Diploma in Military Firmware Security Strategies
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in military firmware security strategies, structured in 8 modules covering embedded firmware, threat modelling, secure boot and root of trust, secure development, firmware analysis, updates and supply chain, and certification under NIST SP 800-193, ISO/IEC 15408 and DO-326A, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Military Firmware Security Strategies — 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: €1,090 (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 architecture and life cycle of embedded firmware.
Model threats specific to embedded military systems.
Implement secure boot and root of trust mechanisms.
Apply secure development practices and static analysis.
Analyse firmware binaries to detect vulnerabilities.
Manage secure updates and supply chain risks.
Prepare documentation for security certification processes.
Who it's for
- Secure firmware engineers developing for defence platforms.
- Embedded systems security analysts.
- Common Criteria evaluators.
- Supply chain auditors assessing firmware suppliers.
- Reverse engineering researchers.
- Product security managers responsible for embedded devices.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- NIST SP 800-193 (platform firmware resiliency)
- ISO/IEC 15408 (Common Criteria)
- DO-326A (airworthiness security)
- NIST SP 800-161 (supply chain risk management)
- IEC 62443-4-2 (technical security requirements for components)
- MISRA C:2012 (guidelines for the use of C in critical systems)
- ISO/SAE 21434 (road vehicle cybersecurity)
- Ghidra
- Binwalk
- QEMU
- Cppcheck
- OpenOCD
8 modules
1.1Microcontroller and SoC architectures1.2Boot chain and bootloaders1.3Real-time operating systems1.4Flash, EEPROM and OTP memories1.5JTAG, SWD and UART interfaces1.6Firmware image formats1.7Specific features of military platforms1.8Firmware life cycle1.9Firmware attack surface1.10Workshop: image extraction on an evaluation board
2.1STRIDE methodology applied to firmware2.2Attack trees2.3Physical attacks and side channels2.4Fault injection2.5Supply chain attacks2.6Malicious firmware and persistence2.7Asset classification and criticality2.8Risk analysis according to ISO/SAE 214342.9Derived security requirements2.10Case study: threat model of a communications module
3.1Hardware roots of trust3.2Verified and measured boot3.3TPM modules and secure elements3.4Digital signatures of images3.5Key management in manufacturing3.6Anti-rollback protection3.7Trusted execution environments3.8Remote attestation3.9NIST SP 800-193 platform resilience3.10Lab: secure boot chain on a microcontroller
4.1CERT C and MISRA C coding standards4.2Static code analysis4.3Secure memory management4.4Compilers and hardening options4.5Unit testing in embedded systems4.6Interface fuzzing4.7Peer code review4.8Requirements traceability4.9DO-178C and certifiable development4.10Practical exercise: static analysis and vulnerability fixing
5.1Reverse engineering with disassemblers5.2Firmware emulation5.3Dynamic analysis and debugging5.4Identification of third-party components5.5Software bill of materials (SBOM)5.6Backdoor detection5.7Assessment of implemented cryptography5.8Hardware penetration testing5.9Documentation of findings5.10Lab: binary analysis with Ghidra
6.1Secure over-the-air updates6.2Package signing and distribution6.3Supply chain integrity6.4Counterfeit components and countermeasures6.5Supplier management6.6Configuration control6.7Response to published vulnerabilities6.8Obsolescence and long-term support6.9NIST SP 800-161 framework6.10Case study: audit of a firmware supplier
7.1Common Criteria ISO/IEC 154087.2Certification scheme of the Spanish National Cryptologic Centre (CCN)7.3System accreditation requirements7.4IEC 62443 for industrial systems7.5DO-326A airworthiness security7.6Documentation for evaluation7.7Evaluation laboratories7.8Ethical aspects of security in defence7.9Export control of cryptography7.10Case study: preparation of a security target
8.1Selection of the study platform8.2Threat modelling8.3Design of the boot architecture8.4Secure development plan8.5Analysis and verification8.6Update strategy8.7Documentation for certification8.8Residual risk assessment8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The programme 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 each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. You work with Ghidra, Binwalk, QEMU, Cppcheck and OpenOCD, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for firmware image extraction and analysis, secure boot testing on microcontrollers and fuzzing of communication interfaces. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: NIST SP 800-193, ISO/IEC 15408, DO-326A, NIST SP 800-161, IEC 62443-4-2, MISRA C:2012 and ISO/SAE 21434.
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. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's 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 Ghidra, Binwalk, QEMU, Cppcheck and OpenOCD, 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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