Certificate terms for this programme are confirmed by the institute at admission. Any ADIVAS course-completion certificate is an institute certificate; it is not a university degree, an externally accredited qualification or a vendor certification (such as AWS or Microsoft) unless the institute states so in writing.
Curriculum 0.1 · Draft: written for ADIVAS and awaiting academic review and approval. Topics and weeks may change before your batch starts.
Your skill trail
You move through 6 stations. Each week builds one skill you can show, not just a topic you have heard.
1
Security foundations
Understand security goals, risk, legal ethics and how networks work.
Week 1 Security thinking and ethics
Week 2 How networks carry data
Week 3 Reading traffic with Wireshark
2
Linux for security work
Use Linux commands, permissions, services and logs confidently.
Week 4 Linux command line basics
Week 5 Users, permissions and services
3
Threats and web security
Recognise phishing, malware, authentication weaknesses and common web flaws.
Week 6 Social engineering and phishing
Week 7 Malware and endpoint protection
Week 8 Passwords, authentication and web flaws
4
Authorised lab testing
Scope, run and record permitted tests in an isolated environment.
Week 9 Scoping and permission
Week 10 Discovery and enumeration in the lab
Week 11 Vulnerability assessment
5
Defensive controls
Harden hosts and networks and monitor them with logs and backups.
Week 12 Host hardening
Week 13 Network defences
Week 14 Logging, monitoring and backup
6
Incident response and reporting
Respond to an incident and write a remediation report.
Week 15 Incident response
Week 16 Remediation report and capstone
★
Secure a Small Clinic Network
Your project, reviewed by a trainer.
The ADIVAS mastery ladder: how each skill is recognised
Explored You have seen the idea and tried a first example.
Practising You can do it with hints and keep improving.
Proficient You complete the weekly practical task correctly on your own.
Proven You apply it in a project reviewed by your trainer.
Skill-level tracking is being added to the learner workspace. Your trainer already reviews weekly practical work.
What you will be able to do
Explain confidentiality, integrity, availability, threats, vulnerabilities and risk using real examples.
Describe how TCP/IP networks work and read basic packet captures and logs.
Operate a Linux system from the command line, manage users, permissions and services.
Recognise common web, phishing and malware threats and explain how each is prevented.
Run authorised, scoped tests in an isolated lab and record evidence ethically and legally.
Harden systems and networks with patching, least privilege, firewalls, logging and backups.
Follow a basic incident-response process: detect, contain, eradicate, recover, learn.
Write a prioritised remediation report that a manager and a technician can both act on.
Who it suits
School Class 11-12 students curious about staying safe online and how digital locks and alarms work, with no prior security knowledge.
College Computer science, IT and engineering students who want practical defensive security skills with ethical labs.
Professional IT support staff, network administrators and small-business owners who need to secure and monitor their own systems.
Prerequisites: Comfort with using a computer and basic networking ideas (what an IP address is). Willingness to follow the ethics and lab rules strictly. Tools: VirtualBox or VMware Player with a host-only/isolated network, Ubuntu or Debian Linux virtual machine, Wireshark, nmap (used only on lab machines), A deliberately vulnerable practice web app such as OWASP Juice Shop or DVWA running only in the isolated lab, UFW firewall and fail2ban, Lynis for system auditing, A password manager and authenticator app.
Weekly plan
Security foundations Weeks 1–3
Week 1: Security thinking and ethics
Theory
Confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA)
Assets, threats, vulnerabilities and risk
Ethics, consent and Indian IT law awareness
Lab
Build a lab safety agreement, then list the assets of a small clinic (patient records, Wi-Fi, billing PC) and rate the risk of three threats to each.
Homework
Write a one-page rules-of-engagement statement for your lab.
Deliverable
A signed lab agreement and a simple asset-risk table.
Weekly checkpoint
Classify ten incidents as confidentiality, integrity or availability problems.
You will be able to
Explain confidentiality, integrity, availability, threats, vulnerabilities and risk using real examples. Run authorised, scoped tests in an isolated lab and record evidence ethically and legally.
Week 2: How networks carry data
Theory
IP addresses, ports and protocols
TCP versus UDP, DNS and DHCP
The OSI/TCP-IP layers in practice
Lab
Set up two VMs on a host-only network, give them static IPs and test connectivity with ping and traceroute.
Homework
Draw your home network and label every device and its IP.
Deliverable
A network diagram and a connectivity test log.
Weekly checkpoint
Match protocols and ports to their purpose.
You will be able to
Describe how TCP/IP networks work and read basic packet captures and logs.
Week 3: Reading traffic with Wireshark
Theory
Packets, headers and handshakes
Capture and display filters
Clear-text versus encrypted traffic
Lab
Capture traffic between your two lab VMs, filter DNS and HTTP, and compare HTTP with HTTPS.
Homework
Annotate a capture of a TCP three-way handshake.
Deliverable
An annotated capture report.
Weekly checkpoint
Interpret a short capture excerpt.
You will be able to
Describe how TCP/IP networks work and read basic packet captures and logs.
Linux for security work Weeks 4–5
Week 4: Linux command line basics
Theory
Files, directories and navigation
Viewing, searching and editing text
Package management and updates
Lab
Navigate the Linux VM, create a directory structure, search logs with grep and update packages.
Homework
Write a cheat sheet of twenty useful commands.
Deliverable
A command log and cheat sheet.
Weekly checkpoint
Command-line practical: find a given text in a log.
You will be able to
Operate a Linux system from the command line, manage users, permissions and services.
Week 5: Users, permissions and services
Theory
Users, groups and sudo
File permissions and ownership
Services, processes and logs
Lab
Create three users with different permissions, restrict a folder, and check running services and auth logs.
Homework
Explain what chmod 640 means in plain language.
Deliverable
A permissions design and test evidence.
Weekly checkpoint
Permission questions and a hands-on fix.
You will be able to
Operate a Linux system from the command line, manage users, permissions and services. Harden systems and networks with patching, least privilege, firewalls, logging and backups.
Threats and web security Weeks 6–8
Week 6: Social engineering and phishing
Theory
Phishing, smishing and fake UPI or KYC messages
Pretexting and impersonation
Reporting and user awareness
Lab
Analyse ten sample messages, mark red flags and write a staff awareness poster.
Homework
Write a three-step guide for what to do after clicking a suspicious link.
Deliverable
A phishing analysis sheet and awareness poster.
Weekly checkpoint
Scenario-based message analysis.
You will be able to
Recognise common web, phishing and malware threats and explain how each is prevented.
Week 7: Malware and endpoint protection
Theory
Viruses, ransomware, trojans and spyware
How malware spreads and persists
Antivirus, updates and application control
Lab
Using only harmless test files provided by the trainer (such as the EICAR test string), see how antivirus detects and quarantines threats.
Homework
Prepare a one-page ransomware prevention checklist for a small office.
Deliverable
An endpoint protection checklist.
Weekly checkpoint
Match malware types to behaviours and defences.
You will be able to
Recognise common web, phishing and malware threats and explain how each is prevented. Harden systems and networks with patching, least privilege, firewalls, logging and backups.
Week 8: Passwords, authentication and web flaws
Theory
Password hashing, salting and multi-factor authentication
Injection, cross-site scripting and broken access in plain terms
Secure input handling
Lab
In the isolated practice web app, observe a harmless example of each flaw and document the defence that prevents it.
Homework
Explain why storing passwords as plain text is dangerous.
Deliverable
A flaw-and-defence table with screenshots.
Weekly checkpoint
Identify which defence stops which flaw.
You will be able to
Recognise common web, phishing and malware threats and explain how each is prevented.
Authorised lab testing Weeks 9–11
Week 9: Scoping and permission
Theory
Written authorisation and rules of engagement
Scope, out-of-scope and stop conditions
Evidence handling and confidentiality
Lab
Draft an authorisation letter and scope for testing your own lab network, listing allowed and forbidden actions.
Homework
Review a sample scope and find three gaps.
Deliverable
An authorisation letter and scope document.
Weekly checkpoint
Decide which actions are in or out of a given scope.
You will be able to
Run authorised, scoped tests in an isolated lab and record evidence ethically and legally.
Week 10: Discovery and enumeration in the lab
Theory
Host discovery and port scanning concepts
Service versions and exposed attack surface
Reading scan output carefully
Lab
Scan only your own lab VMs with nmap, identify open ports and services and record which are necessary.
Homework
Mark each open port as required, optional or should be closed.
Deliverable
A scan report with port decisions.
Weekly checkpoint
Interpret a scan result and recommend actions.
You will be able to
Run authorised, scoped tests in an isolated lab and record evidence ethically and legally. Describe how TCP/IP networks work and read basic packet captures and logs.
Week 11: Vulnerability assessment
Theory
Vulnerability versus exploit
Severity scoring and prioritisation
False positives and verification
Lab
Run a vulnerability scan on the lab VM, verify two findings manually and rate their severity.
Homework
Rank six findings by risk and justify the order.
Deliverable
A verified findings list.
Weekly checkpoint
Prioritise a list of findings with reasons.
You will be able to
Run authorised, scoped tests in an isolated lab and record evidence ethically and legally. Write a prioritised remediation report that a manager and a technician can both act on.
Defensive controls Weeks 12–14
Week 12: Host hardening
Theory
Patching and minimal services
Least privilege and secure SSH
Baselines and Lynis auditing
Lab
Harden the Linux VM: apply updates, disable unused services, set key-based SSH and re-run Lynis to compare scores.
Homework
Write a hardening checklist for a small office server.
Deliverable
A before/after hardening report.
Weekly checkpoint
Order hardening steps and justify each.
You will be able to
Harden systems and networks with patching, least privilege, firewalls, logging and backups.
Week 13: Network defences
Theory
Firewalls, segmentation and VLAN ideas
Wi-Fi security (WPA2/WPA3) and guest networks
VPN and secure remote access basics
Lab
Configure UFW rules on the lab VM, test allowed and blocked traffic and design a segmented network for a clinic.
Homework
Recommend Wi-Fi settings for a small shop.
Deliverable
A firewall rule set and segmentation diagram.
Weekly checkpoint
Choose the firewall rule that meets a requirement.
You will be able to
Harden systems and networks with patching, least privilege, firewalls, logging and backups. Describe how TCP/IP networks work and read basic packet captures and logs.
Week 14: Logging, monitoring and backup
Theory
What to log and where
Detecting failed logins and unusual activity
Backups, restore tests and the 3-2-1 rule
Lab
Review auth logs for failed logins, configure fail2ban and perform a backup and restore test.
Homework
Write three alert rules a small business could use.
Deliverable
A log analysis note and backup test record.
Weekly checkpoint
Interpret a log excerpt and spot suspicious events.
You will be able to
Harden systems and networks with patching, least privilege, firewalls, logging and backups. Follow a basic incident-response process: detect, contain, eradicate, recover, learn.
Assess a small lab network of your own, harden it and present a final remediation report.
Homework
Peer-review another team's report.
Deliverable
A final remediation report and presentation.
Weekly checkpoint
Final report assessed against the rubric.
You will be able to
Write a prioritised remediation report that a manager and a technician can both act on. Run authorised, scoped tests in an isolated lab and record evidence ethically and legally. Harden systems and networks with patching, least privilege, firewalls, logging and backups.
Sample lessons
Week 1
Confidentiality, integrity and availability
Security protects three things. Confidentiality means only the right people can read information. Integrity means information is not changed without permission. Availability means systems and data are there when needed. Every incident can be understood by asking which of these was harmed. For example, stolen patient records harm confidentiality, an altered bill harms integrity, and a ransomware attack that locks the billing PC harms availability.
Security goals
Confidentiality: only the right people read
Integrity: no unauthorised change
Availability: ready when needed
Step by step
Pick a system such as a clinic's billing PC.
List the information and services it holds.
For each, ask what would harm confidentiality, integrity and availability.
Rate each risk as low, medium or high.
Choose one control for each high risk.
In real life
A Madurai clinic keeps patient records on one PC: a leak is a confidentiality loss, a wrong dosage record is an integrity loss, and a crashed disk with no backup is an availability loss.
Worked example
Problem. A school's attendance sheet is deleted by mistake and no copy exists. Which goal was harmed, and what simple control would help?
Solution. Availability (and the data is lost). A regular backup, stored separately and tested for restore, would help.
Common mistakes
Thinking security is only about passwords and hackers.
Ignoring availability and backups.
Confusing a threat with a vulnerability.
Try it yourself
Classify five news incidents by the goal harmed.
List two controls for each of the three goals for a school library.
Explain risk using the words asset, threat and vulnerability.
Week 12
Hardening a Linux host step by step
Hardening means reducing the ways a system can be attacked. You apply updates, remove or disable services you do not need, give users only the access they need, restrict remote login and turn on logging. Each step reduces the attack surface, and each should be tested and recorded so that you can prove the system is better afterwards. Always harden in a lab first and keep a way to undo changes.
1Snapshot the VM
2Audit baseline
3Patch and remove services
4Firewall and SSH keys
5Re-audit and report
Step by step
Take a snapshot of the VM so changes can be undone.
Run an audit tool such as Lynis and note the baseline score.
Apply updates and remove unneeded services.
Allow only the required ports using the firewall.
Switch SSH to key-based login and disable direct root login.
Re-run the audit and compare the results.
In real life
A small office server running an old web service on an open port is a common cause of breaches; closing the port and updating the service removes that risk.
Worked example
Problem. A scan shows ports 22, 80 and 3306 open on a server that only needs SSH and a website. What should you do about 3306?
Solution. Port 3306 is a database service that the website uses locally. Block it from the network with the firewall (or bind it to localhost) so only the server itself can reach it, then rescan to confirm.
Common mistakes
Hardening a live server without a snapshot or backup.
Locking yourself out by closing the SSH port before testing the new login.
Not recording before/after evidence.
Try it yourself
Write the firewall rules for a server that needs only SSH and HTTPS.
List five services that should be disabled if unused.
Explain why disabling root SSH login is safer.
Try the questions
The same skills are asked at three levels: School (Classes 6–12), College and Professional. Switch the level and the language (English or Tamil), and say how sure you are before you check: knowing what you are unsure about is part of learning.
Classes 6–12: everyday examples, no prior knowledge. Practice only. Nothing here is graded or saved.
Question 1 / 4 · Identify the security goal
Your school diary has a secret note. A classmate reads it without asking. Which security goal was broken?
Projects
Secure a Small Clinic Network
A small clinic in Madurai has a Wi-Fi router, a billing PC, a receptionist laptop and a file share of patient records. Using an isolated lab model of this network, assess it, harden it and report.
Tasks
Build a lab with a Linux server, a client and a vulnerable practice machine on a host-only network.
Write the scope and authorisation for the lab assessment.
Scan and list open services, then verify at least three findings.
Apply five hardening changes and show before/after evidence.
Write a one-page remediation report prioritised by risk.
Sample input
Lab network of three VMs, with an outdated service, weak SSH settings and an over-broad file share.
Expected output
A report listing findings with severity, evidence and fix, plus an after-hardening scan that shows reduced exposure.
How it is assessed
Criterion
Weight
Scope and ethics
20%
Technical accuracy of findings
25%
Hardening and evidence
25%
Prioritisation and risk reasoning
15%
Report clarity
15%
Stretch challenge: Add a backup plan and restore test for the patient file share.
Phishing Awareness and Response Kit
A college wants its staff to recognise phishing and respond quickly. Create a short awareness kit and a response playbook.
Tasks
Collect and analyse eight sample phishing messages and mark the red flags.
Create a one-page poster in Tamil and English.
Write a response playbook for a user who clicked a link or shared an OTP.
A poster, a playbook with contact steps and a quiz with an answer key.
How it is assessed
Criterion
Weight
Accuracy of red-flag analysis
30%
Clarity of poster and language
25%
Completeness of the playbook
30%
Quiz quality
15%
Stretch challenge: Pilot the quiz with five people and report the results.
How you are assessed
A weekly checkpoint of 6 to 8 questions (choice, sequence, matching, log or scan interpretation) plus a short lab record reviewed by the trainer.
Practical work. Practical labs run only in the isolated lab with written scope: scanning and hardening your own VMs, log analysis, an incident tabletop and a final remediation report.
What trainers look for
Weight
Technical correctness
30%
Ethics, scope and lab discipline
20%
Evidence and documentation
20%
Risk reasoning and prioritisation
15%
Communication of findings
15%
Where this can lead
Prepares you for entry-level roles such as security analyst trainee, SOC monitoring assistant or IT support with a security focus.
Prepares you to harden and monitor systems for a small business or institute.
Builds a foundation for further study in networking, security operations or certification pathways of your choice.
These describe skills you will build. ADIVAS does not guarantee jobs, placement or salary.
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