For learners with basic networking and operating system knowledge who want to strengthen their IT security foundation. This is a focused IT support security collection, distinct from Google's broader cybersecurity career playlist.
Optional preparation: Free Cybersecurity Course for Beginners by Google.
About this course
Explore the defensive principles behind secure IT operations. Google's video lessons cover cryptography, authentication and authorization, hashing, network defense, hardening, and the role of workplace habits in a security-conscious organization.
What you can learn
- Distinguish authentication, authorization, and accounting
- Understand introductory cryptography and hashing concepts
- Connect network hardening with layered defensive controls
Course at a glance
| Provider | |
|---|---|
| Platform | YouTube · Grow with Google |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Intermediate — WikiFree audience assessment |
| Main language | English |
| Available videos | 7 |
| Video duration | 5h 18m · allow extra time for practice |
| Details checked | 8 October 2026 |
Who is this for?
For learners with basic networking and operating system knowledge who want to strengthen their IT security foundation. This is a focused IT support security collection, distinct from Google's broader cybersecurity career playlist.
Put the ideas into practice
Review a fictional small-office setup and identify unnecessary access, weak recovery arrangements, and missing update routines. Propose a short improvement list, explaining which risk each change addresses.
Choose a video from the lesson list, search for a topic, or use Previous and Next to follow the official playlist order. Mark lessons complete as you go. Your progress is saved in this browser without requiring a WikiFree account.
Free videos and certificate access
These publicly available YouTube videos are free to watch. This listing does not include a Google Career Certificate, graded assignments, or access to a separate paid learning program. Some playlists introduce or preview a larger certificate curriculum. Any certificate enrollment and its current terms are separate from watching here.
Software, advertising, cloud services, and some AI features shown in the videos may require an account or a paid plan. Watching does not require purchasing those optional services. Recorded interfaces can differ from current versions.
Use this course in a learning path
Related courses for your next step
- Review a lower-level optionFree Cybersecurity Course for Beginners by Google
Focus: Recognize common security risks and defensive controls · Explore Linux, SQL, and Python in security workflows
Beginner - Explore a higher-level optionFree MIT Course: Computer Systems Security
Focus: 1. Introduction, Threat Models · 7. Sandboxing Native Code
Professional - Compare another approachFree Simplilearn Course: Cryptography, Encryption and Key Concepts
Focus: Symmetric Encryption · AES & DES
Intermediate
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Free IT Security Course: Networks and Access Control | Intermediate | Distinguish authentication, authorization, and accounting · Understand introductory cryptography and hashing concepts · Connect network hardening with layered defensive controls | 5h 18m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free Cybersecurity Course for Beginners by Google | Beginner | Recognize common security risks and defensive controls · Explore Linux, SQL, and Python in security workflows · Understand monitoring, incident documentation, and response concepts | 18h 41m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free MIT Course: Computer Systems Security | Professional | 1. Introduction, Threat Models · 7. Sandboxing Native Code · 12. Network Security | 29h 44m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free Simplilearn Course: Cryptography, Encryption and Key Concepts | Intermediate | Symmetric Encryption · AES & DES · Key Concepts | 6h 52m of video; practice time is additional |
Provider: Google. Videos play from the Grow with Google channel on YouTube.
Report a correction
Questions & discussion
Share a useful question or correction. Comments appear after moderation. Please avoid personal or sensitive information.