0163 - Defending Against the Attacker’s Mindset
Course Description
This course is part of the Cloud Security and Cyber Attack Prevention Methods program and the UBC Certificate in Cloud and Technology Transformation.
This course is an immersive eight-week journey through the mind of a hacker, tailored for those eager to grasp the essentials of adversarial cloud security without diving into deep technical complexities. This course suits individuals from any background, whether you come with a technical know-how or simply a curiosity to understand the current digital threat landscape.
Discover the dynamic field of cybersecurity as you explore the distinct philosophies and techniques that set ethical hackers apart from their nefarious counterparts. With a blend of ethical principles, penetration testing, and real-world case studies, you acquire not just knowledge, but a mentality geared towards proactive defense.
Course Outline
This course provides an insight into the attacker's mindset, focusing on the methodologies behind cyber-attacks, especially within cloud networks. The course prioritizes understanding the strategic approach rather than the tools used by attackers. Learners will dissect threat modeling and vulnerability identification from an attacker's viewpoint, preparing them to predict and defend against cloud security threats. The curriculum topics are listed below:
- Week 1: Introduction to Red Teaming and Attacker’s Methodology
- Week 2: What are Bug Bounty Hunting and the Secure Software Development Life Cycle (SSDLC)
- Week 3: Attacker toolsets
- Week 4: Cloud Breach Case Studies
How am I assessed?
You're assessed on successfully completing weekly activities, including your contributions to discussion posts and applied case study projects (based on real-life scenarios). These activities are marked using a proficiency scale, and your instructor provides you informal feedback in the live sessions.
While you're not assessed on your attendance of the live sessions, we encourage you to attend these classes, so you don't miss the opportunity to learn and interact with your instructor and other participants. All sessions are recorded in case you miss one.
Expected effort
Expect to spend approximately 5-7 hours per week completing all learning activities, including attending online live sessions.
Technology requirements
All course content is provided in the online courses. To take this program, you'll need access to:
- an email account
- a computer, laptop or tablet, using Windows or macOS
- the latest version of a web browser (or previous major version release)
- a reliable internet connection
- a video camera and microphone
Course format
This part-time, 100% online course consists of instructor-supported real-time classes that allow for a high degree of personal engagement and interactivity, with subject matter experts available during each weekly virtual evening session (PST). These virtual classes are also recorded for later viewing. Each week, learners will review readings and videos, and apply their knowledge in exercises and case studies, and contribute to a discussion forum and connect with other students.
Course Outline
Applies Towards the Following Certificates
- Cloud and Technology Transformation : Learning Pathway Option 1: Cloud Security and Cyber Attack Prevention Methods
- Cloud Security and Cyber Attack Prevention Methods : Required Courses