COMP 6660 · Module 2 Threats, Architecture & Infrastructure

Module 2 · Units 3–5 · 22 Lessons

COMP 6660 · Enterprise Cybersecurity Threats, Architecture, and Infrastructure Protection

Analyses the adversary landscape and the architectural, network, platform, and cloud controls used to defend enterprise systems and critical infrastructure — from threat modelling and vulnerability assessment through defence-in-depth, SOC operations, and cloud-native security.

Begin Unit 3 Module overview
Units: 3 Lessons: 22 Forums: 3, 4 & 5 Assessment: Assignment 2 (20%)

01 Module overview

Module 2 is the technical core of COMP 6660: it pairs a rigorous treatment of the adversary with the architectures and technologies used to resist, detect, and contain attacks.

Unit 3 builds the analytical apparatus. Students work through risk fundamentals, structured threat-modelling methodologies, and vulnerability-assessment techniques before examining specific attack classes: malware and ransomware, social engineering and phishing, advanced persistent threats, insider threats, and supply-chain compromise. The unit emphasises evidence-based mitigation rather than tool-centric thinking.

Unit 4 shifts from adversary to defender. It covers security architecture principles and defence-in-depth, network security protocols, virtual private networks, firewalls and segmentation, and detection technologies including IDS, IPS, SIEM, and XDR. The unit concludes with security operations centre (SOC) practice — how detection, triage, and response actually run in an enterprise.

Unit 5 applies these principles across the enterprise estate: operating systems, endpoints, applications, databases, cloud platforms, containers and virtualisation, mobile and IoT devices, and critical infrastructure. The unit stresses that most modern breaches cross these boundaries, and that cloud and platform security now dominate enterprise risk.

Module 2 is assessed through Assignment 2 and three discussion forums, and it supplies the architectural vocabulary used throughout Module 3.

Module 2 at a glance
Module 2 — Threats, Architecture, and Infrastructure Protection
Units Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5
Lessons 22 (7 + 7 + 8)
Discussion forums Forum 3 (Unit 3), Forum 4 (Unit 4), Forum 5 (Unit 5)
Assessment Assignment 2 — Enterprise Threat Analysis and Security Architecture (20%)
Recommended weeks Weeks 6–11
Primary CLOs CLO2, CLO3, CLO4, CLO5, CLO8

02 Module learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of Module 2, students will be able to:

Threats & Risk

  • Conduct structured threat analysis and threat modelling for enterprise environments.
  • Assess risks and vulnerabilities using recognised methodologies and evidence.
  • Evaluate attack techniques, including ransomware, social engineering, APTs, insider threats, and supply-chain compromise.
  • Recommend mitigation strategies proportionate to assessed risk.

Architecture

  • Design enterprise security architectures using defence-in-depth and segmentation.
  • Evaluate network, monitoring, and detection technologies, including IDS, IPS, SIEM, XDR, and SOC operations.
  • Recommend appropriate security controls for a given enterprise context.

Infrastructure

  • Secure enterprise infrastructures across operating systems, endpoints, applications, and databases.
  • Evaluate cloud, container, virtualisation, mobile, and IoT platform security.
  • Analyse emerging infrastructure threats, including those affecting critical infrastructure.

Full statement

The authoritative module learning outcomes, including their mapping to the nine course learning outcomes, are published on the Module 2 learning outcomes page.

Contribution of Module 2 to the course learning outcomes
CLO Statement Coverage in Module 2
CLO2 Analyse threats, vulnerabilities, risks, and attack vectors. Developed and assessed (Unit 3)
CLO3 Evaluate cryptographic, authentication, authorization, and access-control technologies. Applied (Units 4–5)
CLO4 Design and assess enterprise cybersecurity architectures and controls. Developed and assessed (Units 4–5)
CLO5 Apply cybersecurity principles to secure enterprise systems and services. Developed and assessed (Unit 5)
CLO8 Assess emerging cybersecurity technologies, trends, and challenges. Introduced (Units 3–5)
CLO9 Conduct scholarly research and communicate findings effectively. Practised (Assignment 2, forums)

03 Units in this module

Module 2 contains three units. Each unit provides an overview page, a learning outcomes page, a set of lessons, a graded discussion forum, and a curated resource list.

04 Discussion and assessment

Discussion forums

Module 2 hosts three of the six graded discussion forums. Each requires an initial contribution of approximately 300–500 words, supported by scholarly sources, plus at least two meaningful peer responses.

  • Forum 3 — Threat Intelligence and Risk Management. Risk assessment methodologies; ransomware trends; supply-chain attacks. Open Forum 3 →
  • Forum 4 — Enterprise Security Architectures. Security architecture patterns; SOC implementation; cloud security architectures. Open Forum 4 →
  • Forum 5 — Systems and Infrastructure Security. Cloud security governance; container security; critical infrastructure protection. Open Forum 5 →

Participation is worth 10% of the final grade overall.

Assignment 2 (20%)

Enterprise Threat Analysis and Security Architecture — covers Unit 3, Unit 4, and Unit 5.

Research topic: Ransomware as an Enterprise Threat: Evolution, Defense Strategies, and Organizational Resilience.

Technical questions include:

  • Conduct a threat-modeling exercise.
  • Design a secure cloud-migration architecture.
  • Compare IDS, IPS, SIEM, and XDR.
  • Analyze a supply-chain cyberattack scenario.
  • Design a defence-in-depth strategy for a financial institution.

Full assignment brief →

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