Cyber Security (CSE) - SPECTRO

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Programme Coordinator: Dr. Viktoria Villanyi

FIRST SEMESTER

SECOND SEMESTER

Programme website

Programme Lead: Assoc. prof. Darius Bufnea: darius.bufnea@ubbcluj.ro, cyber-master@cs.ubbcluj.ro

FIRST SEMESTER

SECOND SEMESTER

Programme website

FIRST SEMESTER

SECOND SEMESTER

Programme website

Programme Lead: Bruno Crispo, bruno.crispo@unitn.it

FIRST & SECOND SEMESTER

Programme website

Academic Coordinator: Dr Seppo Virtanen, seppo.virtanen@utu.fi

FIRST & SECOND SEMESTER

Programme website

Academic Coordinator: Dr Florian Hahn, f.w.hahn@utwente.nl

FIRST SEMESTER

SECOND SEMESTER

Programme website

Programme Coordinator: Dr. Viktoria Villanyi

THIRD SEMESTER

• SPECIALISATION #1: Advanced Cryptography

The specialisation focuses on the general ideas, techniques and methods of applied cryptography as well as on the theoretical background and solid knowledge, putting security in a wider context. Security and privacy are considered both from the technological and from the economic point of view, which supports decisions in many practical cases. Applied cryptography serves as a base for most of the secure IT systems (e.g. in Future Media and Content Delivery, Smart Spaces, Digital cities, Health and ICT-Mediated Human Activity, and Enabling the Internet of the Future).

• SPECIALISATION #2: Quantum-resistant Cryptography

The specialisation focuses on the general ideas, techniques and methods of security in the coming era of quantum technology. The theoretical background gives a solid understanding of cryptographic aspects and supports technological and economic decisions on security. In order to maintain the security and privacy of IT systems (e.g. in Future Media and Content Delivery, Smart Spaces, Digital cities, Health and ICT-Mediated Human Activity, and Enabling the Internet of the Future) when quantum devices are around, new physical communication layers, novel computational architecture and cryptographic protocols may be used. Quantum-resistant cryptography serves as a base to understanding and overcoming these challenges.

FOURTH SEMESTER

• Master thesis (30 ECTS)

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Academic Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Antonio Faonio, master-eit-cse@eurecom.fr

Dr. Antonio Faonio is a « Maître de Conférences » at EURECOM since July 2020. Previously, he held a postdoctoral researcher position at IMDEA Software Institute and Aarhus University. He got a Ph.D. in Computer Science at "Sapienza" Univ. of Rome. His research interest is in cryptography.

SPECIALISATION: Big Data Security

EURECOM is offering a specialization in Big Data Security that aims at providing a solid knowledge of security in cloud computing and networking combined with practical design and management skills. The students learn how to identify threats, vulnerabilities and privacy problems in networks and cloud systems including the Internet of Things. They learn to integrate security solutions to a cloud computing platform and explore methods for holding cloud stakeholders accountable for the privacy and confidentiality of data in cloud systems. 

The curriculum has a hands-on approach that combines laboratory work with classroom education, makes use of high-profile industry speakers to introduce the latest technologies, and includes a supervised semester-long team project on a topic of industrial relevance. One focus area is communication and organizational skills together with project planning and implementation competencies. A mandatory management course fosters an entrepreneurial mindset, and the elective courses enable students to further explore data science or networking.

FIRST SEMESTER

SECOND SEMESTER: MASTER THESIS (30 ECTS)

Programme website

Programme Lead: Assoc. prof. Darius Bufnea: darius.bufnea@ubbcluj.ro, cyber-master@cs.ubbcluj.ro

SPECIALISATION: Software Security

The master’s programme offers a multiple perspective on the field of cyber security, addressing issues related to its various components: operating system security, network security, organisation and business process security, with a strong emphasis in the second year on the security of the software itself.

The courses in the 2nd year will have a strong focus on knowledge about 'Software Security', which is also the specialisation of the exit year. Students will be able to take courses like Advanced Software Security, Securing Mobile Applications, Program Analysis for Software Security, and Cloud Application and Infrastructure Security. These courses will address advanced topics such as software quality models, security as a quality factor in software, security analysis and verification of software, design of security checking tools, and cloud and mobile application security. The overall goal of this specialisation is for students to understand the secure by design principles and assess different software security issues, in order to learn how to detect security vulnerabilities as soon as possible in the development cycle and to develop a more secure software from design to implementation. Also, a new course on XDR (Extended Detection and Response) is offered in cooperation with an industry partner, and students have the opportunity to learn how to technically address security incidents.

The programme also has a strong emphasis on practical knowledge in the field of cyber security, the curricula being discussed with several companies that offer services and solutions in this field. Some of the students’ activities, such as the internship or the thematic projects, can be carried out in partnership with the partner companies/industry in the field. The latter has a strong local presence, the city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, being known as a strong development hub in the field of IT&C.

THIRD SEMESTER

FOURTH SEMESTER

Programme website

Programme Lead: Bruno Crispo, bruno.crispo@unitn.it

SPECIALISATION: System Security

In recent years, the most popular computing and communications platforms have changed dramatically from old desktops and personal computers to a myriad of new devices, often embedded and personal usually interconnected using several communications technologies. Such novel platforms have pervaded all economic sectors, as well as those traditionally relying on analogue technology. This revolution has touched private, business and governmental domains (e.g., industry 4.0, smart homes, critical infrastructures, automotive, smart cities, etc.). This in turn has created entire new ecosystems that include technical, social and economic factors.

The specialisation System Security focuses on addressing security and privacy for these new ecosystems trying a holistic approach that does not focus only on technical issues. Of course, it covers the technological aspects such as investigating and experimenting with a new class of threats and vulnerabilities, developing new technology to establish trust, and designing novel ways to authenticate users and machines. But it covers also, methodology to assess and enhance the security of the software development process and the economic aspects that are crucial to understanding attackers, and their motivations and designing effective defence strategies

THIRD & FOURTH SEMESTER

Programme website

Programme Lead: Dr Seppo Virtanen, seppo.virtanen@utu.fi

SPECIALISATION: Security Technologies and Intelligence

The Security Technologies and Intelligence specialisation focuses on researching pre-emptive, reactive and analytical security technologies to protect systems from cyber threats and malicious exploitation attempts in the era of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The compulsory studies are on intelligent technologies for protecting systems and networks (firewalls and intrusion prevention), ethical hacking (penetration testing) and analysing digital traces of malicious activity (digital forensics).

The specialisation gives its students profound and substantial education and expertise in the field. Optional studies selected personally for each student build a special individual information security expertise profile. The curriculum consists of both theoretical and hands-on study modules. Also, a large group project module called 'Capstone project' can be included in the studies.

The graduates of this specialisation will have a strong technological, theoretical and practical understanding of security technologies for protecting systems and environments against cyber threats. With these new skills and knowledge, graduates can proceed to building a successful career in securing and protecting the ICT intensive industry. The graduate’s unique expertise profile may lead to a career title of, for example, one of the following: Cyber Security Analyst, Penetration and Vulnerability Tester, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Manager, Network Security Specialist, Cyber Security Entrepreneur, System / Network Administrator, Business Information Security Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Head of Corporate IT.

THIRD & FOURTH SEMESTER

Dr Seppo Virtanen is Professor of Cyber Security Engineering and Vice Head of the Department of Computing at University of Turku, Finland. Dr Virtanen received his MSc degree in Electronics and Information Technology in 1998 and DSc (Tech.) degree in Communication Systems in 2004 from the University of Turku. He serves regularly as a program committee member and referee for international journals and conferences. He is a senior member of the IEEE. He has supervised or examined 10 PhD theses, 160 Master’s theses and 40 Bachelor’s theses. He has taught more than 80 instances of 25 different university courses in the field of ICT. His current research interests are the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to cyber security, cyber security in smart environments and technologies for network and IoT security.

Programme website

Academic Coordinator: Dr Florian Hahn, f.w.hahn@utwente.nl

SPECIALISATION: Circular Security

With the transformation into a digital society, our world is relying more and more on interconnected ICT systems. Despite this increasing dependency on computer systems, cybersecurity is still often an afterthought and only considered at the end of the development process or even later during deployment; think about IoT devices that are installed in isolated networks or zero-day exploits that are patched in live systems.

It is common practice to offer only time-limited support after release and end-of-life products do not receive further (security) updates. This planned obsolescence does not only lead to wasteful consumption of resources but also exposes computer networks with outdated systems to significant security risks.

Contradicting this practice, the adoption of computer systems into long-living facilities such as power plants or cars leads to the new challenge of secure systems that stand the test of time. Notably, many risks for such systems are not solely of a technical nature. Thus, we address the challenge of circular security from the technical perspective and complement it with the socio-economic context.

Our specialisation looks at the many risks in the above-mentioned setting and provides mitigations that can be used already at the beginning of the design phase. Additionally, students get introduced to approaches for subsequent monitoring of live systems, while taking into account the specific requirements and the impact of various risks over the system’s complete lifecycle.

THIRD SEMESTER

FOURTH SEMESTER: Master Thesis (30 ECTS)

The University of Twente (UT) holds the title of the most entrepreneurial university in Europe. As such, it has an extremely large network in the industry that includes around 1000 university spin-offs (e.g., Booking.com was founded by a UT alumni). This provides excellent opportunities to connect to industry and access to a multitude of internship offers. Of particular interest for cybersecurity students is the Twente University Centre for Cybersecurity Research (TUCCR); a public-private partnership where experts, professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, and students from industry and knowledge partners collaborate.