Cyber Security Base with F-Secure is a course series by University of Helsinki in collaboration with F‑Secure Cyber Security Academy that focuses on building core knowledge and abilities related to the work of a cyber security professional. The course series is free and open for anyone to attend.

Learn about tools used to analyse flaws in software systems, necessary knowledge to build secure software systems (esp. within Web), the skills needed to perform risk and threat analysis on existing systems and the relevant legislation within EU. By the end of the course, hard working participants are expected to possess the skills required from those who work as Junior Security Consultants in the industry, for example at F‑Secure.

Contents of the course series

The course series consists of multiple smaller courses, each centered around a specific theme. These themes include

1. a brief introduction to cyber security and operational security,
2. web software development, types of vulnerabilities that are typical to web software, how such vulnerabilities are discovered and then mitigated, and
3. advanced topics such as secure software architectures and cryptography.

There will be a few case studies as well as projects that participants can work on. At the end of the course series, we’ll also organize a friendly competition where participants get to find and fix vulnerabilities within a limited time-frame.

Click the link below to view the course serie’s web page and to start your journey into becoming a cyber security expert!

Work load and prerequisites

There will be programming assignments, essays, quizzes and puzzles throughout the courses, and completing a specific part of a course means working and completing most if not all of them. We expect that individuals work some 2-10 hours per week on the courses depending on their background. Some programming background and ICT experience will be very beneficial.

ECTS credits for Finnish residents

If you reside in Finland, you can get a total of 10 ECTS credits for the course from the Open University of University of Helsinki. Your own school, college or university has the option of accepting these as a part of your studies – you have to, however, ask your local administration whether they will do so. We are looking into the possibility of offering certificates for completion of the course series to all participants as well.

We will start on 25th of October, 2016. A link to the stream / recording of the event (event starting 10AM GMT+3): https://www.helsinki.fi/fi/unitube/video/20543.

If you would like to hear about our other upcoming courses as well, remember to join our general mailing list at the bottom of this page too!