Information and Data Security

By Adeniyi Salau on Sep 16, 2025Sep 17, 2025

Information and Data Security Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Information & Data Security

Definition of information security and data security
Importance of securing data in organizations
Security principles: CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)
Common security terminologies (threats, vulnerabilities, risks, exploits)
Real-world security incidents and lessons learned

Module 2: Fundamentals of Cryptography

History of cryptography
Symmetric vs. Asymmetric encryption
Hashing and digital signatures
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
Applications of cryptography in data security (SSL/TLS, VPN, email security)

Module 3: Threats, Vulnerabilities & Attacks

Types of security threats (internal vs. external)
Malware: viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware
Social engineering and phishing attacks
Denial of Service (DoS/DDoS)
Advanced Persistent Threats (APT)
Zero-day exploits

Module 4: Network & Infrastructure Security

Network security basics (firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs)
Secure network design (DMZ, segmentation)
Wireless security (WEP, WPA2, WPA3)
Securing cloud infrastructures
Security for IoT devices

Module 5: Data Protection & Privacy

Data classification and sensitivity levels
Data loss prevention (DLP) strategies
Secure data storage and backups
Privacy regulations: GDPR, CCPA, NDPR (for Nigeria), HIPAA
Data masking, tokenization, and anonymization

Module 6: Access Control & Identity Management

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems
Single Sign-On (SSO)

Module 7: Security Policies & Governance

Importance of security policies
Types of policies: acceptable use, password, incident response
Information Security Management Systems (ISMS)
ISO/IEC 27001 standards
Risk management and assessment

Module 8: Application & Web Security

Secure software development lifecycle (SDLC)
OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, etc.)
Secure coding practices
API security best practices
Mobile application security

Module 9: Incident Response & Disaster Recovery

Incident detection and reporting
Steps in incident response (preparation, detection, containment, eradication, recovery, lessons learned)
Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP)
Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
Forensics and evidence handling

Module 10: Emerging Trends in Information Security

Artificial Intelligence in cybersecurity
Blockchain for data security
Zero Trust Architecture
Security in DevOps (DevSecOps)
Cybersecurity careers and certifications (CISSP, CISM, CEH, CompTIA Security+)

Final Project / Assessment

Risk assessment case study
Designing a security policy for an organization
Simulated incident response exercise
Presentation on an emerging data security challenge

Outcome: By the end of this course, learners will understand the foundations of information and data security, recognize threats, implement protective measures, and align with compliance frameworks.