PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN CLOUD SECURITY

Welcome to the Foundation-Level Cloud Security Course! In today’s digital landscape, cloud services have become fundamental to businesses and organisations of all sizes. The concepts taught in the course apply to all popular cloud computing platforms. However, the concepts will be demonstrated on Amazon Web Services.

As organisations migrate to the cloud, the security landscape becomes more complex and dynamic. The responsibility for securing cloud resources is shared between the cloud service provider and the customer, making it crucial to understand the principles and best practices for Cloud Security.

This 10-week course is designed to provide you with a solid foundation in Cloud Security. Whether you are a newcomer to cloud computing or looking to enhance your knowledge and skills, this course will equip you with the tools and concepts to secure your cloud infrastructure effectively.

Module 1: Overview of Cloud Computing and AWS

• Overview of Cloud Computing
• Overview of AWS and comparison to other Cloud Computing Platforms
• Overview of the AWS Console
• Introduction to AWS Core Services

Module 2: Overview of AWS Cloud Security

• Importance of Cloud Security
• Shared Responsibility Model
• AWS Security Pillars
• Setting Up AWS Accounts

Module 3: AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)

• IAM Concepts and Basics
• Creating IAM Users, Groups, and Roles
• IAM Policies and Permissions
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• IAM Best Practices

Module 4: Data Security in AWS

• Data Encryption in AWS (S3, RDS, etc.)
• AWS Key Management Service (KMS)
• AWS Identity Services (Cognito)
• Data Classification and Security
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Module 5: Network Security in AWS

• AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
• Security Groups and Network ACLs
• Web Application Firewall (WAF)
• AWS Shield for DDoS Protection
• Security Best Practices for VPCs

Module 6: Compliance and Governance in AWS

• AWS Compliance Programs (HIPAA, GDPR, etc.)
• AWS Config and AWS CloudTrail
• AWS Organizations and Service Control Policies (SCPs)
• Compliance in a Multi-Account Environment
• Compliance Auditing and Reporting

Module 7: Monitoring and Logging in AWS

• AWS CloudWatch for Monitoring
• AWS CloudTrail for Auditing
• Amazon GuardDuty for Threat Detection
• AWS Trusted Advisor
• Custom Metrics and Alarms

Module 8: Incident Response in AWS

• AWS Incident Response Framework
• Creating an Incident Response Plan
• Amazon Macie for Data Discovery
• Security Automation with AWS Lambda
• Case Studies and Practical Scenarios

Module 9: Security Best Practices in AWS

• AWS Well-Architected Framework
• Continuous Security Improvement
• Security Automation with AWS Config Rules
• AWS Security Hub and Inspector
• Patch Management in AWS

Module 10: Advanced AWS Security Topics

• AWS Secrets Manager and Systems Manager (SSM)
• AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for Advanced Use Cases
• AWS Security Token Service (STS)
• AWS PrivateLink for Secure Network Access
• Advanced IAM Scenarios

Equipment
Laptop or PC with an operating system of Windows 8 or newer is fine for this course, but an iPad is not recommended.

A ‘Pass’ grade on both the digital assignment(s) (Project(s)) as well as in-class participation is required to achieve the Professional Diploma. A ‘Fail’ grade will result in a Certificate of Attendance for the course but without the Professional Diploma being awarded.

Students must attend at least 8 of the 10 course evenings to graduate with either the Professional Diploma or Certificate of Attendance unless a serious and verifiable reason for further absence is provided. Likewise, the Project must be uploaded on the due date unless a sound reason for lateness is provided. In such instances, an extension may be awarded at the discretion of the lecturer.