From Zero to Cybersecurity Certification

Master Cybersecurity strategically*:

15 actionable chapters, a lot of valuable insights, weekly step-by-step tutorials for each project milestone, live office hours, 2 years of access, and guidance from a real-world CISO & tech founder.

In this training, Carolin Desirée Toepfer teaches exactly the frameworks, decision models, and lean implementation approaches she uses with her clients. You’ll learn how to think like a modern security leader, cut through noise, focus on what truly matters and deliver results that move the needle, even in fast-changing and high-risk environments.

Safeguard your Business and accelerate Growth!

Your Accountability Partner:

From Zero to Cybersecurity Certification

Take your first step from zero to CISO-level implementation: safeguard your business, manage risks, and accelerate growth - no technical background required.

How it works:

• One team member becomes your Cybersecurity Project Lead - tech background optional,
• investing 2 hours/ week for learning and to attend office hours + time for project management duties,
• needed cybersecurity knowledge and project management skills are taught here!
  
• Reach weekly project milestones with your team, build a solid foundation for long-term success and achieve certification-readiness within 6-12 months!
• Start when you are ready, learn and implement at your own pace.

Who should enroll: founders, owners, managers, startup teams, consultants, and aspiring cybersecurity professionals.

Start turning cybersecurity into measurable business value today. Begin your journey from zero to certification-ready now:

Main Modules

Step-by-Step Learning Path that integrates with your remaining Work Load:

Before You Start

• Highlights: Mindset & project lead responsibilities, holistic cybersecurity approach, budgeting tips.
• Develop a Cybersecurity Mindset: Learn how to think like a CISO, understand threats, and build strong security habits from day one.
• Avoid Common Cybersecurity Budget Mistakes: Discover how to prioritize spending, implement cost-effective controls, and prevent unnecessary overspending while protecting your organization.

1. Shifting Attack Scenarios

• Understand threats: hackers, viruses, AI fraud, identity theft, deepfakes, work process attacks.
• See How AI Impacts Cybersecurity: Explore how artificial intelligence can both strengthen defenses and introduce new threats, from automated attacks to predictive risk analysis.
• Implement Effective Fraud Detection in Daily Business: Learn practical strategies to spot and prevent fraud, phishing, and AI-driven scams in everyday business operations.

2. Quick Fixes & Work Process Changes

• Implement security functions, updates, employee lifecycle changes, penalties, and feedback loops in time.
• Achieve Quick Cybersecurity Wins: Implement fast, practical measures and secure backups to immediately reduce risk.
• Boost Your Security Efficiently: Prioritize low-cost, high-impact actions that strengthen defenses without overcomplicating workflows.

3. Legal Requirements

• Understand data protection, business continuity, AI, software/IT compliance, individual industry rules, supply chain controls.
• Meet Small and Medium Business Cybersecurity Legal Requirements: Understand regulatory obligations, industry standards, and compliance steps to protect your company from legal and financial risks.
• Know where to get legal support and learn how to safeguard sensitive client and employee information, implement privacy policies, and prevent data breaches.

4. Risk Matrix Development

• Holistic risk view, dynamic changes, research, rumors, CISO insights, people skills, time management, lobbying.
• Learn How to Build a Cybersecurity Risk Matrix: Identify, assess, and prioritize risks systematically to strengthen your organization’s security posture.
• Apply CISO Project Management Tips: Use executive-level strategies for planning, tracking, and executing cybersecurity initiatives efficiently.

5. Project Templates

• Risk matrix, budget template, client upsell identification, project timeline, roles/responsibilities, document folder setup, worst-case plan.
• Use Cybersecurity Project Management Templates: Streamline planning, tracking, and documentation of your security initiatives with ready-to-use, structured templates.
• Leverage SMB Risk Management Tools: Implement practical tools and frameworks to identify, assess, and mitigate risks effectively in small and medium-sized businesses.

6. Training Leads to Participation

• Early alarm system, mandatory training, anti-fraud campaigns, reputation management, brand safety.
• Follow Employee Cybersecurity Training Best Practices: Equip your team with essential skills, awareness, and procedures to prevent security incidents and reduce human error.
• Implement Human Barrier Campaigns: Strengthen organizational defenses by fostering secure behaviors and creating awareness campaigns that address common social engineering attacks.

7. Choose the Right Framework

• Metrics, frameworks (CyberTrust, ISO27001, ISO42001, ISO22301, SOC2), industry certifications, partner selection.
• Learn the Art of Choosing a Cybersecurity Framework: Understand how to select the right framework for your organization’s size, industry, and risk profile.
• Compare CyberTrust vs ISO 27001 vs SOC2: Make informed decisions by exploring the benefits, requirements, and applicability of each leading security standard.

8. Cybersecurity Project Planning

• Overview, double-checks, meetings, performance, motivation, partners, milestones, ISMS setup, tools.
• Master Cybersecurity Project Planning for Small Businesses: Organize tasks, timelines, and resources to execute security initiatives efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Learn How to Implement ISMS Effectively: Establish an Information Security Management System that aligns with standards, ensures compliance, and strengthens your overall security posture.

9. IT Infrastructure Overview

• Workplace, infrastructure, development, products, fraud and phishing detection, communication strategies.
• Strengthen your IT Infrastructure Security: Secure networks, endpoints, and cloud systems to reduce vulnerabilities and prevent cyberattacks in small and medium-sized businesses.
• Protect Digital Assets Effectively: Safeguard sensitive data, intellectual property, and business-critical information from theft, fraud, and unauthorized access.

10. Worst Case Plan

• Key people, phone numbers, SLAs, process quality, sensitive info handling, certificate review.
• Develop Robust Business Continuity Planning: Ensure your organization can maintain critical operations during disruptions, cyberattacks, or system failures.
• Implement Cybersecurity Contingency Planning: Prepare actionable strategies to respond to security incidents, minimize damage, and recover quickly.

11. Policies

• Templates, industry add-ons, customization, triple double-check, framework prep, documentation tips.
• Use Ready-to-Go Cybersecurity Policy Templates: Streamline policy creation with templates designed to cover governance, controls, and compliance requirements.
• Maintain Comprehensive Security Documentation: Organize procedures, evidence, and control records to strengthen internal security practices and support audits.

12. Vendor Management

• Client/vendor roles, IT vendor onboarding, assessment, audit prep, contract negotiations.
• Master Vendor Risk Management in Cybersecurity: Evaluate and monitor third-party providers to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities and protect your business.
• Conduct Effective Third-Party IT Security Assessments: Assess IT vendors’ security practices, compliance, and risk exposure to ensure safe collaboration.

13. Contact to Stakeholders & Regulators

• Institutions, networks, working groups, navigating compliance.
• Enhance Cybersecurity Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with regulators, partners, and internal teams to drive security initiatives and collaboration.
• Ensure Regulatory Compliance: Understand and implement legal and industry requirements to protect your business and avoid fines.

14. Cybersecurity for Business Development

• Upsell opportunities, brand trust, new business models, client acquisition.
• Using Cybersecurity to Grow Your Business: Leverage strong security practices as a competitive advantage to attract clients and expand market opportunities.
• Build Brand Trust Through Security: Demonstrate your commitment to protecting client data and operations, enhancing reputation and customer confidence.

15. Future of Cybersecurity

• AI, agents, quantum computing, fraud, dependencies.
• Stay Ahead with Future Cybersecurity Trends: Explore emerging technologies, threats, and strategies to keep your business secure in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
• Leverage AI in Cybersecurity Risk Management: Use artificial intelligence to detect threats, predict risks, and automate protective measures for smarter security decisions.