Diploma in Military Cryptography Standards (AES/NATO Suite B)
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in military cryptography standards (AES/NATO Suite B): 8 modules covering the evolution of cryptographic standards, AES in depth (FIPS 197), modes of operation and authentication (SP 800-38D), elliptic curves and hash functions (FIPS 186-5), the CNSA 2.0 post-quantum transition, validation and certification, and application in military systems, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Military Cryptography Standards (AES/NATO Suite B) — studying from Ireland
Ireland maintains a small defence force, the Defence Forces, which operates its own engineering corps and equipment maintenance capabilities. Defence procurement and development are handled through the Department of Defence, while much of the wider defence-related industrial activity involves dual-use technologies, electronics and communications systems supplied by domestic and international firms. Engineers in this area typically work on land vehicle maintenance, military communications, protective equipment and systems integration. Policy and procurement are governed by national and European frameworks, including EU defence initiatives.
Fees for Ireland: €1,490 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which Irish bodies oversee defence engineering and does a private qualification count?
Defence in Ireland is overseen by the Department of Defence, and the Defence Forces run their own training and technical structures. Engineers Ireland sets general professional engineering standards. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not state-awarded, and they are not accredited by any national body, so recognition for any defence-related role is decided by the relevant authority or employer.
Do Irish defence and land-systems employers hire people with private online qualifications?
Irish defence-related hiring is limited and often subject to security vetting and specific qualification requirements, so employers set their own criteria. A private online qualification may be taken into account alongside experience, but we cannot say how any employer will view it or guarantee any result. Check requirements for particular roles directly.
Can I study this from Ireland while working, and what is the workload?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Plan your weekly hours realistically around your job.
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
Understand the evolution of military cryptographic standards.
Understand the internal workings of AES.
Apply modes of operation and authentication correctly.
Use approved elliptic curve cryptography and hash functions.
Plan the transition to CNSA 2.0.
Manage product validation and certification.
Define cryptographic profiles for military systems.
Who it's for
- Cryptographic engineers.
- Security architects.
- Cryptographic product evaluators.
- Post-quantum migration specialists.
- Secure embedded systems engineers.
- Cryptographic compliance consultants.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- FIPS 197 (AES) (Advanced Encryption Standard)
- NIST SP 800-38D (Galois/Counter Mode (GCM) and GMAC)
- FIPS 186-5 (Digital Signature Standard)
- FIPS 140-3 (security requirements for cryptographic modules)
- FIPS 203 (ML-KEM post-quantum key encapsulation)
- FIPS 204 (ML-DSA post-quantum digital signatures)
- NIST SP 800-208 (stateful hash-based signature schemes LMS and XMSS)
- RFC 9151 (CNSA suite profile for TLS and DTLS)
- OpenSSL
- liboqs (Open Quantum Safe)
- SageMath
- Python (cryptography)
- CrypTool
8 modules
1.1DES and its withdrawal1.2The AES competition1.3NSA Suite B and its withdrawal1.4CNSA 1.0 and CNSA 2.01.5NATO cryptographic policies1.6National versus commercial cryptography1.7Types of cryptographic products1.8Algorithm life cycle1.9Standardisation agencies and bodies1.10Case study: timeline of approved algorithms
2.1Structure of the algorithm2.2SubBytes, ShiftRows and MixColumns2.3Key expansion2.4Security analysis2.5AES-256 in classified environments2.6Hardware implementations2.7AES-NI instructions2.8NIST test vectors2.9Performance in embedded systems2.10Lab: implementing and verifying AES
3.1GCM according to SP 800-38D3.2CCM3.3XTS for storage3.4CBC and its risks3.5Nonce management3.6Key wrapping SP 800-38F3.7CMAC3.8HMAC3.9Authenticated encryption3.10Practical exercise: analysis of nonce reuse
4.1ECDH over P-3844.2ECDSA4.3SHA-3844.4FIPS 186-5 standard4.5Key agreement SP 800-56A4.6Domain parameters4.7Point validation4.8Key derivation4.9Comparison with RSA-30724.10Workshop: signing and verifying with ECDSA P-384
5.1ML-KEM according to FIPS 2035.2ML-DSA according to FIPS 2045.3SLH-DSA according to FIPS 2055.4LMS and XMSS according to SP 800-2085.5CNSA 2.0 transition timeline5.6Hybrid schemes5.7Crypto-agility5.8Firmware signatures5.9Cryptographic inventory5.10Practical exercise: tests with liboqs
6.1FIPS 140-3 validation6.2CAVP and CMVP programmes6.3Common Criteria6.4CCN national scheme6.5Approval of products for NATO6.6Evaluation laboratories6.7Security documentation6.8Recertification6.9Vulnerability management6.10Case study: certification route for an encryptor
7.1CNSA profiles for IPsec7.2RFC 9151 profile for TLS and SSH7.3Tactical radios7.4Storage encryption7.5Secure boot and firmware7.6Key management7.7Allied interoperability7.8Real-time performance7.9Migration of legacy systems7.10Workshop: cryptographic profile for a tactical network
8.1System description8.2Cryptographic requirements8.3Algorithm selection8.4Modes and protocols8.5Post-quantum transition plan8.6Certification route8.7Key management8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training 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 you can combine it with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OpenSSL, liboqs (Open Quantum Safe), SageMath, Python (cryptography) and CrypTool, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for verifying implementations with test vectors, testing post-quantum algorithms and defining cryptographic profiles. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final capstone project.
Standards covered: FIPS 197 (AES), NIST SP 800-38D, FIPS 186-5, FIPS 140-3, FIPS 203, FIPS 204, NIST SP 800-208, RFC 9151.
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
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- 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 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with OpenSSL, liboqs (Open Quantum Safe), SageMath, Python (cryptography) and CrypTool, 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 final project. 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 are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the 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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