What I’ll Learn — Cybersecurity Engineering (CSE)
Prerequisites: Foundations (D10S) + Defensible Essentials (TADA Tactical)
What Cybersecurity Engineering does (and why it matters)?
Cybersecurity Engineering applies true engineering discipline to digital systems. Instead of bolting on tools, it gives practitioners a framework to:
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Turn abstract controls into technical specifications tied to requirements;
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Analyze components, systems, and systems-of-systems for trust, interfaces, and failure domains;
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Apply Component Integrity Engineering (CIE) to secure data flow and enforce containment;
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Use engineering trade-off methods (CEC) to balance security, performance, and cost; and
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Verify outcomes with Design Risk Management (DRM), adversary overlays (TADA), and repeatable tests.
How Cybersecurity Engineering keeps components, systems, and networks secure:
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Components by Design: Engineer trust at the lowest unit — servers, workloads, APIs, data stores. Validate encryption, authentication, and containment with CIE to prevent propagation of compromise.
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Systems by Design: Map interfaces, dependencies, and control points. Engineer resilience with segmentation, redundancy, fail-safe defaults, and defensible patterns that resist attack overlays.
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Enterprise by Design: Build system-of-systems with clear assurance cases. Trace every risk decision to requirements, standards (D10S), and measurable outcomes, backed by logs, models, and metrics.
Fundamentals (CSE)
Your foundation in thinking and working like a true cybersecurity engineer. Learn to apply engineering rigor to controls, components, and integrations — not just deploy tools.
You’ll learn
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D10S controls → Specifications: Convert ISAUnited Defensible Standards into measurable inputs.
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CEC trade-offs: Document engineering decisions with cost, performance, and risk impacts.
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Component Integrity Engineering (CIE): Secure flow paths, containment, and trust anchors.
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Systems thinking: From components to integrations to system-of-systems.
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DRM for engineers: Hazard analysis, mitigation mapping, and residual risk tracking.
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Verification & Validation: Simple test-as-evidence approaches using cyber science experiments.
You’ll produce
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Engineering decision log (CEC + DRM entries)
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Component security specification pack
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System diagram annotated with trust boundaries & control points
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Basic V&V test plan + results snapshot
Advanced (CSE)
Move from practitioner to professional engineer. Govern systems, quantify design trade-offs, and generate evidence packages ready for submission to CPL or executive review.
You’ll learn
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Defensible patterns: Engineer, justify, and govern reusable security patterns.
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System assurance: Build traceable assurance cases with inputs/outputs tied to D10S.
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Advanced V&V: Test-as-code, adversary overlays, telemetry validation, and DRM decision audits.
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Quantification with TMC: Reliability math, performance thresholds, and containment probability.
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Resilience engineering: Model rollback, fault tolerance, fail-secure defaults, and layered defenses.
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Executive engineering briefs: Communicate technical assurance as measurable risk reduction.
You’ll produce
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Full engineering decision/evidence pack
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DRM & assurance case log with traceable mitigations
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Advanced V&V test-as-code results + telemetry proof
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Pattern library entries + CIE containment designs
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Signed engineering design review record
What I’ll Take — Cybersecurity Engineering (CSE)
Level 1: BASICS (required for all students)
First Course B101: Defensible 10 Standards (D10S) Foundations
Format: Self-paced with Instructor Support: 12–14 hours
Purpose: Establish a common engineering baseline across all ten ISAUnited domains and teach how a standard is structured and evidenced.
You’ll learn:
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Why standards must be defensible (Problem → Proposed Solution for each domain)
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How a standard is built: Requirements (Inputs), Technical Specifications (Outputs), Principles, Controls, V&V
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The D-SSF snapshot for sub-standard authoring and peer review
Artifacts: 10-domain quick sheets; R/P/C/T matrix; mini V&V table
Second Course B102: TADA Method & Framework (Technical Adversarial & Defensible Analysis)
Format: Self-paced with Instructor Support | Duration: 12–14 hours
Purpose: Make adversary-aware design decisions and produce traceable evidence.
You’ll learn:
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Classic attack models → architecture overlays; STRIDE; ATT&CK linkage
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DRM logging (hazards, mitigations) and CDM/CEC design artifacts
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How to turn a solution diagram into testable, defensible controls
Artifacts: TADA overlay pack; DRM log; testable acceptance criteria
Progression rule: B101 and B102 are prerequisites for all Core courses.
Level 2: CORE — Cybersecurity Engineering (CSE)
Third Course CSE-210: Secure Systems & Components — Core Fundamentals
Component Integrity Engineering (CIE), network/platform hardening, identity & access enforcement, and telemetry contracts.
Last Course CSE-410: Secure Systems Engineering — Core Advanced
Threat & Vulnerability Engineering, data/crypto engineering, observability and automated response, reliability & resilience testing.
CSE Capstone: Secure System Build & Test
Deliver: Reference build, controls bill of materials, V&V pack, defect log, and fixes.
What Do I Get — Cybersecurity Engineering (CSE)
Choose one of two outcome paths at registration:
Path A — Knowledge & CPEs
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Who it is for: Practitioners seeking structured learning and verified continuing education.
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You earn: CPE certificate for each completed course and a transcript of completed modules.
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Requirements to complete: Attend and pass course assessments; submit required artifacts to the baseline standard.
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No CPL deliverables required.
Path B — Knowledge & CPEs + CPL Preparation
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Who it is for: Candidates targeting ISAUnited Certified Professional License tracks (CSbDP, CPCE, CPCA).
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You earn: Everything in Path A plus a CPL Readiness Kit aligned to ISAUnited’s evaluation-based licensing (no multiple-choice exams, no interviews).
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Additional deliverables include the D-SSF mini-standard, DRM hazard log, TADA overlay, V&V plan, and program-specific evidence (e.g., architecture decision records or controls mapping).
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Readiness review: Coach-reviewed checklist and feedback aligned to CPL submission expectations; portfolio-based evaluation.
CPE credit: Equal to instructional contact hours per course; certificates are issued upon successful completion.
