Cybersecurity Case Studies and Capstone Project Syllabus

Overview: This capstone course provides a hands-on exploration of real-world cybersecurity breaches, guiding learners through detailed case studies and a comprehensive final project. Structured across six modules, the course covers a range of attack types—including phishing, insider threats, ransomware, and AI-driven breaches—while building practical skills in incident response, digital forensics, and compliance analysis. With approximately 14 hours of self-paced content, learners will analyze high-profile breaches, apply security frameworks, and culminate in a portfolio-ready capstone project that demonstrates real-world analytical proficiency.

Module 1: Analyzing Case Study Layouts & Phishing/Vishing

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Introduction to case study analysis methodologies
• Review of real phishing attack narratives
• Examination of vishing (voice phishing) incidents
• Analysis of the Cisco Cyber Threat Trends Report

Module 2: PoS & Insider Breach Case Studies

Estimated time: 3 hours

• Investigation of Target and Home Depot Point-of-Sale breaches
• Analysis of attacker techniques in PoS attacks
• Study of insider threat cases: Vault 7 and Pegasus Airlines
• Evaluation of detection and mitigation strategies

Module 3: AI-Related & Ransomware Breaches

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Exploration of AI-driven data breaches
• Case study on the City of Atlanta ransomware attack
• Analysis of the Colonial Pipeline incident

Module 4: Incident Response & Digital Forensics

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Application of incident response frameworks
• Forensic investigation techniques using Google Home case
• Review of the Ganias breach and forensic findings

Module 5: Penetration Testing & Compliance

Estimated time: 3 hours

• Penetration testing methodologies in real-world scenarios
• Analysis of the Equifax breach and compliance failures
• Review of the Marriott data breach and regulatory impact

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Select and research a major data breach incident
• Perform root-cause analysis and evaluate organizational response
• Develop actionable security recommendations and final report

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with basic network security concepts
• Intermediate understanding of digital forensics principles
• Recommended: Prior completion of foundational cybersecurity courses

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Analyze real-world cybersecurity breaches using structured case study methods
• Identify attacker tactics across phishing, ransomware, and insider threats
• Apply incident response and digital forensics techniques to breach scenarios
• Evaluate organizational vulnerabilities and compliance shortcomings
• Produce professional-grade reports with actionable security recommendations