Unlocking cyber security principles

Hacks and data breaches are often in the news, but how do we prevent them and protect our organisations from future attacks? Dr Ke He lectures in Computer Science and Software Engineering within Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury.

Dr He is one of the experts behind our Postgraduate Certificate in Cyber Security and talks through why computer scientists need to upskill in this area.

What excites me most about cyber security is the constant stream of new challenges

The field is ever-evolving, not just within traditional security domains but also with emerging technologies. For instance, the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Claude introduces new security concerns, such as ensuring the trustworthiness of these models and preventing prompt injection attacks.

Ongoing professional development is critical in cyber security

The tech industry is rapidly evolving, with new technologies and frameworks emerging daily. Ongoing education is crucial for professionals to stay current with the latest advancements, ensuring they remain competitive and effective in their roles. Besides, professional development offers an opportunity for networking and collaboration with peers, which provides valuable insights and diverse perspectives.

Our programme offers theoretical and practical skills

This online certificate equips learners with both theoretical knowledge of fundamental cybersecurity concepts and practical, hands-on experience with tools used in penetration testing and defence. We encourage learners to apply these security principles to their everyday work and develop a deeper understanding and practical application of cybersecurity.

A postgraduate certificate offers depth and breadth and so is well worth investing in

Many professional development programmes and courses offered online are short and can be easily finished in a few weeks. This often means the depth of knowledge and the support they received from the institutions are extremely limited. On the other hand, the PGCertCySec offers a formal academic qualification with detailed explanation of cybersecurity principles and practical lab material that will significantly enhance learner’s knowledge in cyber security.

Studying together fosters a community of online learners and experts in cyber security

I’m most excited about the discussion forums that are also part of our programme learning. These forums allow learners to engage in debates on various intriguing and controversial topics related to cyber security principles and recent events. Such discussions foster critical thinking and help learners develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter that they can apply in their everyday life and work.

We’re excited to see graduates of this certificate making an impact in Aotearoa soon – thanks for sharing your expertise with us Dr He!