Course syllabus - Attack and Defend

Objectives

The overall purpose of the course is to provide students with a deep understanding of ethical hacking methods and techniques, while promoting a critical awareness of the role of cybersecurity in society. The focus is on developing practical skills to identify and manage security risks, while emphasizing the importance of ethics and responsibility in hacking practices. Through interactive elements and case studies, the course aims to prepare participants to contribute positively to the field of cybersecurity, rather than merely achieving specific learning objectives. 

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student should be able to: 

1. perform a complete penetration testing process from reconnaissance to post-exploitation,
2. implement proactive defense mechanisms and respond effectively to cyber security incidents and
3. collaborate with both red and blue team roles to develop and improve security solutions. 

Course content

This course provides a comprehensive insight into penetration testing, where students develop both offensive and defensive skills. Through a combination of theoretical lessons, practical exercises, and scenario-based simulations, students gain in-depth knowledge of red team and blue team methods and how these are used to strengthen an organization's cybersecurity. 

The main topics of the course are as follows: 

- Introduction to Penetration Testing: 
          - Basic concepts, methodologies and frameworks.
          - Ethical and legal aspects of penetration testing. 
- Red Teaming: Attack Techniques and Exploitation:
          - Information gathering and reconnaissance. 
          - Vulnerability analysis and exploitation. 
          - Post-exploitation and persistence in systems. 
- Blue Teaming: Defense Techniques and Incident Handling: 
          - Threat modeling and detection techniques. 
          - Log analysis and vulnerability management. 
          - Incident response and continuous monitoring. 
- Interaction between Red and Blue Teams: 
          - Adversarial Simulation: Red vs. Blue scenarios to identify weaknesses and assess preparedness. 
          - Exercise in reporting and recommendations for improvement. 
          - Understanding "Purple Teaming" and collaborative methods. 

Specific requirements

120 credits, of which 80 credits in engineering, including 30 credits in programming or software development. The course requires 22,5 credits of cyber security on advanced level, which can for example be achieved by having read the courses Cybersecurity Fundamentals 7.5 credits, Network security 7.5 credits and Cyber Security Operations 7.5 credits. In addition, Swedish B/Swedish 3 and English A/English 6 are required. In cases where the course is given in English, exceptions are made to the requirement for Swedish B/Swedish 3. 

Examination

Project (PRO1), an assignment that is presented with a report and a demonstration of the project, 7,5 credits, examines the learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3, marks Fail (U) or Pass (G).  

A student who has a certificate from MDU regarding a disability has the opportunity to submit a request for supportive measures during written examinations or other forms of examination, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for Examinations at First-cycle and Second-cycle Level at Mälardalen University (2020/1655). It is the examiner who takes decisions on any supportive measures, based on what kind of certificate is issued, and in that case which measures are to be applied.

Suspicions of attempting to deceive in examinations (cheating) are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, and are examined by the University’s Disciplinary Board. If the Disciplinary Board considers the student to be guilty of a disciplinary offence, the Board will take a decision on disciplinary action, which will be a warning or suspension.

Grade

Pass, Fail