One Year of Decoded Security: From CISSP Notes to a Cybersecurity Learning Platform

Decoded Security turns one. Here’s how a small CISSP study newsletter grew into quizzes, study plans, labs, certification resources, and a community for cybersecurity learners.

A year ago, I started this little newsletter project.

It had no name, no resources, no subscribers, just me preparing for the CISSP exam with a decision to document my journey.

I still remember when I published my first article:

Looking back, it’s terrible. I know a lot about encryption, but I knew nothing about writing a newsletter.

Despite that, I will never delete this article, because it reminds me how much I have improved over time.

As of today, I have 1,304 subscribers, which is far more than I could imagine at the beginning. After all, I had around 30 subscribers after 2 months of publishing.

To celebrate the first year of Decoded Security, I prepared two anniversary gifts:

For the next 14 days, you can try the paid Decoded Security subscription for free.

And if you want a practical roadmap into the field, you can get the 90-Day Cybersecurity Job Blueprint with 80% off. [Ends June 30th]

And I like to think that my articles have gotten a lot better, but that isn’t where I stopped.

What started as a simple newsletter with 1 post a week became a complex environment for people who want to build a career in cybersecurity and pass cybersecurity exams such as CC, CISSP, or Security+.

This is what Decoded Security offers now:

• Quiz platform: Just reading about some concept doesn’t mean you actually understand it. That’s why I publish CISSP-like quizzes that allow you to verify your knowledge.

• Personalized study plan: This allows you to create a plan tailored to your background and goals.

• Gumroad - Guides, Checklists, and other Study resources: Over time, I have published many guides. Here are the most successful ones.

  • Cybersecurity Fundamentals: The 10 Concepts That Get You Through 90% of Interviews (1,145 downloads, 5-star rating)

  • The 90-Day Cybersecurity Job Blueprint (49 sales, 4.8 star rating)

• Decoded Security Certification Hub: Study resources and tips categorized based on different cybersecurity exams: CC, Security+, CISSP.

• Practical labs for people who want to go beyond theory

• And most importantly, a community of people working toward the same goal

If you’re not sure about your next step in cybersecurity, this is the place to go to!

Biggest achievements - Decoded Security in numbers

Maybe you can tell that I am the kind of guy who loves stats and numbers.

So let’s take a look.

Here are a few milestones I’m especially proud of:

• Grew Decoded Security from 0 to 1,304 subscribers

• Decoded Security on Facebook - 404 followers

• Decoded Security on Threads - 566 followers

• Decoded Security on Instagram - 192 followers

• Erich Winkler on LinkedIn - 739 followers

• Reached 1,145 downloads for Top 10 Cybersecurity Fundamentals

• Sold 49 copies of the 90-Day Cybersecurity Job Blueprint

But the biggest achievement is not really the numbers. ( Even though I love them)

It’s seeing people use these resources to understand difficult concepts, prepare for exams, make career decisions, and feel less lost in cybersecurity.

That’s why you can reach out to me anytime!

Thank you for reading Decoded Security

I appreciate every single one of you for reading Decoded Security and reaching out to me with interesting questions.

However, I would especially like to thank some of the people I “met” on this journey who really helped me grow and improve my newsletter.

Since a simple thank you won’t help them much, I will also share their newsletter, which I find to be one of the best I have found on this platform.

• ToxSec - One of the most experienced AI and Cybersecurity experts I have had a chance to collaborate with. We had 300 subscribers at the same time.
  Well, ToxSec got ahead a little! This is my thank-you for our previous collaboration, and I hope we will work on another project together again!

• Dr Sam Illingworth - Sam runs one of the most interesting and fastest-growing AI newsletters out there. And I can tell it’s no coincidence. If you want a fresh perspective on how to use AI properly, Slow AI is for you!

• Mohib Ur Rehman - Mohib is with me here from the very beginning. He helped me grow and commented on my posts when no one else did. We have had many interesting discussions. Thank you!

• Chris #TheAntiVirusGuy Moody - Chris is the guy from practice. While I was describing high-level concepts from textbooks, he always provided insights on how things really work from his experience. If you’re curious about protecting business assets and your privacy, I can only recommend his newsletter!

What Comes Next

Decoded Security is still just getting started.

Last year, I was building the concept and the brand.

This year, I’m building the system.

The goal is simple:

To make Decoded Security one of the best places for people who want to understand cybersecurity, prepare for certification exams, and build a real career in the field.

That means more practical explanations of cybersecurity concepts.

More exam-focused resources for CC, Security+, and CISSP.

More quizzes, study plans, labs, and career-focused material.

And more content that connects textbook knowledge with real-world security work.

Because passing an exam is important.

But understanding how to think like a security professional is what actually changes your career.

If you are not sure about your next step in cybersecurity, Decoded Security is here to help.

Thank you for being part of the first year.

The next one will be even better.

If Decoded Security helped you this year, leave a comment and tell me which cybersecurity topic you want me to decode next.

Let’s Connect

If you want to collaborate, discuss, or just geek out over networking and cybersecurity, reach out:

Email: erich.winkler@decodedsecurity.com
LinkedIn: Erich Winkler
Gumroad community: Decoded Security
Start Here: Decoded Security Roadmap

Let’s learn and grow together!