Master’s in OT Cybersecurity for Off-Highway Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in OT cybersecurity engineering for off-highway machinery. 12 modules covering OT cybersecurity in mobile machines, embedded architecture, threats and vulnerabilities, TARA, standards, technical controls, secure development, cloud and fleet security, incident response, functional safety and cybersecurity management, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in OT Cybersecurity for Off-Highway Engineering — studying from Australia
Off-road and special-purpose vehicles are central to Australia's mining, agriculture, construction and emergency services sectors. Remote geography and harsh conditions create strong demand for robust machinery, including haul trucks, agricultural equipment and specialist fire and rescue vehicles. Engineers work on hydraulics, drivetrains, operator safety and machine automation. Employers include mining equipment manufacturers and dealers, agricultural machinery firms, construction companies and government fleet agencies.
Fees for Australia: A$11,000 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Will this qualification be recognised by Australian engineering bodies for off-road vehicle work?
SEIUM qualifications are private and not accredited by Engineers Australia or any national body. Recognition is decided by employers or the relevant professional body assessing your application. Engineers Australia assesses competence independently, so check its requirements before enrolling if membership is your goal.
Which Australian employers work with off-road and special vehicles and machinery?
Mining and agricultural equipment makers, fleet operators, defence and emergency service vehicle suppliers, and four-wheel-drive modification businesses are examples. Their hiring decisions depend on their own criteria. Relevant experience and a practical final project are often as important as the qualification.
Can I study this online while working in Australia, and is there support?
Yes, the programmes are 100% online and taught in English, and each student has an assigned technical tutor. You can study from anywhere in Australia without a student visa. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible; check the total hours and plan a realistic schedule.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Identify the attack surface of connected mobile machines.
Carry out threat analysis and risk assessment according to ISO/SAE 21434.
Apply the requirements of IEC 62443 and European regulation.
Design on-board technical protection controls.
Implement a secure development life cycle.
Manage cybersecurity incidents in fleets.
Integrate cybersecurity and functional safety.
Who it's for
- Product cybersecurity engineers
- OT cybersecurity analysts
- Embedded security architects
- Industrial cybersecurity auditors
- Incident response leads
- Penetration testing engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to join machinery manufacturers
What you'll work with
- IEC 62443 (industrial cybersecurity)
- ISO/SAE 21434 (road vehicle cybersecurity)
- UNECE Regulation No. 155 (cybersecurity)
- UNECE Regulation No. 156 (software updates)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 (Cyber Resilience Act)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (machinery)
- Directive (EU) 2022/2555 (NIS2)
- Wireshark
- Vector CANoe
- Ghidra
- Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Differences between IT and OT1.2Particularities of mobile machines1.3Attack surface of a connected machine1.4Relevant incidents in vehicles and industry1.5Impact on the physical safety of people1.6Threat actors and motivations1.7European regulatory framework1.8Responsibilities of manufacturer and user1.9Cybersecurity culture1.10Case study: attack surface of a connected excavator
2.1Control units and internal buses2.2Communication gateways2.3Connected telematics units2.4Diagnostic interfaces2.5Short-range wireless interfaces2.6Software updates2.7Security zones and conduits2.8Emerging centralised architectures2.9Embedded security hardware2.10Lab: modelling zones and conduits
3.1Attacks on the CAN bus3.2Attacks via the diagnostic interface3.3Attacks on remote telematics3.4GNSS spoofing3.5Firmware tampering3.6Supply chain attacks3.7Attacks on cloud platforms3.8Vulnerability databases3.9Vulnerability scoring with CVSS3.10Practical exercise: frame injection on a CAN test bench
4.1ISO/SAE 21434 TARA methodology4.2Asset identification4.3Damage scenarios4.4Threat scenarios4.5Attack feasibility4.6Risk determination4.7Cybersecurity goals4.8Derived cybersecurity requirements4.9Documenting the analysis4.10Lab: TARA of a telematics unit
5.1The IEC 62443 series5.2Component requirements according to IEC 62443-4-25.3Secure development according to IEC 62443-4-15.4UNECE Regulation No. 1555.5UNECE Regulation No. 156 on software updates5.6The European Cyber Resilience Act5.7Requirements of the Machinery Regulation5.8NIS2 Directive for operators5.9Relationship between standards5.10Case study: cybersecurity requirements matrix
6.1Segmentation of on-board networks6.2CAN message authentication6.3Secure firmware boot6.4Digitally signed updates6.5Cryptographic key management6.6On-board firewalls in gateways6.7System hardening6.8Security event logging6.9In-vehicle intrusion detection6.10Practical exercise: message authentication with SecOC
7.1Secure development life cycle7.2Security requirements in design7.3Secure coding practices7.4Static code analysis7.5Managing third-party components7.6Software bill of materials7.7Security testing7.8Penetration testing7.9Vulnerability management during development7.10Lab: dependency analysis of a firmware
8.1Architecture of fleet platforms8.2Device identity8.3End-to-end encrypted communications8.4API security8.5Customer access management8.6Fleet monitoring8.7Security operations centre8.8Data protection8.9Service continuity8.10Case study: secure architecture of a fleet platform
9.1Incident response plan9.2Detection and classification9.3Containment on machines in the field9.4Forensic analysis of control units9.5Communication with customers and authorities9.6Notification obligations9.7Service recovery9.8Lessons learned from the incident9.9Cyber incident drills9.10Practical exercise: incident drill in a fleet
10.1Interaction between both domains10.2Attacks affecting safety functions10.3Combined risk analysis10.4Requirements shared between domains10.5Joint verification of requirements10.6Managing requirement conflicts10.7Cases in autonomous machines10.8Integrated safety documentation10.9Team organisation10.10Case study: combined analysis of a remote control
11.1Cybersecurity management system11.2Governance and roles11.3Supplier management11.4Staff training11.5Audits and certification11.6Cybersecurity indicators11.7Cybersecurity budget11.8Cyber risk insurance11.9Continuous improvement of the system11.10Practical exercise: cybersecurity management plan for a manufacturer
12.1Selection of the machine12.2System architecture12.3TARA of the machine12.4Cybersecurity requirements12.5Design of technical controls12.6Test plan12.7Response plan12.8Regulatory compliance assessment12.9Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the programme can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Wireshark, Vector CANoe, Ghidra and Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for TARA of embedded systems, penetration testing on CAN test benches and incident response drills. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: IEC 62443, ISO/SAE 21434, UNECE Regulation No. 155, UNECE Regulation No. 156, Regulation (EU) 2024/2847, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, Directive (EU) 2022/2555 (NIS2).
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Wireshark, Vector CANoe, Ghidra and Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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