Specialist Certificate · Bachelor's level · CPS-16

Securing Infrastructure and Access

For: Systems and network administrators, IT technicians and operations managers who protect the perimeter, communications and access of their organisation's information system.

Pre-register

Organisation over 20 weeks

Four 5-week blocks (4 weeks of classes, 1 week of assessment). The two course units are taken unchanged from the original degree: same content, same assessments.

Blocks 1 and 2 (weeks 1 to 10): SEC 242 — Infrastructure Security
Blocks 3 and 4 (weeks 11 to 20): IDN 244 — Identity, Access and Hardening

SEC 242 - Infrastructure Security

Protect the perimeter and communications of the information system.

Learning outcomes

Implement tools for securing an information system in accordance with a security policy.
Segment a network and filter traffic.
Enable staff to connect securely to the information system.

Content

Firewalls: stateful and stateless filtering, rules, logging.
Segmentation: zones, demilitarised zone, isolation of sensitive networks.
Proxies and application-level filtering.
Site-to-site and remote-access virtual private networks: IPsec with IKEv2, WireGuard, TLS VPN; obsolete protocols to be banned (PPTP).
Secure remote access for teleworking and branch offices; principles of “zero trust” network access.

Assessment: Continuous assessment (40%): marked practical work on filtering and VPN configuration. Practical examination (60%): securing a multi-site architecture.

IDN 244 - Identity, Access and Hardening

Reduce the attack surface: who accesses what, on properly configured systems.

Learning outcomes

Implement identity and access management.
Apply a hardening guide to a system.
Organise patch management across a fleet of systems.

Content

Identity lifecycle, least privilege, separation of duties.
Strong, phishing-resistant authentication (FIDO2), and privileged accounts.
Hardening: services, accounts, logging, baseline configuration.
Vulnerability and patch management.
Access-related security controls of the ISO/IEC 27002:2022 standard.

Assessment: Continuous assessment (40%): marked practical on identity management and patch management plan. Practical examination (60%): hardening and configuration audit of a server.

Career opportunities

Systems and network security administrator, infrastructure security technician, identity and access manager.

At your own pace: the self-paced pathway

In a class, this certificate takes 20 weeks, on the cohort's dates. On the self-paced pathway, you start whenever you like, online, and progress at your own pace. The price is the same.

Estimate how long my pathway will take

12 h / week · 240 hours in total

Duration: about 20 weeks
Estimated end: 20 weeks after you start
Examination: Online, subject to available slots, no earlier than 20 weeks after you start
Payment: In 1 to 5 monthly instalments, as you choose

An indicative estimate, for a start today and 240 hours of work. You can change your pace along the way; the pathway must be completed within 60 weeks (about 14 months) of your start. Your e-Campus access opens with your first payment.

Admission

Baccalauréat and experience of systems or network administration assessed on application, or second year of a compatible Bachelor's degree in computing; practical experience of system administration and of networking fundamentals. Admission based on application; detailed requirements set by the school.

The credits you earn are recognised without further assessment if you later join the programme they come from, Professional Bachelor's degree in Network and Information Systems Administration and Security, within a period set by the certificate regulations.