Curriculum details

Software security is now a core professional requirement across all sectors. Organisations need graduates who can design, build, test and maintain software that is secure by design, resilient in operation, and aligned with contemporary assurance practices. This unit addresses that need by extending students’ software development knowledge into secure software engineering, with emphasis on secure Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) practices, threat modelling, secure coding, verification, DevSecOps, and the security risks associated with AI-assisted development. Current industry and standards bodies emphasise secure software development practices and secure-by-design principles. This unit examines the principles and practices of secure software engineering in modern development environments. Students apply secure software lifecycle practices, perform threat modelling, implement secure coding and code review techniques, evaluate software against recognised security requirements, and integrate security into automated delivery pipelines. The unit also considers software supply chain risk, dependency management, static and dynamic analysis, and the secure use of AI-assisted development tools. The aim of this unit is to develop students’ capacity to design, implement, verify and improve software systems using secure engineering practices that are technically robust, professionally responsible and aligned with current standards.

Modern organisations require cybersecurity professionals who can evaluate the security of systems, applications and networks through authorised offensive security testing. Ethical hacking and penetration testing provide structured methods for identifying vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors. This unit complements foundational, defensive and governance-focused units in the course by developing advanced capability in reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, controlled exploitation, and professional reporting within legal and ethical boundaries. This unit examines the principles and practice of ethical hacking and penetration testing in controlled environments. Students apply structured penetration testing methodologies to scope engagements, gather intelligence, identify vulnerabilities, validate exploitability and communicate findings. The unit also explores web, mobile and application security testing, the use of contemporary tools such as Kali Linux and Metasploit, and emerging issues such as vulnerabilities introduced by AI-generated code and AI-assisted offensive techniques. The aim of this unit is to develop students’ capacity to plan and conduct authorised penetration testing activities, evaluate security weaknesses, and communicate technically sound and ethically responsible findings and recommendations.

TBC

Cybersecurity practice extends beyond technical controls to include organisational governance, risk management, legal compliance and ethical decision-making. Contemporary organisations require cybersecurity professionals who can evaluate cyber risk, interpret regulatory and standards-based requirements, and design governance responses that are technically informed, ethically defensible and strategically aligned. This unit complements the technical cybersecurity units in the course by developing advanced capability in cyber risk, governance and ethics, and supports professional preparation in areas aligned with industry. This unit examines the principles and practices of cyber risk management, governance and ethics in organisational contexts. Students critically analyse cyber risk using contemporary frameworks and standards, including ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27005, ISO 31000, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, COBIT 2019 framework and the Australian Cyber Security Centre Essential Eight. The unit also considers cyber policy, regulatory obligations, ethical leadership, human-centred security, and governance issues associated with emerging technologies, including AI-assisted development and automated decision-making in cybersecurity. The aim of this unit is to develop students’ capacity to critically evaluate cyber risk and governance challenges, and to design ethically informed governance and policy responses aligned with contemporary standards, regulations and organisational needs.