Cybersecurity Culture, Strategy & Leadership

Key Details

Management practices for Chief Information Security officers and those reporting to this function include various management practices, involve specific culture and involves developing adequate strategy. This module addresses those management practices and train students on understanding and applying those practices. It includes implementing those processes and practices including the seven maturity components to ensure resilient operations.

Time commitment

125 hours in total

Readings: 12 hours before the module + 12 hours during delivery (24 hours)

Lectures: 12 sessions × 2 hours each (24 hours)

Case studies and workshops / Lab work: 6 hours × 12 weeks (72 hours)

Project-specific self-study: 3 hours

Module exam: Multiple-choice, proctored: 2 hours

Assessment

• One short computer-based quizz after the sessions 5 and 10. (10% each)
• One written assignment related to the development of a CISO organisation in a specific industry with specific technology and business requirements. (10%)
• In-class participation (10%)
• Proctored exam (60%)

Subjects covered

Week 1: The cybersecurity landscape including review of some narrated incidents.

Overview of potential business impacts.

Week 2: Overview of cybersecurity threats

Week 3: Overview of cybersecurity vulnerabilities

Week 4: Overview of controls as structured following major categorisations (four ISO 27001 domains, Five NIST domains, etc.)

Week 5: Review of major cybersecurity related frameworks and regulations

Week 6: The governance activities and the PLAN domains of governance.

Week 7: Case Discussion: Building a CISO culture, a function and align with the organisation

Week 8: The Risk Management process: Business and technology risks

Week 9: The protection roadmap The BUILD domains of governance to implement relevant transformation actions

Week 10: Incident management, CERT and the RUN domains of governance

Week 11: The MONITOR domain including the seven components of maturity and the definition of security Dashboards (technical and managerial).

Week 12: Understand the various cybersecurity roles and the development of a CISO organisation

Learning objectives

Upon completion of this module, the learner will gain a thorough understanding of the role of the CISO and the key cultural and governance practices required to achieve protection objectives. They will also develop the skills necessary to effectively assume leadership responsibilities in planning, construction, operation, and monitoring activities.

Learning outcomes that students should attain in the module:

LO1. Knowledge: Demonstrate understanding of the role of the CISO and the cultural and governance practices essential for achieving protection objectives, as well as a fundamental understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and the protection controls required.

LO2. Skills: Demonstrate skills in performing various CISO roles, with the ability to complete leadership tasks across the “plan, build, run, and monitor” domains of activity.

LO3. Competences: Design a functional CISO organisation and define relevant activities aligned with business objectives.