Why IT Risk Management Matters

Most business executives recognize that uncertainties in the business environment are leading to increasingly complex risks, yet only one-third of organizations have mature risk management processes in place. The global financial cost of cyber attacks has exceeded $10.5 trillion in 2025 and continues to grow as threats become more sophisticated.

Whether you're an aspiring IT professional, experienced technician, or cybersecurity specialist, understanding risk management is essential. Risk management is embedded in everything we do in IT—from network security to project planning to compliance.



Practical Risk Management Training

This course is based on real-world experience, not just theory. You'll learn IT risk management fundamentals through practical explanations, real business case studies, and actionable frameworks you can apply immediately.

  • 3 Hours of Focused Instruction: Step-by-step training covering the complete risk management lifecycle from identification through monitoring.
  • 5 Section Quizzes: Test your knowledge and reinforce learning as you progress through each section.



  • Real-World Case Studies: Analyze actual IT security incidents including the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack and SWOT analysis for cloud computing adoption.
  • Complete Course Materials: Downloadable PDF versions of all lecture slides for reference and offline study.
  • Lifetime Access: Learn at your own pace with permanent access to all materials and future updates.

What You'll Learn

This course provides comprehensive coverage of IT risk management essentials, from understanding what risk really means to implementing effective monitoring and control processes. Perfect for IT professionals at any level.

Risk Fundamentals & Identification

  • Understanding Risk: Learn what risks and issues are, the fundamental elements of risk (assets, threats, vulnerabilities), and the difference between tangible and intangible assets.
  • Why Risk Management Matters: Understand legal and regulatory concerns, explore common IT vulnerabilities, and analyze the current state of cybersecurity through real breach data.
  • Risk Identification: Master risk appetite and tolerance concepts, learn multiple methods for identifying IT risks, understand IT security assessments, and explore risk interdependencies.
  • Colonial Pipeline Case Study: Deep-dive analysis of the 2021 ransomware attack that shut down America's largest fuel pipeline. Examine what went wrong and lessons learned.



Assessment, Response & Control

  • Risk Assessments: Learn both qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methodologies, work through sample risk assessment scenarios, and understand when to use each approach.
  • Risk Responses: Master the four risk response categories (avoidance, acceptance, mitigation, transference), understand security controls in the context of risk management, and learn about residual risk.
  • The Risk Register: Discover what a risk register is, why it's essential for tracking risks, and walk through a complete risk register example showing how to document and manage risks effectively.
  • Monitoring & Control: Learn ongoing risk monitoring methods, explore risk monitoring tools, and understand the role of risk PMOs, champions, and advocates in maintaining effective risk management.
  • Why Risk Management Fails: Understand common pitfalls and failure points in risk management programs so you can avoid them in your own organization.


What Students Are Saying

"I enjoyed this course! This was a great Risk Assessment refresher course for me. I like how the content is structured to make the information clear and easy to grasp. The practical explanations and examples bring the concepts home. I also like the expanded definitions which gives you a better idea of what the terminology entails. I found the case studies insightful. If you want to get a grip on the essential concepts of IT Risk Management, I recommend this course!"

— Surette Kimble ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



"As with all of Alton's courses here on Udemy - his instruction is perfectly paced and structured in a way that students of all levels can be engaged and understand the material. Risk management is a topic that is coming up more and more in real world scenarios and Alton's course is a great entry point into this expanding field. Thanks Alton and keep the great content coming!!!!"

— Kevin Frenette ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



"I had a great learning experience with this course. The instructor did a fabulous job of structuring the concepts in such a way that they build on each other. The lectures flowed and were easy to assimilate. 5 stars!"

— Isaac Paul ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome to the Course

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. Why Learn IT Risk Management from Me?

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. Course Lecture PDFs

    1. Section Introduction

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. What is a Risk?

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. What is an Issue?

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. What is Risk Management?

      FREE PREVIEW

    5. Who Uses Risk Management?

    6. The Elements of Risk

    7. Assets, Threats, Vulnerabilities and Risks

    8. Tangible and Intangible Assets

    9. The Three Categories of Threats

    10. Common IT Vulnerabilities

    11. Risk Categories

    12. The Risk Management Lifecycle

    13. Understanding Risk Section Quiz

    1. Section Introduction

    2. Why do We Need Risk Management?

    3. Legal and Regulatory Concerns

    4. Deeper Dive Look at IT Vulnerabilities

    5. The Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape 2024

    6. Colonial Pipeline Case Study

    7. Student Exercise: Colonial Pipeline Case Study Analysis

    1. Section Introduction

    2. The Role of Risk Appetite and Tolerance

    3. Identifying IT Risks

    4. IT Security Assessments

    5. SWOT Analysis Case Study: Cloud Computing

    6. Understanding Risk Interdependencies

    7. Netflix Case Study: Calculated Risk for Cloud Success

    8. Student Exercise: Netflix Case Study Analysis

    9. Risk Identification Section Quiz

    1. Section Introduction

    2. Types of Risk Assessments

    3. Qualitative Risk Assessments

    4. Quantitative Risk Assessments

    5. Sample Risk Assessments

    6. Risk Assessments Section Quiz

    1. Section Introduction

    2. The Four Risk Response Categories

    3. Risk Avoidance and Acceptance

    4. Risk Mitigation and Transference

    5. Understanding Security Controls

    6. Combined Risk Response Activities

    7. Understanding Residual Risk

    8. OVHcloud Case Study: The Fire that Tested the Cloud

    9. Student Exercise: OVHcloud Case Study Analysis

    10. Risk Responses and Controls Section Quiz

About this course

  • $49.95
  • 64 lessons
  • 3 hours of video content

Your Instructor & Real-World Experience

About Alton Hardin

Alton is the founder of Alton Teaches LLC and a former college professor. He spent 12 years as a cybersecurity specialist at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, working in governance, risk, and compliance, where risk management was a daily responsibility. He holds an MBA in Information Assurance and Security Management and multiple certifications, including CISSP, Security+, and Network+.

250,000+ students taught across cybersecurity and IT courses. 90,000+ copies sold of his bestselling books.



Theory Meets Practice

This course is built on years of hands-on risk management experience in government cybersecurity operations. You'll learn the frameworks and methodologies that actually work in real IT departments, not just academic theory.

  • Practical Examples: Every concept is illustrated with real IT scenarios—from server vulnerabilities to cloud computing decisions to ransomware incidents.
  • Actionable Frameworks: Walk away with templates and approaches you can implement immediately, including risk register structure and assessment methodologies.
  • Entry-Level Friendly: Designed for IT professionals with basic IT understanding—no prior risk management experience required.


Ready to Master IT Risk Management?

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Common Questions

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for aspiring and experienced IT professionals, cybersecurity specialists, and anyone working in technology who needs to understand risk management. It's perfect for those who want to advance their careers by adding critical risk management skills to their toolkit.


Do I need prior risk management experience?

No. This is an entry-level course designed to teach you risk management fundamentals from scratch. You only need a basic understanding of information technology to get started.


How long will it take to complete?

The course contains 3 hours of video content across 10 sections. Most students complete it within one week, but you have lifetime access so you can learn at your own pace.


What's included with enrollment?

You get 3 hours of video lectures, 5 section quizzes to test your knowledge, analysis of real-world case studies including the Colonial Pipeline attack, downloadable PDF versions of all slides, and lifetime access to all materials.


Is this course technical?

Yes, this covers technical IT risk management concepts—but it's designed to be accessible. Everything is explained clearly with practical examples. If you work in IT or cybersecurity, you'll understand the material.


What if I'm not satisfied?

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, you may request a refund within 14 days of the original purchase date.