WM Regional Cyber Crime Unit
- VASBDC
Independent creators, credited in full under Credits.
Software you need
Nothing to install
You will review the settings of the email, accounts and devices your business already uses.
What you walk away with
Your certificate for Cybersecurity for Small Business
Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.
Verifiable by anyone
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
QR code on the certificate
Names what you can do
A permanent link
Earned, not attended
Learning is free. The certificate is optional.
Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.
Issued by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales, company no. 15262249) through the EDWartens training portal, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold in India by Wartens Automation Private Limited. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.
FAQ
Common questions
Who is the Cybersecurity for Small Business course for?
Owners, managers, office administrators and the person who looks after IT in a small business, whether a shop, clinic, agency, practice or workshop. No technical background is needed.
Many lessons are from US organisations. Does it apply in India?
Yes. The FTC, CISA and FBI lessons teach habits that work anywhere. EDWartens' notes add Indian law and reporting throughout: the DPDP Act 2023 and Rules, CERT-In's 6-hour reporting, and the 1930 cyber fraud helpline.
Is this a Security+ course?
No. Some lessons come from Professor Messer's Security+ SY0-701 series because they explain topics clearly, but this course is not exam preparation and is not affiliated with CompTIA. EDWartens has a separate Security+ exam prep course.
Will it make my business compliant with the DPDP Act?
It explains the main duties and gives you a practical starting point. It is not legal advice; for a business with large volumes of personal data, take advice from a lawyer.
How long does the Cybersecurity for Small Business course take?
About 6 hours of video lessons, notes and practice questions, plus about 8 hours if you do the optional project. You work at your own pace.
What is the project in the Cybersecurity for Small Business course?
You make a 25-person travel agency in Kochi safer: an asset inventory, a scored risk register, a security baseline, a one-page incident response plan with Indian reporting routes, and a staff training record. A sample pack shows each document.
Is the Cybersecurity for Small Business course really free?
Yes. Every module, the notes, the project and the final assessment. The only paid item is the certificate, if you want it.
What certificate does the Cybersecurity for Small Business course give?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a number anyone can verify on our site. It is not a vendor or government certification.
Is the Cybersecurity for Small Business course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?
Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 including GST for this beginner course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.
All course factsHide course facts
- Price
- ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹1,999.
- Who it is for
- Small business owners, office managers and the person who looks after IT
- Format
- 9 self-paced modules, 2h 46m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Beginner. Beginner. No technical background is needed. Written for owners, managers, office administrators and the person who ends up looking after IT in a business of 5 to 100 people.
- Brand
- Vendor-neutral
- Software
- None required. You will review the settings of the email, accounts and devices your business already uses.
- Hardware
- None.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 inclusive of GST for learners in India, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Professor Messer, National Cybersecurity Alliance (StaySafeOnline), America's SBDC, FTCvideos, StaySafeOnline.org, FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), WM Regional Cyber Crime Unit, VASBDC (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
- Last updated
- 27 September 2026
Pairs well with
Cybersecurity · FreeCompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Exam Prep
Cybersecurity · FreeMicrosoft Sentinel and Defender: SC-200 Exam Prep
PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA Portal
PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA Portal in Three HoursMore free courses: Free cyber security courses · Free IT security and SOC analyst courses
Classroom course, Bangalore
PLC training in Bangalore
The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) is our classroom course in PLC programming and industrial automation, taught in person at our Electronic City centre.
Credits
Who made the video lessons
The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
- US Federal Trade Commission (FTC)the Cybersecurity for Small Business and Start with Security series: basics, phishing, scams against small businesses, secure devices and paper, secure remote access, ransomware, storing information securely and data breach response
- Professor Messerthe CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 lessons on phishing, password attacks, multifactor authentication, password security, wireless security settings, endpoint security, backups and privacy
- National Cybersecurity Alliance (StaySafeOnline)the CISA Cyber Essentials videos, including Chapter 1 on the leader's role
- America's SBDCthe Cybersecurity Basics session for small business owners
- AttentionMechanismthe review of a practical small-business security stack used before the final paper
- Consultants Like Usthe explainer on the FTC Safeguards Rule
- FBIthe warning on business email compromise scams
- Virginia SBDCthe session on protecting a small business, used in the incident module
- West Midlands Regional Cyber Crime Unitthe Small Business Guide from a UK police cyber crime unit
- FTCvideos9 lessons in "Start with security", "Phishing and scams against your business", "Devices, Wi-Fi and remote access", "Ransomware and backups", "Keeping customer data safe" and "When it goes wrong"
- StaySafeOnline.org2 lessons in "Start with security" and "The owner's job in cybersecurity"
- FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)a lesson in "Phishing and scams against your business"
- WM Regional Cyber Crime Unita lesson in "Ransomware and backups"
- VASBDCa lesson in "When it goes wrong"
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.