Best Cybersecurity YouTube Channels: 12 Creators Worth Watching

You can learn a lot about cybersecurity on YouTube.

You can also watch 45 minutes of content and walk away with… nothing.

That’s why this post exists.

If you’re searching for the best cybersecurity YouTube channels, you probably want two things fast:

• A list of channels worth subscribing to
• A simple way to pick the right videos so you actually learn cybersecurity instead of collecting tabs

We’re picky about YouTube at Vidpros because we live in it all day, and attention is the real budget. So this is a curated list, not a “here are 83 channels” directory. It’s the best cybersecurity YouTube channels for practical learning, real-world context, and skills you can build over time.

Quick Answer: The Best Cybersecurity YouTube Channels and What They’re Best At

If you just want the list, here it is.

A simple way to use this post: pick 2–3 YouTube channels that match your goal, then follow the 30-day plan later.

Top picks by “best for”:

• Best overall momentum: NetworkChuck (great for networking and foundational network security)
• Best real-world breakdowns: John Hammond (excellent malware analysis, threat breakdowns, and vulnerability analysis)
• Best hands-on foundation: The Cyber Mentor (TCM) for penetration testing and offensive security fundamentals
• Best fundamentals and mindset: LiveOverflow for CTF challenges, web security thinking, and core exploitation concepts
• Best tutorial library: HackerSploit for practical walkthroughs and security topics tied to real tools
• Best walkthrough method: IppSec for step-by-step thinking, including privilege escalation patterns
• Best certification anchor: Professor Messer as a go-to Security+ YouTube channel and general cybersecurity education
• Best practical demos and gear: Hak5 for hardware hacking, hacking tools, and hands-on cybersecurity tools
• Best practitioner webcasts: Black Hills Information Security for incident response, red and blue discussions, and security teams
• Best training-org authority: SANS Institute for defensive programs, digital forensics, and real workflows
• Best conference archive: DEF CON for research, tactics, and community learning
• Best research-heavy talks: Black Hat for enterprise-grade security thinking and emerging threats

Bonus picks (great, but not cybersecurity-only):

• freeCodeCamp.org for structured courses and educational content
• IBM Technology for enterprise cloud security, network security, and an organizational perspective
• Computerphile for fundamentals that make you sound like you actually understand what’s happening

Now that you’ve got the shortlist, let’s make the “best” part feel earned.

How We Picked the Best Cybersecurity YouTube Channels

“Best” is subjective. Always has been.

So instead of pretending there’s a perfect ranking system, we used a simple filter that matches the actual intent behind the best cybersecurity YouTube channels.

Here’s what mattered most.

What “best” means in this list:

• Trust signals: the creator is a legit practitioner, a respected organization, or consistently referenced by security professionals
• Practical skills: you can apply what you watch, not just nod along
• Structured learning: playlists, series, or a teaching style that builds core skills over time
• Ethics and safety: content supports responsible learning for ethical hackers and defenders
• Breadth without chaos: coverage of cyber threats, cyber attacks, and security awareness, without trying to cover every possible niche in one video

One extra thing I care about: time respect.

I treat YouTube like a gym. If I walk in without a plan, I do random machines, leave sweaty, and still don’t get stronger. The best cybersecurity YouTube channels make it easy to show up and make progress.

The 12 Best Cybersecurity YouTube channels (and why they’re “best”)

Quick note before we start.

Subscriber count is a signal, but it’s not the whole story. Some channels are smaller because they’re niche or because they serve experienced professionals. Others are huge because they’re great at teaching.

This list balances both.

NetworkChuck

NetworkChuck | 5.17M subscribers

If you need motivation and momentum, this is the pick. NetworkChuck makes “security” feel doable, especially when you’re building foundations like networking and network security.

Best for: staying consistent, building fundamentals, learning security-adjacent skills

Why it’s one of the best cybersecurity YouTube channels:

• Strong beginner-friendly explanations
• Great entry point into networking, Linux, and practical workflows
• Helps you build core skills that show up everywhere in cybersecurity

Popular Video: you need to learn Virtual Machines RIGHT NOW!! (Kali Linux VM, Ubuntu, Windows) 

If you run a business: watch one video, then turn it into one tiny policy change. Example: “We’re switching to a password manager,” or “MFA becomes default.”

John Hammond

John Hammond | 2.12M subscribers

John Hammond is one of the best “real-world security” educators on YouTube.

His content often overlaps with malware analysis, threat intelligence, and understanding how cyber attacks actually unfold. It’s practical, and it builds instincts.

Best for: malware analysis, vulnerability analysis, attack breakdowns, and learning to think clearly under pressure

Why it’s one of the best cybersecurity YouTube channels:

• Great at explaining malware behavior without turning it into a confusing science project
• Helps you understand attacker goals and how defenders respond
• Useful even if you’re not doing reverse engineering yourself

Popular Video: TryHackMe! Basic Penetration Testing 

The Cyber Mentor (TCM Security)

The Cyber Mentor (TCM Security) | 982K subscribers

This is hands-on learning done right.

You’ll see a lot of content geared toward penetration testing, offensive security, and the mindset ethical hackers use to test systems without chaos.

Best for: structured hands-on learning, pentest foundations, practical methodology

Why it belongs on this list:

• Teaches a repeatable approach, not just hacking techniques
• Good learning flow for people who want hands-on experience
• A strong bridge into red teaming concepts without being reckless

Popular Video: Ethical Hacking in 12 Hours – Full Course – Learn to Hack! 

LiveOverflow

LiveOverflow | 936K subscribers 

LiveOverflow is the channel you watch when you want fundamentals, not shortcuts.

A lot of the content leans into CTF challenges, exploitation techniques, and core mental models that make you better at security over time.

Best for: CTF challenges, web security mindset, structured problem-solving

Why it’s one of the best cybersecurity YouTube channels:

• Builds intuition through puzzles and clear explanations
• Great for understanding exploitation techniques at a conceptual level
• Often touches areas like binary exploitation, reverse engineering, and privilege escalation in ways that stick

Popular Video: The Secret step-by-step Guide to learn Hacking 

HackerSploit

HackerSploit | 1M subscribers 

HackerSploit is strong for structured tutorials and real tools.

If you’re learning web security, you’ll see topics that map nicely to OWASP Foundation concepts like common web vulnerabilities. That’s useful because OWASP is a common reference point for security teams and developers.

Best for: tutorials, real tools, web security basics, practical skills

Why it belongs on this list:

• Step-by-step structure makes it easy to follow
• Covers common vulnerabilities and shows practical demonstrations
• Great for building a baseline before you move into more advanced material

Popular Video: Metasploit For Beginners – #1 – The Basics – Modules, Exploits & Payloads 

IppSec

IppSec | 306K subscribers 

IppSec is popular for a reason.

If you want to get better at thinking systematically, this channel will do it. You’ll see patterns, especially around enumeration and privilege escalation, that show up again and again in labs and real environments.

Best for: walkthrough discipline, structured methodology, learning to avoid skipping steps

Why it’s one of the best cybersecurity YouTube channels:

• Teaches the method, not just the final answer
• Great pacing for note-taking
• Helps you build a reusable checklist

Popular Video: Introduction to tmux 

Hak5

Hak5 | 997K subscribers 

Hak5 is a long-running channel that makes security feel tangible.

You’ll see hardware hacking, security gadgets, and real “this is how it works” demos. It’s also a great way to get familiar with cybersecurity tools and hacking tools without turning everything into a fantasy.

Best for: hardware hacking, practical demonstrations, tooling awareness

Why it belongs here:

• Demos are memorable and practical
• Good mix of network security, device risks, and real-world scenarios
• Helps you understand how attackers think about access and scale

Popular Video: Hacking WiFi Passwords with Cowpatty, plus Vista Security Hacks! 

Professor Messer

Professor Messer | 1.26M subscribers 

If you want structure, this is your anchor.

Professor Messer is one of the cleanest choices for cybersecurity education and cybersecurity fundamentals, and he’s the first name many people associate with a Security+ YouTube channel.

Best for: Security+, structured learning, foundational concepts

Why it’s one of the best cybersecurity YouTube channels:

• Organized from start to finish
• Bite-sized lessons, easy to track progress
• Great for beginners and also useful as a refresher

Popular Video: How to Pass your 220-1101 and 220-1102 A+ Exams – CompTIA A+ 220-1101 

Black Hills Information Security (BHIS)

Black Hills Information Security | 71K subscribers 

BHIS content often feels like you’re sitting in on a practical session, not watching entertainment.

This is where you’ll hear smart discussions on security topics like incident response, defense strategies, and what security engineers are seeing in the field.

Best for: practitioner webcasts, incident response thinking, real team discussions

Why it belongs here:

• High-signal sessions that help professionals
• Great for security teams who want deeper context
• Practical topics you can translate into policies and playbooks

Popular Video: How to Build a Home Lab for Infosec with Ralph May | 1 Hour 

SANS Institute

SANS Institute | 67.8K subscribers 

SANS is an authority in professional training, and its content is useful for people building real programs.

If you’re working with security teams, security engineers, or even just trying to set better processes, this is worth subscribing to.

Best for: defensive training context, digital forensics exposure, experienced professionals

Why it’s one of the best cybersecurity YouTube channels:

• Strong professional credibility
• Covers real workflows, not just flashy demos
• Useful for leaders who want to understand how organizations handle risk

This is also a natural home base if you’re hunting for blue team YouTube channels, because the content tends to support defensive thinking and incident response readiness.

Popular Video: How to Present Cyber Security Risk to Senior Leadership | SANS Webcast 

DEF CON Conference (official channel)

DEFCONConference | 397K subscribers 

DEF CON talks are where you go to see how weird problems get solved.

Not every talk will be relevant to your day-to-day. That’s fine. The value is exposure, pattern recognition, and staying aware of what’s possible on the internet.

Best for: research talks, big-picture awareness, broad security exposure

Why it’s one of the best cybersecurity YouTube channels:

• Huge archive across various cybersecurity topics
• Great for understanding how quickly things change
• Helpful for tracking cyber threats and attacker creativity

Popular Video: DEF CON 32 – Inside the FBI’s Secret Encrypted Phone Company ‘Anom’ – Joseph Cox 

Black Hat (official channel)

Black Hat | 254K subscribers 

Black Hat content tends to be more research-heavy and enterprise-oriented.

If you care about cloud security, enterprise risk, or how large organizations respond to constantly evolving threats, this is a strong pick.

Best for: enterprise research, latest trends, emerging threats

Why it’s one of the best cybersecurity YouTube channels:

• High-quality research sessions
• More focus on enterprise realities and scale
• Great for leaders and technical teams who want to stay ahead

Popular Video: Black Hat USA 2025 Promo 

Bonus Channels (great for cybersecurity, even if they aren’t cyber-only)

These are “bonus” because they’re broader tech channels, but they still support cybersecurity learning in a real way.

freeCodeCamp.org

freeCodeCamp.org | 11.5M subscribers 

freeCodeCamp is famous for long courses, and that format works really well for cybersecurity education.

If you want to learn cybersecurity like you’re taking a free class, this is a good place to start.

Best for: structured educational content and long-form courses

Why it belongs here:

• Full-length courses you can follow in order
• Great for beginners who want less hopping around
• Practical pacing for building core skills

This is also one of the easiest recommendations for people searching for cybersecurity YouTube channels for beginners, because it’s structured.

IBM Technology

IBM Technology | 1.61M subscribers 

IBM Technology is an enterprise tech education. It’s a good fit for people who want to understand how security works at an organizational level.

You’ll see clear explanations around cloud security, network security, and security concepts in the context of teams and governance.

Best for: enterprise cloud security thinking and organizational perspective

Why it belongs here:

• Helps professionals translate security into business language
• Useful for security teams setting standards
• Great for leaders who want clarity without hype

Computerphile

Computerphile | 2.61M subscribers 

Computerphile is the “make the fundamentals click” channel.

Computer scientists often host it and feature explanations that make security concepts less mysterious. Great for beginners and for people who want to refresh the fundamentals.

Best for: foundational understanding that makes everything else easier

Why it belongs here:

• Clear explanations of core concepts
• Great for building intuition
• Helps you communicate security topics clearly to non-technical people

Now that you’ve got options, let’s make choosing simple.

How to Choose the Right Channels Fast

This is where the list turns into a plan.

Pick the goal that matches your current situation, then choose 2–3 channels. That’s how you get value from the best cybersecurity YouTube channels without turning it into a binge habit.

If you’re starting from zero

You want structure, clarity, and low overwhelm.

A simple combo:

• Professor Messer for cybersecurity fundamentals
• freeCodeCamp for long-form educational content
• NetworkChuck for momentum and networking basics

That combination fits people searching cybersecurity YouTube channels for beginners because it gives you a path.

If you want hands-on skills (in a legal learning environment)

You want labs, method, and repetition.

A solid combo:

• The Cyber Mentor for penetration testing foundations
• HackerSploit for tutorials and tooling
• IppSec for walkthrough discipline

This is the lane most people mean when they search for ethical hacking YouTube channels. You’ll get hands-on experience, but keep it ethical. Labs, CTF platforms, and intentional practice.

If you’re defending a business (practical wins)

You want awareness, habits, and realistic playbooks.

A solid combo:

• John Hammond for threat intelligence style breakdowns
• BHIS for practical incident response thinking
• IBM Technology for an enterprise perspective and cloud security

If you’re building that defensive mindset, you’ll naturally drift toward blue team YouTube channels, because defense is mostly process and consistency.

If you want certification momentum

If you want a clean track, do this:

• Professor Messer is your main Security+ YouTube channel
• SANS for a broader professional context
• Computerphile for the fundamentals that make cert topics stick

Alright. Now let’s make sure you actually do something with all this.

Next Step: Pick 3 Channels, Follow a 30-day Plan, and Actually Get Safer

Here’s how I’d do it if I wanted results without turning this into a new hobby. Pick three channels from this list that match your goal, block 30 minutes on your calendar twice a week, and keep one running note where you save the best tips and checklists. Then, once a week, take one small action to make your setup safer, like tightening account access, enabling MFA everywhere, or writing a simple “if we get locked out, here’s what we do” plan. 

That’s how the best cybersecurity YouTube channels stop being “good content” and start turning into real security improvements you can feel.

And if you decide to share what you’re learning, maybe as quick internal training clips, onboarding videos for your team, or even a short YouTube series, you don’t have to spend your weekends editing it all together. 

Vidpros can handle the edits, so you can stay focused on the learning and keep posting consistently. 

The offer is simple and stays out of the way: $100 trial, 1 week of professional video editing, with either 10 short-form videos or 1 long-form video. Either way, you end up with clean, usable content you’ll actually be proud to send out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best channel to learn cyber security for free?

If you want the “full course” format, freeCodeCamp is great. If you want structure and a steady pace, Professor Messer is a strong pick.

What’s the best Security+ YouTube channel?

Professor Messer is still the cleanest answer because the course is so well organized. If you want extra real-world context, pair it with SANS.

What should I avoid on YouTube?

If the content encourages unsafe behavior or pushes hacking techniques toward real targets, skip it. The best cybersecurity YouTube channels respect ethics, show safe practice habits, and encourage learning responsibly.

Which channels are best for malware analysis and digital forensics?

John Hammond is the most beginner-friendly entry for malware analysis-style content. SANS is a good anchor for digital forensics context and professional workflows.