World’s First Hacking Degree Programme Launched In U.K.

Scotland -- A university of Scotland has launched UK's first computer hacking degree programme.

The University of Abertay in Dundee is now offering a BSc Hons in Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures. The course is due to start in October and will take on 30 students per year.

In this programme, each student will be learning the skills and techniques used by criminal hackers to crack government and private sector security systems, which currently costs ÂŁ270,000 an hour.

After this course, graduates will be able to advise organizations on how to counter such attacks and protect their networks.

Lachlan MacKinnon, head of computing and creative technologies, Abertay said that they will be monitoring the students very closely, as they want them to come out at the other end as ethical hackers.

According to the university, it has launched the degree course in response to the market demand for people with the skills to test the security of corporate IT networks.

Currently, a number of private companies are offering short term courses on ethical hacking courses and qualifications, but Abertay claims to be the first U.K. university to offer a dedicated degree course in hacking.

The process will involve an active analysis of the system for any weaknesses, technical flaws or vulnerabilities.

Security issues will also be presented to the system owner together with an assessment of their impact which will aften be accompanied with a proposal for mitigation or a technical solution to the problem.

"This undergraduate programme aims to equip graduates with detailed knowledge of the nature of electronic attacks and methods that computer criminals use," the university said.

"Countermeasure techniques and strategies will be examined for their suitability against these attacks, and graduates will be equipped with the skills to analyse and secure computer systems and networks.”
"They will also design countermeasures against criminal intrusion, penetration and hacking, and continuously update and develop their knowledge and skills in this rapidly changing area."

As the University views, along with the Data Protection Act and legislation being introduced that demands security testing as part of the due diligence required in financial systems, the increase in the job market for graduates is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.