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EC09 - Cybersecurity: Attack, Defence, and Operational Practice

An advanced exploration of offensive techniques, defensive strategies, and security operations in contemporary cyber environments.

Credits

7.5 ECTS

Semester

2 Semester

Delivery

Online

Duration

13 weeks

Language

English

About This Course

This is a second-semester course in the MBA in Advanced Cybersecurity Technologies &
Governance
This course provides an advanced, hands-on exploration of cybersecurity, combining offensive techniques, defensive strategies, and security operations practice. Students examine how modern attacks are carried out, detected, and managed, while developing practical skills in ethical hacking, monitoring, incident response, and threat intelligence. The course emphasises real-world scenarios, SOC operations, and professional judgement, preparing students to operate effectively in complex organisational and regulatory environments.

What You Will Learn


Cyber Threat Landscape & Adversarial Thinking

  • Evolution of cyber threats from opportunistic to state-sponsored attacks
  • Behaviour and strategies of threat actors and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
  • Common attack types including ransomware, phishing, and supply-chain attacks


Cybersecurity Operations & Incident Response

  • The Attack–Detect–Respond–Improve cybersecurity lifecycle
  • Structure and role of Security Operations Centres (SOC)
  • Incident response frameworks such as the NIST lifecycle


Security Technologies & Operational Ecosystems

  • Core cybersecurity tools: SIEM, SOAR, EDR, and threat intelligence platforms

  • Integration of detection, monitoring, and response systems

  • Legal, regulatory, and ethical considerations in cybersecurity operations

Your 13-Week Journey

Here’s how your learning unfolds

Week 1 – Cybersecurity Foundations

Introduction to the threat landscape, attack actors, ethics, and lab setup.

Week 2 – Reconnaissance & OSINT

Passive and active intelligence gathering using open-source techniques.

Week 3 – Scanning & Enumeration

Mapping attack surfaces through network and service discovery.

Week 4 – Exploitation Techniques

Exploiting vulnerabilities in systems and applications safely.

Week 5 – Post-Exploitation & Lateral Movement

Privilege escalation, persistence, and internal network movement.

Week 6 – Defence Mechanisms

Defence-in-depth principles and core protective technologies.

Week 7 – Security Monitoring & Logging

Detecting attacks through logs, events, and SIEM analysis.

Week 8 – Incident Response

Managing security incidents from detection to recovery.

Week 9 – Threat Intelligence

Using CTI to enhance detection and defensive decision-making.

Week 10 – Security Operations Centres (SOC)

SOC workflows, alert triage, and operational documentation.

Week 11 – Malware Analysis

Understanding malware behaviour through safe analysis techniques.

Week 12 – Identity & Zero Trust

Authentication, access control, and Zero Trust architectures.

Week 13 – Capstone & Assessment

Applying skills to a realistic attack-defence scenario.


Skills You Will Gain

Cyber Attack Analysis & Threat Modelling

  • Analysing cyber threats, attack lifecycles, and adversarial behaviour
  • Identifying and classifying different types of cyber attacks
  • Applying structured approaches to threat modelling and risk evaluation

Security Operations & Incident Management

  • Understanding and contributing to SOC operations
  • Applying incident response processes from detection to recovery
  • Using operational frameworks to manage real-world cyber incidents

Operational Cybersecurity Strategy

  • Evaluating the role of security technologies in enterprise environments
  • Supporting decision-making in high-pressure cybersecurity scenarios
  • Communicating risks, responses, and outcomes to stakeholders
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