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Ethical hacking is one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity fields, and Udemy offers several excellent free courses on this topic. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to switch careers into cybersecurity, these courses provide practical, hands-on training that can jumpstart your journey.
Why Learn Ethical Hacking?
Ethical hackers (also called "white hat" hackers) help organizations find and fix security vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them. This field is in high demand, with cybersecurity professionals earning competitive salaries and enjoying strong job security.
Best Free Ethical Hacking Courses on Udemy
1. Complete Ethical Hacking & Cybersecurity Course (by Zaid Sabih)
Duration: ~11 hours | Rating: 4.6/5 (89,000+ students)
This is hands-down the best free ethical hacking course on Udemy for beginners. Zaid Sabih walks you through:
- Networking fundamentals and how the internet works
- Network scanning and reconnaissance
- Finding and exploiting vulnerabilities
- Creating backdoors and gaining access
- Post-exploitation techniques
- Covering your tracks (both ethically and defensively)
Who it's for: Absolute beginners with little to no networking knowledge. The course assumes no prior experience and builds up from fundamentals.
Key Strength: Practical, hands-on labs using real tools like Kali Linux, Metasploit, and Wireshark. You'll actually practice the techniques, not just watch theory.
Limitations: Some lectures feel rushed. Would benefit from more detailed explanations in certain sections.
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2. Introduction to Ethical Hacking (by Tech Academy)
Duration: ~5 hours | Rating: 4.4/5
A condensed version perfect if you want just the essentials without the depth. Covers:
- Hacking fundamentals and terminology
- Reconnaissance and footprinting
- Scanning and enumeration
- Basic exploitation
- Ethical and legal considerations
Who it's for: People with limited time who want a quick overview before committing to a longer course.
3. Networking Essentials for Security Professionals
Duration: ~8 hours | Rating: 4.5/5
If you struggle with networking concepts, this prerequisite course is invaluable. You can't hack what you don't understand, and many beginners lack solid networking foundations.
Topics: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, firewalls, routing, and more.
What You'll Learn (General Overview)
- Reconnaissance: How to gather information about a target system
- Scanning: Tools and techniques to map network vulnerabilities
- Enumeration: Extracting detailed information from systems
- Exploitation: Using discovered vulnerabilities to gain access
- Post-Exploitation: Maintaining access and gathering more data
- Covering Tracks: Understanding how attackers hide their actions (and how to detect it)
Is Ethical Hacking Right For You?
Good Fit:
- You're interested in cybersecurity and want hands-on experience
- You enjoy problem-solving and technical challenges
- You want a career with strong job prospects
- You're willing to practice with virtual machines and labs
May Not Be Ideal:
- You prefer purely theoretical learning without hands-on practice
- You need formal certification (CEH, OSCP) immediately—courses are a foundation
- You're uncomfortable with Linux and command-line interfaces
Next Steps After These Courses
These free courses are an excellent foundation. To advance further, consider:
- Practice labs: HackTheBox, TryHackMe, OWASP WebGoat
- Official certifications: CompTIA Security+, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- Advanced courses: Offensive Security courses (OSCP, OSWE)
- Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions: Compete with other hackers ethically
Summary
Udemy's free ethical hacking courses provide exceptional value. With the right course and commitment, you can gain practical skills that lead to a rewarding cybersecurity career. Start with Zaid Sabih's Complete Ethical Hacking course if you want comprehensive training, or choose the shorter Tech Academy course if you're testing the waters.
Published January 5, 2026 | Updated Weekly
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