Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics

Master’s Programme

The goal of the Master’s degree in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics is to develop specialized training in cybersecurity and computer forensics, allowing holders of degrees in Computer Engineering or similar degrees to continue their studies, and to train highly qualified technicians in cybersecurity and computer forensics.

http://www.dei.estg.ipleiria.pt/mcif/

Programme Coordinator

Miguel Monteiro de Sousa Frade
coord.mcif.estg@ipleiria.pt

Reference

D 2259 – PL 2159

School

Technology and Management

City

Leiria

Language

Portuguese

Type

Evening, Morning & Afternoon

Length

4 Semesters

Vacancies

General and International Student Contingent
Daytime Classes: 20

General and International Student Contingent
Evening Classes: 20

Notice

Edital_2025_DailyClasses 2v (PT Doc)
Edital_2025_EveningClasses 2v (PT Doc)

DGES certification

Link to Registration

Objectives

Programme

This Master’s degree aims at developing the connection with the business fabric of the region, by performing internships, projects and dissertations, which may allow to apply good practices in cybersecurity. The main objectives of this Master’s also include the development of applied research in cybersecurity and computer forensics, as well as to promote the transference of advanced knowledge in cybersecurity and computer forensics to organizations.

Study Plan

ECTS: 120

1st Year
2nd Year

1st Year
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
	Computers Network Security	1st Semester	6	30 h
1. Advanced topics on TCP/IP communication. 2. Fundamentals on systems and networking security. 3. IPv6 security issues. 4. Physical security cabling and datacenters. 5. Logical security IP e TCP protocols. 6. Naming and DHCP protocols. 7. Networking security protocols and services: IPSec, SSL/TLS. 8. Firewalls 9. Intrusion detection systems.
	Digital Forensics I	1st Semester	6	30 h
1. Introduction to digital forensics: 1.1 Scientific method; 1.2 Privacy and ethics; 1.3 Technical concepts; bytes, hexadecimal and unicode order of volatility 2. Obtaining evidences: 2.1 1st intervention procedures and equipment seizure; 2.2 Evidence sources; – Storage media and hidden areas -Data networks, live and mobile. 2.3 Storage media; – Write blockers – Forensic copies – Partitions and volumes – FAT and NTFS file systems – Copy integrity, collisions and digital signatures 3. Analysis of forensic images with Autopsy: – Unallocated and slack space – Deleted files – Files and metadata – Search patterns – File extension mismatch – Web browsing – Email clients -Windows OS artefacts. 4. Documentation and report: 4.1 Digital forensics limitations; -Hidden information -Evidences removal -Records tampering 4.2 Forensic report comprehension Case studies .
	Policy and Risk Analysis for Information Security	1st Semester	6	30 h
1. Fundamental principles of security 2. Regulation, investigation, compliance and ethics 3. Information security management systems 4. Policies, Standards, Baselines, Guidelines and Procedures 5. Information Security Program 6. Risk Management, Assessment and Analysis 7. Security management models and practices
	Secure Administration of Computer Systems	1st Semester	6	30 h
1. Basic concepts of sysadmin: - Duties and rights - Ethics – Documenting - Central fault points. 2. Notion of service: - Definition of Service - Installation and configuration of services - Maintaining services - Management of security updates. 3. User Management: - Rights and duties - Interacting with users. 4. Authentication Services and board: - General Concepts - Management of access credentials - LDAP, DAP and Active Directory systems. 5. Storage and secure management of files: - File integrity validation mechanisms - File systems (local, distributed) - Secure save files (backups, data transfer) - Safe disposal of content stored in persistent memory devices - File storage services in the cloud. 6. HTTP and HTTPS services - HTTP / 1.x and HTTP / 2 protocols - Key vulnerabilities of the HTTP / 1.x and HTTP/2 protocols - Security mechanisms and methodologies of HTTP and HTTPS services. 7. Email Services - Main operations - Key vulnerabilities SPF and DKIM mechanisms.
	Offensive and Defensive Cybersecurity I	1st Semester	6	30 h
1. Introduction to Ethical Hacking. 2. Footprinting and Reconnaissance. 3. Scanning Networks. 4. Enumeration. 5. Vulnerability analysis. 6. System Hacking. 7. Social Engineering.
	Offensive and Defensive Cybersecurity II	2nd Semester	6	30 h
1.Identification the threats and corrective measures to be applied 2.Identify and detect system and service vulnerabilities 3.Problems associated with BYOD 4.Planning of secure communication solutions in computer networks and systems 5.Planning solutions for mobile systems and solutions 6.Applications of perimeter security solutions 7.Evaluation of logs and network traffic 8.Study and behavioral analysis of applications, services and protocols 9.Study the behavior of IOT devices in computer systems
	Digital Forensics II	2nd Semester	6	30 h
1. Partitions, volumes and file systems on mobile devices 2. Computer networks analysis: MAC, IPv4 and IPv6 addresses IPs geolocalization 2.1 Procedures; Network traffic collection and analysis Packet filters Logs analysis 2.2 Limitations; Segmentation, encryption, temporality and location Traffic anonymisation 3. Backups from mobile devices: 3.1 General concepts; Personal OS Plist files Antiforensic techniques Cloud services 4. Mobile OS: 4.1 General concepts; Memory and SIM cards 4.2 Android; File system and data structures Security model 4.3 iOS; File system and data structures Security model 4.4 Windows Phone; File system and data structures Security model 5. Study case Digital forensics report.
	Management and Analysis of Security Reports	2nd Semester	6	30 h
1. Management of security events. 2. Architecture of SIEM systems. 3. Collection of security event data (logs). 4. Data processing. 5. Realtime data analysis and pattern recognition. 6. Security reports and alerts (dashboards). 7. Opensource SIEM systems (OSSEC, OSSIM, Graylog, …). 8. Test scenarios 9. SIEM systems and Big Data 10. Security Analytics.
	Computer Incident Handling	2nd Semester	6	30 h
1. Data breaches and incident response fundamentals; 2. Planning and development of computer security incident response process; 3. Incident detection and characterization; 4. Collection and preservation of information; 5. Data analysis: methodologies and investigation; 6. Remediation.
	Project on Security	2nd Semester	6	30 h
The course has no predefined content, the content depends on the projects to be carried out in groups of two student.

2nd Year
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
	Dissertation / Project / Internship a)	Annual	60	60 h
a) The student must choose one of three optional subjects. Project Students will develop an original work in cybersecurity and/or digital forensics. The work plan shall be approved by the school scientific body and shall be mostly done in academic and research environment. Dissertation Students will develop an original work in cybersecurity and/or digital forensics. The work plan shall be approved by the school scientific body and shall be mostly done in academic and research environment. Internship Students will develop an original work in cybersecurity and/or digital forensics. The work plan shall be approved by the school scientific body and shall be mostly done in academic and research environment

Entry Requirements

People who can apply to the Master’s Degree:

Holders of an undergraduate degree or a legal equivalent in Computer Engineering or related fields;
Holders of a foreign higher education diploma, granted after a first cycle of studies, under the principles of the Bologna Process, by a State, which has subscribed this Process, in Computer Engineering or related fields;
Holders of a foreign higher education diploma that is recognized as meeting the objectives of an undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering or related fields by the scientific body of ESTG – Polytechnic of Leiria;
Holders of an academic, scientific or professional curriculum, recognized as adequate to attend the study cycle by the scientific body of ESTG – Polytechnic of Leiria;
Students who are close to completing their undergraduate degree in the field required for entering the Master’s degree, and declare it in their application (*).

(*) Applications submitted under the terms of this paragraph are considered for the purposes of admission and ranking on the date on which proof of the condition is verified.

International Student
All information related to the international student application should be consulted on our International Students webpage.

Accreditation

State: Accredited
Number of years of accreditation: 2
Publication date: 24-05-2023
Accreditation A3ES

More Information

International student
E-mail: studywithus@ipleiria.pt

Application Fee

60€

Enrolment Fee

General contingent: 50€
International student contingent: 100€

Tuition Fee

General contingent: 1140€
International student contingent: 3000€