CSDO-7 Vulnerability Management and Ethical Hacking

CSDO-7 Vulnerability Management and Ethical Hacking

  • Course description
    • Course Code
      CSDO-7
    • Level of Study
      5.2
    • Program of Study
      Cyber Security, Defence and Operations
    • Credits
      15
    • Study Plan Coordinator
      Justine Moodley
Teaching Term(s)
2028 Spring
About the Course

This course gives students knowledge of how systems are tested for vulnerabilities in the way an attacker would, and skills to plan and carry out a penetration test within legal and ethical boundaries. The course builds on the defensive perspective from Security Operations and Incident Response.

Students learn how professional penetration tests are scoped, carried out and reported, based on the law, ethics and agreed rules of engagement. They gather information through reconnaissance and OSINT, assess an attack surface, and identify and prioritise vulnerabilities with the help of AI. They exploit weaknesses in web applications, identity services, networks, OT and cloud in controlled environments, and learn how AI systems are attacked. Students present their findings and recommendations in a penetration test report that both managers and technicians can act on, and assess their own testing against legal and ethical requirements.

Course Learning Outcomes
Knowledge

The candidate:

  • has knowledge of the methods and tools used to find and exploit vulnerabilities in web applications, identity services, networks, OT, cloud and AI systems
  • has knowledge of how AI systems are attacked and how AI is used to find and prioritise vulnerabilities
  • can assess their own testing in relation to the law, ethics and the agreed rules of engagement
  • is familiar with how professional penetration tests are scoped, carried out and reported for a client
  • can update their knowledge of new vulnerabilities and prioritise them with the help of AI
Skills

The candidate:

  • can explain their findings and recommendations in a penetration test report that both managers and technicians can act on
  • can gather information about a target through reconnaissance and OSINT, and assess its relevance to the test
  • can assess an attack surface, identify and prioritise vulnerabilities, and determine what measures need to be implemented
General Competence

The candidate:

  • can plan and carry out a penetration test for a client within agreed rules of engagement, alone and as part of a group
  • can carry out a security test based on the needs and scope agreed with a client
  • can contribute to organisational development through the recommendations in a penetration test report
Learning Activities

Students use a combination of written content, videos and practical learning activities designed to help them achieve the course learning outcomes.

Industry Relevance
Course content, learning activities and tools reflect industry standards and are developed in collaboration with industry partners and experts from the field.

Practical Work
The course includes regular practical activities where students apply their knowledge and practise relevant skills.

Collaboration
Collaboration is facilitated through the LMS and Teams, and students are encouraged to work together for peer support and shared learning.

Guidance
Teachers are available for guidance at scheduled times. Students are encouraged to share work in progress and use feedback from teachers and fellow students to develop their work further.

Work requirements and Assessment

This course has one coursework requirement, graded Approved / Not Approved.

Assessments
Form of assessmentGrading scaleGroupingDuration of assessment
Course Assignment
Grade A-F
Individual
1 Week(s)
Reading List

Teaching materials, reading lists, and essential resources will be shared in the learning platform and software user manuals where applicable.