Cyber Security

Our minor allows Safety and Security students to deepen their knowledge mostly on the digital aspect of safety and security. Students with technical background in IT and robotics can broaden their knowledge by accounting for the security factor. In this minor we learn to identify and deal with cyber risks and elaborate on methodologies and countermeasures to mitigate them, focusing on applications to critical infrastructure. Cyber Security examines traditional methodologies to achieve security, but also focuses on identifying new trends, both in the threat side, and in the defense side. To devise any kind of defense, it is crucial to be able to detect timely and effectively when potential threats may exploit your vulnerabilities. This is where detection measures and Forensic methodologies play a vital role.

Our program is strongly based on the CISSP body of knowledge, which is the most globally recognized certification in the information security market. We also examine the role of Ethics, both in the development of countermeasures and as far as Privacy is concerned. For countermeasures, it is important to understand where defense ends and offense starts. This is something we need to learn to do ethically. Privacy is a fundamental human right and we need to design technologies, which protect and respect it, without compromising security.

This minor is worth 30 EC's, and it is offered and completed in 2 study quarters. In each quarter we incorporate three study approaches together with our study lines: a congitive line, a research line, and a practical line. We aim to involve partners from industry in the performance and completion of the practical line courses, in order to keep them as realistic, up-to-date, and relevant as possible. In particular, we offer six (6) courses -three (3) per quarter- of 5 EC's each, as follows:

Quarter 1
Cognitive line: Introduction to Cryptography
Practical line: Computer Forensics
Research line: Trends in Cyber Threats and Cyber Defenses

Quarter 2
Cognitive line: Access Control and Detection Measures
Practical line: Risk Analysis (in collaboration with industry)
Research line: Privacy related issues brought by Cyber Defenses, and Ethics

This is a minor intended for full-time students. Are you interested in information security, digital privacy, and want to learn how to apply these principles in a more interconnected than ever, online world? Then Cyber Security is the minor for you.

Language
It is a mix of Dutch and English, offered in one program, and NOT two different versions of the minor. You are expected to speak both Dutch and English.

For optimal results, we use a combination of examination methods. The goal is to keep you active even when you are working on the cognitive courses, and this is the reason why we do not stop on a written exam. A written exam is indeed a part of your evaluation for the cognitive courses, but we also incorporate practical assessments, where you need to apply the knowledge you gained. The practical courses are examined with reports, or portfolio assessments, which capture better the independent work that you need to invest in them.