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The courses are grouped into a basic and an advanced programme. When selecting the standard programme (basic or advanced), we guarantee that no courses will overlap in your schedule. When choosing courses from both the basic and advanced programmes, you must ensure that you have the required prior knowledge. Please note that you are responsible for selecting courses that match your level. No intake interview is required if you apply for the standard programme (basic or advanced). The Cultural & Socio-economic Introduction to Belgium course is mandatory.

In our experience, the advanced courses can be quite challenging for some exchange students, and we want to ensure that you have the necessary background knowledge. If you are unsure, please contact us.

Find the course unit descriptions for this programme (course catalogue)

Cyber Security Basics

These are basic courses, no prior knowledge needed.

Computer Architectures & Operating Systems (6ECTS)

This course is all about the hardware of the computer, the operating system on the computer and working with IT software from a point of view of a poweruser to execute different kind of tasks. The power user has administrator or root privileges on the OS and has only that pc.

  • Hardware:
    • Introduction to number systems, computer parts, bios, troubleshooting, ...
    • Different types of computers
    • Electronic components and logic functions in a circuit
  • OS:
    • Introduction to operating systems and virtualisation
    • Basic administration- and automatisation tasks in Windows & Linux
    • Use the systemtasks in the CLI & GUI

Databases Fundamentals (3ECTS)

  • Introduction: database, database system, relational database system, SQL
  • SQL: read, insert, update and delete data
  • Making a relational data model using normalization
  • SQL: implementation of the relational data model

Programming Fundamentals (6ECTS)

  • Control structures: sequencing, selection and iteration
  • Variables and data types
  • Algorithms and data structures: 1 and 2 dimensional lists
  • Functions: arguments, parameters and return values, complexity
  • Software Design: decomposition, divide and conquer
  • Algorithms and data structures: binary and linear search in a list
  • Testing: make use of unit testing
  • Basic version control

Cyber Security Essentials (6ECTS)

Cybersecurity Introduction and Overview

  • Cybersecurity Concepts
  • Security Architecture Principles
  • Security of Networks, Systems, Applications and Data
  • Incident Response
  • Security Implications and Adoption of Evolving Technology

Web Frontend (6ECTS)

Creating web applications using HTML, CSS and JavaScript

PART 1: HTML & CSS

  • Developing websites with semantic and valid HTML5
  • A plethora of tags, such as the semantic containers, lists, navigation elements, forms, tables and many others are taught in order to translate text to a logical HTML structure.
  • Modern CSS techniques that will effortlessly translate into responsible design, most notably by deep knowledge of box model. All CSS properties required to design and develop a contemporary web application
  • Leveraging CSS selectors (novice, intermediate and advanced) for efficient coding
  • Flex

Integrating automated tools to validate the end result and emphasising code quality

PART 2: JavaScript

Scripting for web applications following the latest ECMA script standards

Application of:

  • variables and scope
  • if, switch, while, for
  • Functions And Arrays
  • Objects and JSON
  • DOM selection
  • Event handling ( binding, this )
  • Higher order functions
  • Handling user input
  • Local / session storage
  • Arrow functions
  • Timers and intervals
  • in practice, simulated in real world cases.

GENERAL (applies to all course components):

  • Code is developed with cross browser & cross device equivalent behaviour in mind.
  • Code quality is a large part of the course. Several best practices as well as "Don't"s will be handled by means of examples.
  • Working with git is an integral part of this course, for completing exercises and handing in assignments

Cultural & socio-economic introduction to Belgium (3ECTS)

You will learn about Belgian and Flemish culture (history, architecture, literature, music, ...), political structure and socio-economic data, all in comparison to the socioeconomic data of your home country. This course includes a survival course Dutch, a cultural and historical walk through Bruges, and if possible, also a visit to the Parlamentarium and the European Parliament in Brussels and an additional visit specifically linked to the English-taught semester you follow.

  • History of Flanders & Belgium
  • Political system in Belgium & Europe
  • Belgian Economy
  • Health & Wellfare system in Belgium
  • Crash course Dutch

Cyber Security Advanced

These are more advanced courses. You need to have basic understanding in computer networks and (Python) scripting.

Cryptography and Privacy Preserving Techniques (6ECTS)

  • Cryptography algorithms
    • Theory: Galois, prime numbers, Fermat, Euclidean
    • Symmetric block ciphers : Feistel, DES , AES , ...
    • Symmetric ciphers mode of operation: ECB, CBC, CFB, OFB, XTS-AES, GCM, CCM, KW
    • Hashing: SHA2, SHA3, perceptual hashing, ...
    • Random numbers: TRNG, PRNG, ANSI X 9.17
    • Stream ciphers: RC4, others, ...
    • Asymmetric cyphers : RSA , Diffie-Helman , El-Gamal, ECC , ...
    • Data integrity algorithms : Hash functions , MAC , DSA, ECDSA, RSA-PSS, ...
    • Mutual trust : Distribution of keys , X.509, PKI , ...
  • Applying crypto
    • Cryptography protocols
    • Cryptography applications: files, messages, databases, disks, e-id
    • Achieving privacy in a distributed network
    • Use of crypto in bitcoin and blockchain
    • Modern crypto / blockchain / distributed: secret sharing, secure multiparty, post quantum, homomorphic, attribute based / identity based encryption, electronic voting, light-weight crypto, zero-knowledge proof, oblivious RAM, blockchain
    • Differential privacy and other privacy preserving methods: PPDM, PPDP, PPML, federated learning
  • Cryptanalysis
  • Crypto libraries
  • Crypto guidelines
  • Using Python modules to apply these concepts

Systems and security automation (3ECTS)

More info to come

Cybersecurity in AI (3ECTS)

More info to come

Industrial and IOT Security (6ECTS)

More info to come

Threat Intelligence (3ECTS)

Elements covered:

  • Pyramid of pain
  • Lockheed Martin Kill chain
  • Diamond
  • ATT&CK (incl ICS)
  • CAR
  • CAPEC
  • CWE
  • CVE
  • OWASP
  • ...

Practical Reverse Engineering and Malware Analysis (3ECTS)

Elements covered:

  • Computerhardware Recap
  • Basic Static
  • Basic Dynamic
  • Advanced Static
  • Advanced Dynamic
  • Malware Overview
  • Reverse Engineering

Mobile Security (3ECTS)

Elements covered:

  • Securing and pentesting of mobile (web) applications
  • Android: (adb, root, inspect apk's, ...)
  • General: Static & dynamic analysis, Malware, ...

Cultural & socio-economic introduction to Belgium (3ECTS)

You will learn about Belgian and Flemish culture (history, architecture, literature, music, ...), political structure and socio-economic data, all in comparison to the socioeconomic data of your home country. This course includes a survival course Dutch, a cultural and historical walk through Bruges, and if possible, also a visit to the Parlamentarium and the European Parliament in Brussels and an additional visit specifically linked to the English-taught semester you follow.

  • History of Flanders & Belgium
  • Political system in Belgium & Europe
  • Belgian Economy
  • Health & Wellfare system in Belgium
  • Crash course Dutch