Specialist Diploma in Cloud Security

Offered by School of InfoComm Technology

Post-Diploma / 1 year / TGS-2021005348

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Course Information
Learning Outcomes
Course Schedule
Lesson Plan
Certification
Entry Requirements
Course Fees
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Course Information

The Specialist Diploma in Cloud Security (SDCS) course equips students with technical skills and competencies required to carry out critical work functions and key tasks related to cyber and cloud security. This course is intended for students with prior experience in IT Networking and server administration and wanting to upskill into cyber and cloud security.

It is a cloud focused curriculum, where all the modules have an emphasis on cloud computing, cloud native architecture, cloud operations, and cloud security. This is in tune with the increasing cloud computing adoption and to solve the cloud security skills gap faced by many organizations. This course also trains students in core offensive and defensive skills such as vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, digital forensics investigation, cyber incident handling and response, and cyber governance, risk, and compliance.

The SDCS course graduates can take up the job role of an Associate Cloud Security Analyst, and Associate Security Analyst, or an entry level/junior position in the following job roles: Cloud Security Engineer, Cloud Security Specialist, and Cloud Security Architect, Cyber Risk Analyst, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing Analyst, Security Operations Analyst, Forensics Investigator, and Security Engineer.

Learning Outcomes

  • Respond to cloud and cyber security queries.
  • Implement cloud and cyber security standards and policies.
  • Facilitate cloud and cyber security compliance.
  • Perform cloud and cyber risk assessment activities based on risk assessment plans.
  • Implement cloud and cyber security systems.
  • Optimize cloud and cyber security system performance.
  • Conduct vulnerability assessment and penetration testing activities.
  • Maintain cloud and cyber security operations.
  • Monitor cloud and cyber security systems.
  • Implement cloud and cyber incident response strategies.
  • Respond to cloud and cyber security incidents.
  • Conduct forensic analysis and investigations to determine the causes of cloud and cyber security incidents.

Course 
Schedule

Course Start Date: TBC
Application Period: TBC
Application Outcome Date: One month after application closes
Class Day(s): Tue and Thu
Delivery Mode: Home-based Learning (Async & Sync)
Venue: Online

Schedule for Apr 2023 intake:

Semester 1: (PDC 1 – 4 modules): 25 Mar – 30 Aug 2023
Semester 2: (PDC 2 – 4 modules): 16 Sep 2023 – 8 Feb 2024 

Detailed course schedule as follow:

Tuesday, 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm (8 x Evening Sessions)
Thursday, 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm (8 x Evening Sessions)
Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (32 x Full-Day Sessions)
Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (8 x Half-Day Sessions)

Total modules: 8
Modules are taught sequentially, one module is fully completed before going on to the next module.

Each module is taught across:
4 x Consecutive Full-Day Saturday Sessions
1 x Evening Session on Tuesday
1 x Evening Session on Thursday
1 x Half-Day Saturday Session:
Total : 7 Sessions (45 hrs)

Assessment Structure in each module:
2 x Quizzes: 30 %
2 x Homework Submissions: 30%
1 x Group Assignment (3 to 4 members): 40%

Please see course schedule here. Please zoom in to view the schedule in detail.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic reserves the right to reschedule/cancel any programme, modify the fees and amend information without prior notice.

Lesson Plan

Post-Diploma Certificate in Cloud Native Architecture & Security (TGS-2021005349)

The post-diploma certificate in cloud native architecture & security trains students in planning, configuring, deploying, and implementing cloud solutions. It also trains students in various techniques to design and implement a secure infrastructure on cloud platform, essential skills of managing secure containerized applications across multiple hosts in a dynamically scheduled, microservices-oriented cloud native environment, and skills of applying the advanced cloud security knowledge in practical situations such as multi-cloud environments.

Module
Cloud Computing Practice
The Cloud Computing Practice module covers topics such as setting up a cloud solution environment, planning and configuring a cloud solution, deploying, and implementing a cloud solution, ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution, and configuring access and security. Students will also learn about deploying cloud applications, monitoring cloud operations of multiple projects, maintaining enterprise solutions to ensure that they meet target performance metrics, and managing basic security and compliance aspects of the cloud platform and the shared security model.
Module
Cloud Security Management
The Cloud Security Management module covers topics such as configuring access within a cloud solution environment, configuring network security, managing data protection, managing operations with a cloud solution environment, and ensuring cloud security compliance. Students will also learn about various techniques to design and implement a secure infrastructure on cloud platform, security best practices and industry security requirements for cloud security technologies, administrating identity and access management, defining organizational structure and policies, collecting and analyzing cloud platform logs and managing incident responses.
Module
Cloud Native Architecture
The Cloud Native Architecture module covers topics such as the transformative development of cloud security practices, embedding security into the DevOps process, the basics of cloud native architecture, cloud application lifecycle management, cloud networking and security, cluster Maintenance, and logging / monitoring of cloud applications. Students will also learn about the essential skills of managing containerized applications across multiple hosts in a dynamically scheduled, microservices-oriented cloud native environment.
Module
Advanced Cloud Security
The Advanced Cloud Security module covers emerging and advanced cloud computing concepts, architecture and design, cloud data security, cloud platform & infrastructure security, cloud application security, cloud security operations, and legal, risk and compliance of cloud computing. Students will also learn the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for securing critical assets in the cloud, and obtain the essential skills of applying the advanced cloud security knowledge in practical situations such as multi-cloud environments.
Post-Diploma Certificate in Core Offensive and Defensive Cybersecurity Skills (TGS-2021005347)

The post-diploma certificate in core offensive and defensive cybersecurity skills trains students in ethical hacking and penetration testing of networks, systems, web applications and cloud applications. It covers SOC operations, cyber incident detection, handling, and response, cyber forensics investigation of hacking attacks on IT systems, and cyber governance, risk & compliance for administering and managing IT and cloud computing systems.

Module
Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing
The Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing module covers hacking into networks, systems, web applications and cloud, with a goal to assess the potential impact and risk of an actual cyberattack, and to deploy necessary countermeasures. Students will learn techniques and tools malicious hackers use, but in a lawful and legitimate manner. Students will also learn the principles of ethical hacking; penetration testing methodology; reconnaissance of IT and cloud infrastructure; scanning for network, systems, applications, and cloud vulnerabilities; to develop attack vectors to exploit the vulnerabilities; and countermeasures to mitigate the risks of exploitation.
Module
Cybersecurity Operations
The Cybersecurity Operations module covers the fundamentals of security operations center (SOC) operations. Students will learn log management and correlation; Security information and event management (SIEM) deployment; cyber incident detection; and incident response. Additionally, students will learn to manage various SOC processes, procedures, technologies, and workflows; monitor and analyse logs and alerts from a variety of different technologies across multiple platforms (IDS/IPS, end-point protection, servers, and workstations); develop threat cases (correlation rules), and create reports: plan, organize, and perform threat monitoring and analysis; and escalate incidents to appropriate teams for additional assistance.
Module
Cyber Forensics Investigation
The Cyber Forensics Investigation module covers the process of detecting hacking attacks on IT and cloud computing systems, and properly extracting evidence to report the crime and conduct audits to prevent future attacks. Students will learn to perform incident response and computer forensics; Identify data, images and/or activity which may be the target of an investigation; perform electronic evidence collections; perform digital forensic acquisitions as an analyst; conduct thorough examinations of computer hard disk drives, and other electronic data storage media; Utilize forensic tools and investigative methods; and maintain audit trail (i.e., chain of custody) and evidence integrity.
Module
Cybersecurity Risk & Compliance
The Cybersecurity Risk & Compliance module covers relevant IT and cloud frameworks which ensure that information assets are protected within an organization. Students will learn processes and policies for administering and managing a company’s IT systems that follow the compliance framework. Students will also learn concepts on risk management process, risk analysis and mitigation; and to evaluate risks against the company’s critical assets and deploy safeguards to mitigate them. Compliance frameworks such as PDAP, Cyber Security Act, PCIDSS, ISO 17799/27002, and COBIT will be covered.

Certification

1 Specialist Diploma
2 Post-Diploma Certificates
8 Modules

Certification

You are required to complete 2 post-diploma certificates within 2-year validity period to be awarded the Specialist Diploma qualification.


Authorized learning materials for the following professional certifications would be provided as part of this course. However, in addition to what is covered in this course, students would have to put in extra preparation, time, effort, and dedication, to attempt these professional certification exams. Exam vouchers can be purchased at academic pricing.



  • AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

  • EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

  • EC-Council Certified SOC Analyst (CSA)

  • EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI)


Entry Requirements

Applicants with any of the following qualifications are invited to apply for the course:

A local Polytechnic Diploma or a recognized Degree in Information and Digital Technologies, and/or Engineering, and at least 1-year relevant experience in IT Networking and Server Administration.

Applicants who do not meet the entry requirements may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis, such as, based on evidence of at least 2 years of relevant working experience; or supporting evidence of competency readiness in the field of Information and Digital Technologies, and IT Networking and Server Administration. Suitable applicants who are shortlisted will have to go through an interview and/or entrance test. The Polytechnic reserves the right to shortlist and admit applicants.

Required Specifications for Laptop Computers

Mandatory Laptop specifications:
• Processor: Intel Core i5 9xxx or equivalent (Intel i7 recommended)
• RAM: 16 GB (32 GB recommended)
• Storage Device: 1 TB (2 TB recommended)
• Operating System: Windows 10/11
• Communication platform: Microsoft TEAMS (mandatory to have this tool installed in the laptop)

Communication platform

MS TEAMS (mandatory to have this tool installed in the laptop)

Course Fees

Funding period for this course is from 1 Jun 2021 to 30 Sep 2024.

Note:

  • The fees below are per semester. For full course fees throughout the semesters, refer here.
  • The fees below are inclusive of GST. Please note that the GST rate will be revised to 8% with effect from 1 Jan 2023, as such any payable course fees will be subjected to the new GST rate adjustments in 2023. Please refer to our FAQs for more information.
  • The fees below are determined based on prevailing funding policies and subject to review and revision.

SkillsFuture Credit
This course is eligible for SkillsFuture Credit.

All Singaporeans aged 25 years and above can use their $500 SkillsFuture Credit from the government to pay f​or a wide range of courses. The credits can be used on top of existing course fee subsidies/funding. This is only applicable for self-sponsored applicants and must be applied via the SkillsFuture Portal. More details on the SkillsFuture Credit Claims will be advised upon admission into the course. Find out more about SkillsFuture Credit here.

Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP)
NTUC members enjoy 50% unfunded course fee support for up to $250 each year (or up to $500 for NTUC members aged 40 years old and above) when you sign up for courses supported under UTAP (Union Training Assistance Programme). Please visit e2i’s website to find out more.

Skills-Based Modular Courses (SBMCs) are bite-sized part-time courses for individuals to acquire new skills or deepen relevant skills, without the need to pursue a full diploma.  Refer here for course fees for SBMCs.

Applicants / Eligibility Fees
Singapore Citizens aged below 40$667.36
Singapore Citizens aged 40 & above$459.44
Singapore Citizens sponsored by SME$459.44
Singapore PRs $1827.36
Singapore PRs sponsored by SME$473.76
Full course fee for SC (for repeat, deferred modules)$4449.08
Full course fee (for repeat, deferred modules)$4568.40