Frequently Asked Questions

Computer Security US is a cybersecurity awareness training platform owned and operated by Cleared Systems, LLC. We provide comprehensive training covering essential cybersecurity topics including threat awareness, password security, phishing prevention, data protection, and incident response.

Our mission is to make professional-grade cybersecurity education accessible to everyone, helping organizations and individuals build security-conscious cultures and protect their digital assets.

Yes! All five training modules and quizzes are completely free — no subscriptions, paywalls, or hidden costs. You can work through the entire course at no charge.

To receive your official certificate upon completion, a minimum donation of $1 is required. We are not trying to make a profit — this small contribution helps sustain the platform and ensures your commitment to completing the training. We believe cybersecurity education should be accessible to everyone, and that commitment matters.

Our training is designed for anyone interested in improving their cybersecurity awareness, including:

• Employees and staff members of organizations of all sizes
• Small business owners and entrepreneurs
• IT professionals seeking foundational awareness training
• Students and individuals interested in cybersecurity
• Anyone who uses computers and the internet

No prior technical knowledge is required. Our content is designed to be accessible and practical for users at all skill levels.

Your instructor is Carl B. Johnson, CISO, Author, and Instructor. Carl brings extensive experience in cybersecurity and is passionate about making security education accessible to everyone.

Learn more about Carl and his qualifications on our About page.

Our comprehensive training program includes five essential modules:

1. Understanding Cybersecurity Threats - Learn about common cyber threats and attack vectors
2. Password Security & Authentication - Best practices for creating and managing secure passwords
3. Phishing & Social Engineering - Recognize and prevent social engineering attacks
4. Data Protection & Privacy - Protect sensitive information and maintain privacy
5. Incident Response & Reporting - Properly respond to and report security incidents

Each module includes video instruction, detailed content, and a knowledge assessment quiz. All five modules must be successfully completed to be eligible to receive your certificate.

The training is self-paced, so the time required varies by individual. Based on feedback we have received, most users complete the entire program in approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. This includes:

• Watching all video content
• Reading supplementary materials
• Completing all five module quizzes

You can complete the training at your own pace and return to it anytime. Your progress is automatically saved.

Yes, modules must be completed sequentially. Each module builds upon the knowledge from previous modules, and this structured approach ensures you develop a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity awareness.

You must pass each module's quiz with a score of 85% or higher before the next module unlocks. You must successfully complete all five modules before you are eligible to request your certificate.

You must achieve a score of 85% or higher on each module quiz to pass and unlock the next module. If you don't pass on your first attempt, you can retake the quiz after reviewing the module content.

This passing threshold ensures you have a solid understanding of the material before moving forward.

Yes! If you don't achieve the required 85% score, you can review the module content and retake the quiz. There's no limit to the number of attempts, and there's no penalty for retaking a quiz.

We encourage you to review the material thoroughly before retaking the assessment.

The training content is designed to be accessed online through our platform. While the materials are not available for download, you can access them anytime from any device with an internet connection.

Your certificate is available for download after you have successfully completed all five modules and made the minimum $1 donation to support the platform.

Once you successfully complete all five training modules and pass all quizzes with 85% or higher, you can request your official certificate. The process is straightforward:

1. Complete all five modules and pass each quiz with 85% or higher
2. Click the "Request Certificate" button that appears after your final module
3. Make a minimum donation of $1 to support the platform — this is not for profit, but to sustain the training and confirm your commitment
4. Verify your email address to protect certificate integrity
5. Receive a secure download link via email
6. Download your certificate in PDF format

Your certificate includes your name, completion date, unique certificate ID, and a QR code for verification.

All certificates issued by Computer Security US can be verified through our public verification system at verify.computersecurity.us.

You can verify a certificate by:

• Entering the certificate ID number
• Scanning the QR code on the certificate using a smartphone

The verification system will display the certificate holder's name, issue date, and confirm the certificate's authenticity.

Our certificate demonstrates completion of comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training. While we are not an accredited certification body, our certificate is valued by many organizations as proof of security awareness education.

The certificate shows you have:

• Successfully completed all five training modules
• Passed all knowledge assessments with 85% or higher
• Demonstrated understanding of essential cybersecurity concepts

For specific compliance or regulatory requirements, please consult with your organization or qualified security professionals.

Our certificates do not have a built-in expiration date. However, cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field, and many organizations require annual or periodic refresher training.

We recommend reviewing and updating your cybersecurity knowledge regularly. You're welcome to retake the training anytime to stay current with best practices.

Yes! You can request a new copy of your certificate anytime. Simply contact us through our contact page with your name and approximate completion date, and we'll resend your certificate download link.

Your certificate information is permanently stored in our database for verification purposes.

Email verification is required to protect the integrity of our training program and certificates. This critical security measure helps us:

• Prevent Fraud: Ensures certificates are issued to legitimate users with valid email addresses
• Maintain Certificate Integrity: Prevents automated systems from generating fraudulent certificates
• Reduce Abuse: Stops bad actors from creating multiple fake accounts
• Ensure Delivery: Confirms we can successfully deliver your certificate to your email address
• Protect Reputation: Maintains the credibility and value of our certification program

By requiring email verification, we ensure that every certificate represents genuine completion of our training by a real person.

Email verification is simple and only takes a minute:

1. When you request your certificate, we'll send a verification email to the address you provided
2. Check your inbox for an email from Computer Security US
3. Click the verification link in the email
4. Your email is now verified and your certificate download will be unlocked

Important: Verification links expire after 72 hours. If your link expires, you can request a new verification email.

Email verification is a cornerstone of our security-first approach to certificate issuance. Without verification:

• Automated bots could generate thousands of fake certificates
• Bad actors could claim certificates using fake or stolen identities
• The value and credibility of legitimate certificates would be undermined
• Employers and organizations couldn't trust the authenticity of certificates

By requiring verified email addresses, we ensure that:

• Every certificate is tied to a real, reachable person
• Certificate holders have demonstrated basic accountability
• Fraudulent activity can be tracked and prevented
• Your certificate maintains its value and credibility

This is just one of multiple security layers we employ to protect the integrity of our certification program.

If you completed all five training modules, made your donation, but didn't receive your certificate download email, there are a few common reasons:

Need Help? If you've checked all of the above and still haven't received your certificate, please contact Computer Security US. Provide your full name and the email address you used, and we'll investigate and resend your certificate.

If you didn't receive your email verification link:

1. Check your spam/junk folder - Verification emails sometimes get filtered
2. Wait a few minutes - Email delivery can occasionally be delayed
3. Verify the email address - Make sure you entered your email correctly
4. Request a new verification email - If the link expired or you can't find it
5. Contact us - If none of the above work, reach out through our contact page

If you're experiencing issues with video playback, try these troubleshooting steps:

• Refresh your browser page
• Clear your browser cache and cookies
• Try a different web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
• Check your internet connection
• Disable browser extensions that might block video content
• Update your browser to the latest version

If problems persist, please contact us with details about your browser and device.

Your progress is automatically saved as you complete each module. If your progress appears lost, it may be because:

• Your browser cookies were disabled or cleared — progress tracking requires cookies to be enabled
• You switched to a different browser or device
• There was a temporary connection issue during a quiz submission

Make sure cookies are enabled in your browser and use the same browser throughout your training. If you continue experiencing issues, please contact us.

We're here to help! If you're experiencing technical difficulties or have questions not covered in this FAQ, please reach out to us:

• Contact Computer Security US - Fill out our contact form
• Provide details about the issue you're experiencing
• Include your browser type and device information if relevant

We'll respond as quickly as possible to help resolve your issue.

A minimum donation of $1 is required to receive your official certificate. Here's why:

• Not for profit: We are not trying to make money. The small contribution goes toward server costs, content updates, and keeping the platform running for everyone.
• Your commitment matters: Completing cybersecurity awareness training is a meaningful step. A nominal donation signals that you take that commitment seriously — not just that you clicked through.
• Platform sustainability: Keeping professional-grade training free for everyone requires resources. Your contribution helps ensure we can continue offering this at no cost to future learners.

The training itself will always be free. The $1 minimum is simply the cost of receiving your official certificate and supporting the mission.

No. All five training modules and quizzes are completely free to access. You can work through the entire course without making any donation.

A minimum donation of $1 is only required at the time you request your official certificate. If you complete the training for personal knowledge and do not need a certificate, there is no cost whatsoever.

Making a donation is simple and secure:

1. A small donation is required as part of the certificate request process — please note that regardless of any prior donations made, you must successfully complete all five cybersecurity awareness training modules to receive your certificate
2. Enter an amount of $1 or more
3. Complete the secure payment process through Stripe
4. Receive a confirmation email

We use Stripe for payment processing, which supports credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. We do not store your payment information.

Cleared Systems, LLC is a for-profit company, so donations are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions. However, your support directly helps keep this valuable educational resource available to everyone.

Yes! Beyond the minimum donation required for your certificate, there are several ways to support our mission:

Every form of support helps us reach more people and continue providing high-quality cybersecurity education!

We'd love to hear about your experience! You can leave a review on:

• Trustpilot: Visit our Trustpilot page
• Social Media: Share your experience on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter
• Direct Feedback: Send us a message with your testimonial

Your honest feedback helps others understand the value of our training and motivates us to keep improving!

Phishing Awareness Training at phishing.computersecurity.us is a paid SaaS platform built for organizations that want to simulate real-world attacks and measure employee readiness. It goes beyond email — covering phishing, vishing (voice calls), and smishing (SMS text messages).

The platform is built for org-admins who need to run simulations, track results, and generate compliance reports across their workforce.

The free training on computersecurity.us teaches employees about cybersecurity threats through video modules and quizzes. The Phishing Awareness Training platform takes a different approach — it simulates actual attacks so employees experience what a real phishing email, vishing call, or smishing text looks and feels like.

• Free platform: Education-based, self-paced, individual learners, certificate upon completion
• Phishing platform: Simulation-based, organization-managed, team-wide reporting, compliance-ready

The two platforms complement each other — use the free training to build foundational awareness, and the phishing platform to test and reinforce it.

The platform simulates three categories of social engineering attacks:

• Phishing — Realistic email-based attacks using lookalike domains, misspellings, and homoglyph variations of your organization's domain
• Vishing — Voice-based social engineering simulations that train employees to recognize phone-based manipulation
• Smishing — SMS text message attacks simulated through animated interfaces that mimic real iPhone Messages and Android Messages screens

Training interfaces are animated and designed to closely replicate real attack scenarios — including realistic Outlook email views, mobile messaging apps, and more.

When an org-admin sets up their organization, they enter their company domain. The platform automatically generates a set of realistic lookalike variations used in simulations, including:

• Misspellings — Common typos attackers use (e.g. dropping or swapping letters)
• Homoglyphs — Characters that look visually identical to legitimate letters
• Lookalike domains — Variations that appear trustworthy at a glance

This mirrors exactly how real-world attackers craft convincing phishing campaigns targeting your organization.

Billing is per employee per month, with volume discounts as your organization grows:

• Starter — $1.00/employee/month (1–99 employees)
• Business — $0.75/employee/month (100–499 employees)
• Enterprise — $0.50/employee/month (500+ employees)

Billing is managed by the org-admin through a secure Stripe-powered billing portal. There are no hidden fees — you pay only for the employees in your organization.

The platform uses a tiered admin structure designed for organizations of any size:

• Org-Admin — Full control over the organization, manages billing, configures simulations, and oversees all employees and departments
• Sub-Admin / Dept-Admin — Manages assigned departments or groups without access to billing
• Employees — Complete assigned training modules; their results feed into org-level reporting

Only the org-admin has access to billing and subscription management.

Employees must achieve 85% or higher on training assessments to pass — the same standard used in our free awareness training. Organizations can configure the number of questions employees are presented with, and the platform tracks time spent per question and per training tier for detailed reporting.

Visit phishing.computersecurity.us to create your organization account. You can also contact us if you have questions about whether the platform is the right fit for your team.