System and platform security is the basis of understanding, mitigating, and preventing vulnerabilities and attacks in a cloud environment, which is becoming increasingly important for IT Professionals to understand as organizations rely more and more on cloud computing.
Developed by faculty from the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo, this course introduces security issues in modern computing systems and platforms, with a particular focus on critical topics in cloud computing environments including program security, operating system security, and hardware security. The curriculum reflects the latest threats, trends, and technologies in systems and platform security, keeping you ahead of the curve. You will examine common causes of security breaches and learn methods to detect, isolate, and prevent them effectively.
Through hands-on labs, case studies, and interactive content, you'll gain the expertise to identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks, ensure compliance, and implement robust secure cloud architectures. By the end of this course, you will be able to identify common attack vectors in modern cloud environments and evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of security features offered by operating systems, compilers, and hardware.
This nine-week course includes:
- A one-hour live orientation session
- Weekly drop-in Q&A sessions with the instructor
- Weekly online learning and hands-on lab activities
- Explain the risks associated with cloud infrastructure and platforms
- Identify attack vectors for virtual machines or cloud-based applications
- Articulate how endpoint security helps mitigate attacks
- Demonstrate how to design secure authentication and access control schemes
- Describe security features provided in modern operating systems
- Describe how to augment the security of cloud applications automatically
- Model how to find vulnerabilities with state-of-the-art tools
- List state-of-the-art hardware-assisted security techniques
- Analyse potential side-channels in hardware and discuss fixes for them
- Summarize how to plan and implement security controls in cloud setting
|
Module Title |
Main Topics / Learning Outcomes |
|
Module 1: Introduction to Systems and Platform Security |
|
|
Module 2: Common Attack Vectors |
|
|
Module 3: Security Features in Operating Systems |
|
|
Module 4: Compiler-Assisted Security |
|
|
Module 5: Hardware-Assisted Security |
|
This course is for mid-career professionals looking to specialize in cloud security to stay competitive, improve job prospects, and earn certifications that are increasingly in demand within modern tech ecosystems.
- Cybersecurity Professionals: The shift to cloud computing introduces new security challenges such as data privacy, access control, and securing distributed infrastructure. Mastering cloud security helps them mitigate emerging threats, improve cloud incident response, and safeguard critical assets.
- IT Professionals: Managing and securing cloud infrastructures requires specialized knowledge of how to protect cloud platforms and data. This course equips them with the skills to maintain secure cloud operations, monitor environments for security breaches, and implement compliance frameworks.
- Programmers/Developers: As cloud platforms become more integral to software deployment, understanding cloud-specific security measures ensures their code is resilient to vulnerabilities, integrates secure development practices, and complies with industry standards.
- Enterprise Teams: Corporate IT and security teams responsible for safeguarding enterprise infrastructure and ensuring secure cloud adoption. This course delivers actionable knowledge for implementing identity and access management (IAM) solutions, securing multi-cloud deployments, and compliance with industry standards.
Prerequisites
- Basic experience with Linux bash programming
- At least an introductory understanding of popular programming languages used in systems development, like Python and C.
Learn alongside your team!
WatSPEED provides custom learning experiences tailored for large groups from any single organization. Register three or more employees from the same organization and receive 15 per cent off. Contact our team at watspeed@uwaterloo.ca for details.
- Cutting-edge content: Dive into the latest cybersecurity challenges, tools, and techniques that address emerging threats and vulnerabilities in modern systems and cloud environments. This course provides practical skills rooted in the most current advancements in the field.
- Focus on critical topics: Build expertise in three critical areas of:
- Program security: Learn to identify vulnerabilities, attack vectors, and mitigation techniques to safeguard software systems.
- Operating system security: Understand OS security risks and implement processes to protect against threats.
- Hardware security: Explore cutting-edge hardware-based security capabilities that enhance overall system protection.
- Practical lab-based learning: Experience the impact of common vulnerabilities and attacks through hands-on labs, explore sandbox evasion and access control, familiarize yourself with commonly used tools for debugging, and learn more about the latest hardware security technologies.
- Showcase your learning: Summarize your learning by creating a detailed plan to implement multi-layered security controls in your organization, addressing real-world challenges with the strategies and techniques gained from the course.
- Flexible learning experience: Progress at your own pace with a generous timeline for tasks and detailed lab guides. Recorded orientation sessions provide additional flexibility for busy schedules.
- Expert support: Connect with your instructor and peers through weekly live Q&A sessions and actively monitored discussion forums. Receive personalized guidance to enhance your learning experience and address challenges as they arise.
System requirements
- Students will use the online CloudLabs platform to complete the hands-on labs. No software installation needed.
Receive a certificate from the University of Waterloo
Upon successful completion of this program, you will receive a professional education certificate from the University of Waterloo.
Meng Xu
Associate Professor, David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo | Course Author
Meng Xu is an Assistant Professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo, Canada. He is also a member of the Cryptography, Security, and Privacy (CrySP) group and the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute (CPI). Meng’s research is in the area of system and software security, with a focus on delivering high-quality solutions to practical security programs, especially in finding and patching vulnerabilities in critical computer systems. This usually includes research and development of automated program analysis / testing / verification tools that facilitate the security reasoning of critical programs.