Penetration Testing

Penetration Testing is available as a postgraduate-level Cyber Security subject offered by the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS). Please click the button below to find a postgraduate course suitable for you.

Subject Code:

CYB806A

Subject Type:

Elective

Pre-requisites:

• CYB601A Enterprise and Network Cyber Security 
• CYB701A Cyber Security Management 
• ICT701A Software Design and Construction 

Course level study pre-requisite: a total of 16 credit points (4 subjects) prior to enrolling into the subject 

Co-requisite:

• CYB804A Cyberlaw, Ethics and Governance 

Subject Level:

800

Credit Points:

4 credit points

Subject Aim:

With cyber threats on the rise, organisations require professionals skilled in ethical hacking and penetration testing to proactively identify vulnerabilities and fortify their defences. This subject equips students with in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience to navigate the complex cyber threat landscape.  

Students will gain both theoretical and practical expertise in vulnerability identification and exploitation. This includes researching various types of vulnerabilities that can affect organisations and learning how to generate comprehensive reports to assess their impact. 

The subject covers network and web application testing, empowering students to conduct penetration testing in a variety of simulated environments within the ICMS digital ecosystem.  

Students will also learn about the importance of penetration testing within the broader context of appraising and developing appropriate policies and procedures to mitigate vulnerability risks. 

Upon completion of the subject, students will possess the knowledge and skills needed to identify vulnerabilities, evaluate their associated risks, carry out penetration testing, and select and customise effective policies and procedures to safeguard against vulnerabilities. 

Learning Outcomes:

a) Integrate in-depth knowledge of key concepts and industry-recognised best practices in the field of ethical hacking and cyber security assessment.  

b) Critically assess security weaknesses based on identified system vulnerabilities across a variety of networks, systems and applications.

c) Apply penetration testing industry-standard tools and methodologies to investigate organisational security posture and communicate the outcomes to relevant stakeholders. 

d) Critically analyse and advise on cybersecurity policy, procedures and frameworks in safeguarding digital assets and promoting secure behaviour within the broader organisational context. 

Assessment Information:

Learning outcomes for this subject are assessed using a range of assessment tasks as described in the table below.

Broad topics to be covered: 

Please note that these topics are often refined and subject to change so for up to date weekly topics and suggested reading resources, please refer to the Moodle subject page.