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Free Security Engineering Course by UNSW

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Free Security Engineering Course by UNSW
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QuiOui on 23/03/2016 - 22:25 openlearning.com (9853 clicks)
Last edited 24/03/2016 - 14:30 by 1 other user

Apparently computer security is a booming industry and UNSW and CBA have teamed up to give you this free Security Engineering course and apparently you can earn a 6 figure salary within the first couple of years after graduation.

The information on the website is a bit vague:
Over 2016 and 2017, we will be releasing a sequence of publicly available courses in cyber security, under the banner of the sec.edu 'Security Engineering' program.

The first course will start in Semester 1, 2016.

Register here to participate. Everyone welcome. Just bring your wits, cunning, and passion. And keep your eyes peeled for the McGuffin.

Some courses will requre C programming familiarity, others require no specific background and are suitable for those wishing to increase their understanding of cyber security. All courses require strong analytical capabilities.

SEC.EDU is a proud partnership between UNSW and Commonwealth Bank.

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    • Baa on 24/03/2016 - 16:43

      Lucky this is not a course on how to admin windows user accounts!

      To give you an idea for a level 1 IT helpdesk role in Perth ($35 to $40k base) companies can expect a couple of hundred applications.

      Specialization sets you apart and gives you more opportunities in varied industries where you won't be admining windows accounts.

      This course won't give you on paper but may give you some direction on where you want to go instead of sitting.

      • ninetyNineCents on 24/03/2016 - 22:36

        Is that level 1 role, one of those types that replaces a keyboard or mouse ? I have no idea what that role inperth has to do with my observation about this course but anyway.

        I don't know what this course is, but I do I know that nobody in the university game would give anything worthwhile away for free. They should be honest and describe it for what it truely is and not advertise some lame supposed qualification from this freebie.

        • [Deactivated] on 25/03/2016 - 05:25

          Clearly there are diff definitions of IT jobs.

          Thought people were referring to analytics, oracle consults, cyber security experts (ie pen testers), IT risk.

          Ones i know are well over $100k

        • daydream on 25/03/2016 - 18:29

          Are they 2nd year graduates?! If so, soon enough they'll be at Centrelink because they'll price themselves out of a job (Replaced with cheaper staff with same skills).

        • ninetyNineCents on 26/03/2016 - 08:24

          @googleyahoo69:

          Are you mad !?

          Do you really think someone can learn an enough of an application and security framework in a course like this ?

          It's obvious I'm not discussing general Security positions but the ones that can actually be done after this course, which is either changing keyboards or admiring user accounts and changing passwords.

        • [Deactivated] on 27/03/2016 - 02:39

          @ninetyNineCents:

          No, a few years in. I read it here a few people saying that 100k+ is not possible after a few years.

          Sorry to have confused anyone.

  • slam on 24/03/2016 - 10:37
    +1

    Is this an online course?

    • jenkemjunkie on 24/03/2016 - 12:47

      Online. Content is only held on BBS boards though.

    • sarah965 on 24/03/2016 - 14:34

      Yes I am also curious if it is an online course ?

      • notsarah on 24/03/2016 - 17:41
        +1

        It's an online course. The recordings are from the in-person lecture the uni students attend.

  • striker5950 on 24/03/2016 - 13:15

    a bit more info would be good. like how long does the course run for?
    is it online or on campus? or both?
    how many units?
    part time or fulltime?

    • Duram on 24/03/2016 - 14:12
      +1

      It's free.

      • ninetyNineCents on 24/03/2016 - 22:36

        It's a waste of time, probably a big ad for some thing that you would be required to pay for.

    • QuiOui on 24/03/2016 - 14:36

      To my understanding the free course is online and the video lectures are recordings of actual in room lectures.

      They expect you to spend about 11 hours per week on the course and runs for 14 weeks.

  • CookieMunster on 24/03/2016 - 14:57

    Do employers recognize this course? Is it certified?

    • notsarah on 24/03/2016 - 17:40
      +1

      Not certified, no. There are some employers out there who employ you based on what you can do rather than what pieces of paper you have; they're the sort of employers you'd "impress" with this course

  • noramando on 24/03/2016 - 15:42

    By the look of the website, there are no certification at all upon the completion of this course. Maybe a piece of paper for the recognition of attendance. This seems like a starter for the 2nd year entrance to university course. There is no free lunch in this world. University courses are expensive and how could it be free. Maybe it is buy now and pay later. Please explain.

    • notsarah on 24/03/2016 - 17:38

      You're right, there's no certification or degree or award for participating. Just free knowledge.

      There's no such thing as a free lunch, but stealing education is easy. Just walk onto a university campus and sit in on some lectures - and to think foolish students pay good money for that education.

      This is pretty much just an extension on that - some people with a lot of money realised that we have a massive shortage of excellent security people, so they're putting some of that money into getting the course running (filming the videos, creating the content, whatever) and doing what they can to make more excellent security people.

      • ninetyNineCents on 24/03/2016 - 22:37

        Excellent security people, is that a joke ?

        Are there any in Australia ?

        • daydream on 25/03/2016 - 16:27

          Yes they are in the Centrelink queue as their jobs were outsourced for cheaper bodies from offshore.

        • ninetyNineCents on 26/03/2016 - 08:26

          @daydream:

          Well they must be basically account administration and not application architecture with security. It's obvious which of the two could be learnt from a course like this.

        • daydream on 26/03/2016 - 22:00

          @ninetyNineCents:

          Can't speak for this course content but I know senior security staff with years of application and architecture knowledge who were given the boot. I know them personally and their now their cheaper replacements (not as good to work with but priced the same for customers who don't know the difference). The economics are pretty simple. It's the naive that refuse to see it till it affects them personally (Just like the car industry although the government kept giving that industry a lifeline. That won't happen with IT). Guess who's managing people's personal data on their phones. It's not local Australians and that data is offshore. Do you think the same people are going to worry if offshore people manage data that is less important to them? Money talks.

        • ninetyNineCents on 26/03/2016 - 22:59

          @daydream:

          What your saying may be true, I don't care, however that does change the fact this course is misrepresenting it's true value.

          I have no idea why your telling me about people managing data on phone.

          I agree companies will employ or pick the cheapest option they can. Again I ask why are you telling me this and what has that got to do with this course?

        • daydream on 27/03/2016 - 00:18

          @ninetyNineCents: I'm agreeing with you re: value of course being misrepresented.

          My other comments (not aimed at anyone in particular) relate to what is happening with jobs in the IT Security industry. Once upon a time companies wanted those people to be in Australia. Now they don't care because saving more is more important than where the data is and who is managing it.

        • ninetyNineCents on 27/03/2016 - 09:07

          @daydream:

          Movement of jobs was always going to happen. One day these jobs will disappear, as having a person even part time manage user accounts is a joke. Google don't need these people for their general user accounts. It's only a matter of time.

  • Shwayne on 24/03/2016 - 15:44
    +2

    n0n-1337 h4ck3r5 n33d n07 4pp1y.

    • noramando on 24/03/2016 - 15:46

      ???

      • jenkemjunkie on 24/03/2016 - 16:03
        +1

        This course isn't for you. Learn 1337 $p34|<

      • scrimshaw on 24/03/2016 - 20:14 
          int skill;
  printf("Input your familliarity with the C programming language, ranging from 1 to 100,");
  scanf("%d",&skill);
  if(skill >=99)
  {
   printf("Thank you for enrolling with UNSW");
  }
   else
  {
 printf("Sorry. Enrolment denied, as you're too dumb for this course");
   }
        • ThadtheChad on 29/03/2016 - 15:36

          make the variable 'skill' a string and I'll play. :P

        • Shwayne on 29/03/2016 - 19:29

          Accepting 99 now are we, dropped the bar. :(

  • Baa on 24/03/2016 - 16:39
    +1

    I am one of those "IT Professionals no formal education", I don't work in cyber security but work in a fairly specialised industry for last 8 or so years.

    For somebody like me this gives me a chance to broaden my horizons and learn something new, not necessarily to further my career. So far I have found the course material fairly fun - if nothing else I have discovered the NSA app which is pretty addictive once it gets you thinking.

    IF you are trying to decide what you want to do and this interests you I recommend checking it out, it might just inspire you to pursue this as a career path.

    • Voked on 25/03/2016 - 03:30

      I imagine you're in more of an all-round sys admin role. In 8 years I imagine you understand IPv4 and networking. From there, learning should be pretty easy. But for a random to jump in head first… I'd recommend doing A+ or network+ certs or something first

  • Voked on 25/03/2016 - 03:22

    Security is a funny one. It's not like sys admin or programming where there's a definite amount of content you need to know to be "good" at your job. For security, you need a genuine interest. Without that, no creativity, no continued learning. Security is very fast moving, but at the same time, you need to be familiar with the past. I would suggest starting from the core and working outwards. See the OSI model. Use Youtube. I found the hardest part about learning was the endless jargon, so start with basics.

    • daydream on 25/03/2016 - 16:32
      +1

      With IT security you never stop having to learn. Moving targets and trying to stay a step ahead of those with more time on their hands trying to undermine you. That's why nothing can really be considered secure in IT even after you pay a lot of money for the service, just more secure than it was before! Every change can introduce a new risk.

      • ninetyNineCents on 26/03/2016 - 08:28

        Which is why security people who get involved in architecture and design decisions need to understand how the Tech works. Nobody is going to learn enough of that in a course with the modest time that this course involves. That leaves account administration.

  • xrep on 25/03/2016 - 21:23

    QuiQUi, do we just get statement of participation for completing the course?

    • QuiOui on 25/03/2016 - 22:09

      From the course information:

      We expect you to spend about 11 hours per week the (sic) course for a credit.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/03/2016 - 21:24

    Hmm… With a lot of these University courses, they usually they skimp on the content. I hope it doesn't just turn out to be a course based on the content in security talks you can see online. I'm mostly interested in what they have in the "Security Engineering Professional Skills" section, the rest of the areas I believe are pretty much going to be common sense fodder to pad the course.

  • citybargainhunter on 28/03/2016 - 16:43

    cool

  • kingwang on 28/03/2016 - 19:12

    Do i get a certificate at the end of this?

    • noramando on 28/03/2016 - 22:05

      You will not get a BSc, H.Dip, or certification. You will get a credit for spending about 11 hours per week online. Maybe enough credit to do something else. The website need to be more specific. It is ambiguous. Maybe that has to do with the security and misled. Need total transparency on the course. I believe YouTube has a lot of so call "security engineering courses" available free as well.

  • shaun-o on 28/03/2016 - 21:22

    Will this course require C programming familiarity or not? Should I just watch some videos on YouTube? "Some courses will require C programming familiarity, others require no specific background".

  • DealWalker on 30/03/2016 - 13:48

    Excellent incentive

  • [Deactivated] on 12/04/2016 - 13:15

    I'm going to have to give this course my thumbs down.

    It's basically just a set of puzzles that should be in something like the Crypto Club at your local university (If one such exists, if not, as a student you might consider starting one.). This is not something that should be in a paid university course…

    The content just isn't what I thought it would be like.

    It is definitely not even related in any manner to Information Security. It's a big shame… I think you guys will see what I mean once you get into it.

    It's really easy to solve the puzzles as well, in fact too easy when compared to a Cryptic Crossword… The ASCII art one was too easy, and the hidden message is well, bland and dubious. It isn't really part of the so called toolkit at all…

    You'll probably learn more doing the Cryptography course at the Harvard MOOC. Whilst leaving these puzzles to be something that a newspaper or online forums will generally publish as "Well today, students in a test couldn't solve this problem". e.g. Famous AB+CD=EF-GH=PPP puzzle.

    The course is very very watered down, I'm surprised it is a UNSW course… Who the heck passed it?

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