Official Course Syllabus & Training Roadmap

Program Title: Cyber Security Expert
Course Code: CSEC-6M-ADV
Total Duration: 6 Months (24 Weeks)
Instructional Method: Hybrid (Instructor-Led Theory + Practical Lab Environments)
Prerequisites: Basic computer literacy, familiarity with Windows OS, high aptitude for problem-solving.
Final Credential: Certificate of Completion + Portfolio of 3 Capstone Projects

1.0 COURSE DESCRIPTION

This intensive, 6-month accelerated program is designed to transition students from foundational IT knowledge to job-ready skills in Cyber Security. The curriculum follows the “WeakWise Methodology”: a hands-on approach focused on identifying, exploiting, and remediating systemic weaknesses in modern IT infrastructures. Students will master Offensive Security (Penetration Testing), Defensive Security (Blue Teaming), and Cloud Security fundamentals through a series of virtual labs, real-world simulations, and capstone projects.

2.0 LEARNING OBJECTIVES (Program Outcomes)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Analyze network traffic and identify malicious patterns using industry-standard tools (Wireshark, Nmap).
Exploit and remediate the OWASP Top 10 web application vulnerabilities.
Compromise and defend Active Directory environments (Kerberoasting, SMB Relay, BloodHound analysis).
Script custom security tools using Python and Bash for automation.
Correlate security events using SIEM technologies and perform digital forensics.
Assess cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure) for misconfigurations and weak identity policies.
Compose professional-grade penetration testing and incident response reports.

3.0 REQUIRED MATERIALS & LAB SETUP

Host Machine Requirements: Minimum 16GB RAM, 250GB SSD, CPU supporting virtualization (Intel VT-x/AMD-V).
Hypervisor: VirtualBox or VMware Workstation Player.
Primary VMs: Kali Linux, Windows 10 Enterprise, Windows Server 2019/2022, Metasploitable 2/3, Ubuntu Server.
Subscriptions: TryHackMe (Premium recommended), HackTheBox (Free tier), PortSwigger Academy (Free).

MODULE 1: FOUNDATIONS & NETWORK SECURITY (Month 1)

Code: CSEC-101 | Credit Hours: 40 Hours (Theory: 10, Lab: 30)

Module Description: This module establishes the critical baseline knowledge of computer networking, operating system architecture, and scripting required to progress into security-specific topics.

Week	Unit Code	Topic	Learning Outcomes	Lab/Tools
1	CSEC-101.1	Networking & Protocols	Understand OSI model, subnetting, and routing. Identify anomalies in network traffic.	Wireshark, Nmap
2	CSEC-101.2	Linux & Bash	Navigate Linux file systems, manage permissions, and automate tasks with bash.	OverTheWire (Bandit), Ubuntu CLI
3	CSEC-101.3	Windows & Active Directory	Understand Kerberos, NTLM, Group Policy, and domain trust relationships.	Windows Server VM, AD Setup
4	CSEC-101.4	Python Scripting	Write scripts to automate network socket connections and log parsing.	VS Code, Python (Requests)

Assessment: Build a mini network with 3 VMs. Script a discovery scan and document open ports and services.

MODULE 2: VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT & WEB SECURITY (Month 2)

Code: CSEC-102 | Credit Hours: 40 Hours (Theory: 15, Lab: 25)

Module Description: Students learn the attacker lifecycle, cryptography, and how to manually and automatically identify vulnerabilities in web applications.

Week	Unit Code	Topic	Learning Outcomes	Lab/Tools
5	CSEC-102.1	Security Concepts & Crypto	Differentiate hashing vs encryption. Identify weak ciphers and flawed certificate implementations.	OpenSSL, CyberChef
6	CSEC-102.2	Vulnerability Scanning	Perform authenticated and unauthenticated scans. Validate CVEs and eliminate false positives.	Nessus Essentials, OpenVAS
7	CSEC-102.3	Web App Attacks (OWASP 1)	Manually exploit SQL Injection and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS).	Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, DVWA
8	CSEC-102.4	OSINT & Password Attacks	Gather target intelligence from public sources. Crack weak credentials.	theHarvester, Hashcat, GoPhish

Assessment: Scan a vulnerable web server and exploit a SQL injection flaw to extract data. Submit evidence via screenshot walkthrough.

MODULE 3: ENTERPRISE PENETRATION TESTING (Month 3)

Code: CSEC-103 | Credit Hours: 40 Hours (Theory: 10, Lab: 30)

Module Description: A deep dive into the modern attack surface. Students learn to breach networks, pivot through Windows domains, and chain weaknesses to achieve Domain Admin.

Week	Unit Code	Topic	Learning Outcomes	Lab/Tools
9	CSEC-103.1	Network Exploitation	Use exploit frameworks to compromise unpatched systems. Gain reverse shells.	Metasploit, Meterpreter
10	CSEC-103.2	Advanced Web Attacks	Understand blind injection, deserialization, and logic flaws.	SQLMap, Burp Intruder
11	CSEC-103.3	Active Directory Attacks	Execute LLMNR poisoning, SMB Relay, and Kerberoasting. Map AD attack paths.	Responder, Impacket, BloodHound
12	CSEC-103.4	Wireless & Physical	Understand WPA handshake attacks and RFID cloning limitations.	Aircrack-ng suite

Assessment: Compromise a fictional “Corporate” Active Directory lab from a black-box perspective (no credentials).

MODULE 4: PRIVILEGE ESCALATION & REPORTING (Month 4)

Code: CSEC-104 | Credit Hours: 40 Hours (Theory: 5, Lab: 35)

Module Description: Focuses on post-exploitation activities, pivoting through segmented networks, and the professional documentation of findings.

Week	Unit Code	Topic	Learning Outcomes	Lab/Tools
13	CSEC-104.1	Privilege Escalation	Identify and exploit kernel, service, and permission misconfigurations.	LinPEAS, WinPEAS, GTFOBins
14	CSEC-104.2	Lateral Movement	Tunneling through firewalls to access restricted networks.	Chisel, Ligolo-ng, Proxychains
15	CSEC-104.3	Pentest Reporting	Write technical findings and executive summaries. Risk rating (CVSS).	PwnDoc, SysReptor
16	CSEC-104.4	Capstone 1: Full Compromise	Apply the kill chain end-to-end.	HackTheBox: Active / Forest

Assessment: Generate a 20-page professional Penetration Test Report based on the capstone lab. Grading will focus on remediation advice accuracy.

MODULE 5: DEFENSIVE SECURITY & DFIR (Month 5)

Code: CSEC-105 | Credit Hours: 40 Hours (Theory: 20, Lab: 20)

Module Description: Students switch hats to understand how to detect, analyze, and respond to the attacks they previously executed.

Week	Unit Code	Topic	Learning Outcomes	Lab/Tools
17	CSEC-105.1	SIEM & Log Analysis	Create detection rules for brute force, malware beaconing, and lateral movement.	Wazuh, Splunk Free
18	CSEC-105.2	Endpoint Security	Analyze Windows Event Logs and Sysmon data for malicious process injection.	Sysmon, Elastic Agent
19	CSEC-105.3	Forensics & IR	Perform memory forensics to extract running processes and injected code.	Volatility 3, Autopsy, KAPE
20	CSEC-105.4	Capstone 2: IR Response	Respond to a simulated ransomware incident.	LetsDefend.io Lab

Assessment: Provide an Incident Response Timeline and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) report for the capstone simulation.

MODULE 6: MODERN THREATS & CAREER READINESS (Month 6)

Code: CSEC-106 | Credit Hours: 40 Hours (Theory: 15, Lab: 25)

Module Description: The final module explores emerging technologies (Cloud, APIs, Mobile) and prepares students for the workforce through portfolio development and interview coaching.

Week	Unit Code	Topic	Learning Outcomes	Lab/Tools
21	CSEC-106.1	Cloud Security	Audit AWS/Azure for weak IAM policies and exposed storage.	ScoutSuite, Prowler, CloudGoat
22	CSEC-106.2	API & Mobile Testing	Exploit broken object level authorization (BOLA) and insecure mobile storage.	Postman, MobSF, jadx-gui
23	CSEC-106.3	Certification & Portfolio	Synthesize skills into a public professional profile.	GitHub, LinkedIn, eJPT prep
24	CSEC-106.4	Capstone 3: Live Fire	Engage in a live bug bounty or custom Red/Blue team exercise.	HackerOne, Bugcrowd

Assessment: Final portfolio review. Students must demonstrate GitHub scripts, writeups, and one mock report to the instructor panel.

4.0 GRADING & ASSESSMENT POLICY

Weight	Component	Description
30%	Weekly Lab Completion	Submission of flags, screenshots, or scripts proving lab completion.
30%	Capstone Projects (x3)	Quality of technical execution and reporting.
20%	Midterm Exam	Practical exam: Compromise a designated vulnerable machine within 4 hours.
20%	Final Portfolio	Professional presentation of skills, GitHub, and resume.

Passing Grade: Students must achieve a cumulative score of 70% or higher and successfully compromise the midterm target.

5.0 COURSE POLICIES

Ethics Agreement: All skills taught in this program are for educational and authorized testing purposes only. Unauthorized access to systems is illegal. Students must sign a code of conduct agreement.
Attendance: 80% live attendance required for instructor-led sessions.

Cyber Security Expert Course