Our public-sector training program, Cyber Florida/FirstLine, recognizes that people are the first line of defense against cyberattacks. This taxpayer-funded training initiative stems from Florida Legislation HB5001, Section 2944B, which directs Cyber Florida “to conduct cybersecurity training for state and local government executive, managerial, technical, and general staff.” Every employee has a role to play in preventing cybercrime, and this effort aims to make Florida’s public sector workforce the most cyber-ready in the nation!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Scroll down for the current list of available courses. Courses are presented as self-paced online, scheduled online, and in-person, offered at locations throughout the state to minimize travel for participants. Select the course that aligns with your organizational role and schedule, and you will be taken to our partner’s website to formally register for the course. When you complete the course, you will receive a digital badge for your records.

OUR PARTNER PROVIDERS

Cyber Florida at USF has contracted with several partners to provide education and training courses for this program. Clicking on the icon next to the course title takes you to the partner’s site, where you can learn more and register.

GENERAL STAFF COURSES

These self-paced online courses cover fundamental cybersecurity awareness topics such as phishing and business email compromise.
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Cybersecurity Awareness Certificate for Florida State and Local Government Employees (USF) | Self-paced; the course satisfies the Cybersecurity Awareness Training requirement set forth in the FL[DS] Local Government Cybersecurity Resource Packet.

EXECUTIVE COURSES

Half-day, one-day, and two-day courses that cover topics like cyber risk management and incident response and business continuity planning.
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Cybersecurity Management Training for Mid-level Managers in Florida State and Local Government Agencies (USF) | Self-paced

Cybersecurity Executive-level Training for Senior Leadership in Florida State and Local Government Agencies (USF) | online on 9/26, 10/31, 11/28, 12/5

Cybersecurity Leadership and Strategy for Elected Officials, Executive and Managerial Public Sector Employees (FIU) | Self-paced

CERTIFICATION PREP + TECHNICAL COURSES

Everything from single-day cyber skills exercises to certification prep courses (ranging from one to nine weeks) that prepare technical personnel for cybersecurity industry certifications, with exam vouchers included!

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Industry Certification Prep Courses

ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (ISC2-CC) Exam Prep (USF) | Self-paced

GIAC Security Leadership (GSLC) Preparation Certificate (USF) | Self-paced

ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professonals (CISSP) Exam Prep (UWF) | 2/3 – 4/4

EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Exam Prep (UWF) | 2/3 – 4/4

CompTIA Network+ Exam Prep (UWF) | 2/10 – 4/18

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Exam Prep (UWF) | 3/3 – 5/2

CompTIA Security+ Exam Prep (UWF) | 4/7 – 6/6

Technical Courses

Essential Cyber Defenses (UWF) | 3/10 – 3/21

Data Security (UWF) | 3/31 – 4/11

Reverse Engineering Malware (UWF) | 4/7 – 4/18

Governance & Risk Management with AI (UWF) | 5/5 – 5/16

Penetration Testing (UWF) | 5/19 – 5/30

OSINT Techniques and Analysis (UWF) | 6/2 – 6/13

Cyber Skills Exercises

Enhancing Cybersecurity Hygiene (UWF) | 2/4

Ransomware and Insider Threats (UWF) | 2/10

Leveraging Free AI Tools to Enhance Security (UWF) | 2/12

Phishing Scenarios (UWF) | 2/18

Implementing the Risk Management Framework (UWF) | 3/10

MITRE ATT&CK and D3FEND (UWF) | 4/16

IT Policy Writing (UWF) | 5/16

Law Enforcement Courses

In our effort to arrange the best possible courses for our FDLE members, we are working with the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) to provide cyber investigation classes/sessions specifically geared toward law enforcement personnel.

Cyber Investigation Courses (NWC3) | Only in-person options available at this time

FAQS

These courses are free to any Florida-based public sector employee, including state, county, and municipal employees, elected officials, law enforcement personnel, public school teachers, and public college and university employees.

Yes, it’s really free! Florida is serious about cybersecurity, and the Florida Legislature provided funding for this initiative to help improve the cybersecurity posture of all Florida public entities. Most cyberattacks involve a human component—usually an employee who is tricked into clicking a malicious link or unwittingly sharing information that helps cybercriminals access an organization’s network. Training people is a crucial step in preventing cyberattacks.

Multiple courses will be offered in three categories: general staff, managerial and executive, and technical. Consider your work role within your organization to determine the appropriate category, then select the most convenient course for your location and schedule. Consult your supervisor for guidance if needed.

Participation in the CyberSecureFlorida training program is voluntary unless otherwise directed by your organizational leadership. We strongly encourage all public sector employees to take advantage of this unique opportunity as it is good for their resume, their organization, and the State of Florida.

Yes! Participants may take more than one course. Technical employees are encouraged to take multiple courses to maximize their skill set.

Have a question?

Please use this form if you want more information or need assistance. This is NOT a registration form. Please use the links in the course descriptions to register for that course.

Please note: this program is ONLY for state and local government employees.


Archived Courses

Executive Courses
Industry Certification Prep Courses
Technical Courses
Cyber Skills Exercises