Twelve modules, in sequence. Each lists what you learn and the key industry tools involved (named at a catalogue level). The order is deliberate — foundations make the advanced material understandable.
| # | Module | What you learn | Key tools |
|---|
| 1 | Security fundamentals | What cyber security is, the CIA triad, threat landscape, attacker motivations & key terminology | — |
| 2 | Networking fundamentals | TCP/IP, IP & ports, DNS, HTTP/S, the OSI model & how traffic flows | Wireshark |
| 3 | Operating systems & Linux | Windows & Linux essentials, the command line, file systems, permissions & system hardening basics | Linux, Kali |
| 4 | Cryptography basics | Encryption, hashing, certificates, TLS & how cryptography underpins security | — |
| 5 | Network security | Firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs, segmentation & secure network design | Nmap, Wireshark |
| 6 | Ethical hacking (authorized) | The penetration-testing lifecycle at a conceptual level — reconnaissance, scanning, assessment, reporting — done legally in labs | Kali, Nmap, Metasploit |
| 7 | Web application security | The OWASP Top 10, common web vulnerabilities & how to find and fix them (authorized) | Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP |
| 8 | SOC operations & SIEM | Security Operations Centre workflows, log analysis, alerts, IOCs & threat hunting | Splunk, Sentinel, QRadar |
| 9 | Incident response & forensics | Detecting, containing & recovering from incidents; evidence handling & chain of custody | Forensics utilities |
| 10 | Cloud security | Securing AWS/Azure, IAM, shared-responsibility & zero-trust fundamentals | AWS, Azure |
| 11 | AI in security | Using AI to defend (anomaly detection, SOAR), plus securing AI/LLM systems — a defensive view | SIEM/SOAR, LLM basics |
| 12 | GRC, capstone & certification prep | Governance, risk & compliance (NIST, ISO 27001, DPDP); a capstone project, internship & Security+/CEH prep | Frameworks |
Modules 1–5 build the foundation — how systems, networks and cryptography work, and how to secure networks. Modules 6–7 cover authorized offensive understanding (ethical-hacking methodology and web-application security) so you learn how attacks work in order to defend. Modules 8–11 are the defensive and modern core — SOC/SIEM, incident response and forensics, cloud security, and AI in security. Module 12 ties it together with governance and compliance, a capstone, an internship and certification preparation.
Why the syllabus is sequenced this way
The order isn’t arbitrary. You can’t analyse or defend what you don’t understand, so the syllabus front-loads fundamentals — networking, operating systems and Linux, cryptography — before any tooling. Only once you grasp how traffic flows and how systems work do the security tools make sense rather than being commands you memorise. Offensive understanding (modules 6–7) comes before the defensive core (8–11) deliberately: seeing how attacks work makes you a sharper defender in a SOC or incident-response role. Specialised and modern topics (cloud, AI in security) sit later, once you have the base to appreciate them, and governance, the capstone and certification prep close the loop by tying skills to real-world frameworks and a portfolio. Following this sequence is what turns a sprawling field into a path you can actually walk.
What keeps this syllabus current
Cyber security changes quickly, so a syllabus has to keep pace to stay useful. This one reflects current practice in several ways: it covers the OWASP Top 10 for web security, modern SOC/SIEM tooling and detection approaches (including frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK), cloud security across AWS and Azure with IAM and zero-trust concepts, and a dedicated AI-in-security module covering both using AI to defend and securing AI/LLM systems. It also includes current governance and compliance frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, and India’s DPDP Act). A syllabus that stops at traditional network security and dated tools leaves gaps employers now expect you to fill, so when comparing programmes, check specifically for cloud, SOC/SIEM and AI-security coverage.