Course in Ethics in Secure Military Communications
Online 300-hour course in ethics in secure military communications. 6 modules covering ISO/IEC 15408 (Common Criteria), FIPS 140-3 (cryptographic modules) and GNU Radio. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Ethics in Secure Military Communications — studying from Malta
Malta's defence sector is comparatively small, reflecting the country's neutrality and modest armed forces. Activity centres on the Armed Forces of Malta, maritime surveillance, border security and the associated technical support. Engineering roles are mostly found in equipment maintenance, communications, infrastructure and government procurement rather than large-scale defence manufacturing. Professionals may find opportunities through public service and contractors supplying the armed forces and related agencies, where reliability and compliance with national procurement rules are important.
Fees for Malta: €546 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which bodies regulate defence and military engineering work in Malta?
Malta's Armed Forces and the Ministry responsible for defence oversee military engineering and procurement. General engineering practice is regulated by the Chamber of Engineers (KSU) under the Engineering Profession Act. Export and dual-use controls follow EU and national rules. A SEIUM qualification is private and not accredited, so any recognition depends on employers or the relevant authority.
What career paths exist in Malta for land systems and defence engineering?
Opportunities in Malta are limited and mostly within government, the Armed Forces and their suppliers, with more substantial defence industry work typically found abroad. Many roles require security clearance and specific experience. A private qualification can support your profile, but you should expect employers to focus on experience and clearance eligibility.
How do I study this from Malta, and what should I consider about workload and funding?
The programme is delivered fully online in English, with an assigned technical tutor and a final project. You do not need a visa to study from home in Malta. Durations range from 300 to 1,900 hours, so plan time alongside any work commitments. Ask about instalment payments and whether employer sponsorship is available.
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
Relate military communications to the ethical values at stake.
Analyse the tension between encryption, privacy and security.
Assess the legal and ethical limits of interception and disruption.
Identify the risks of information and influence operations.
Apply responsible design principles to communication systems.
Evaluate the certification of cryptographic products.
Prepare an ethical assessment of a secure communications system.
Who it's for
- Secure communications engineer who wants to specialise in Ethics in Secure Military Communications.
- Cryptographer who wants to specialise in Ethics in Secure Military Communications.
- Radio frequency engineer who wants to specialise in Ethics in Secure Military Communications.
- Communications security analyst who wants to specialise in Ethics in Secure Military Communications.
- Information ethics adviser who wants to specialise in Ethics in Secure Military Communications.
- Security product evaluator who wants to specialise in Ethics in Secure Military Communications.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO/IEC 15408 (Common Criteria)
- FIPS 140-3 (cryptographic modules)
- SDIP-27 (NATO TEMPEST)
- ITU Radio Regulations
- European Convention on Human Rights, Art. 8
- Directive 2002/58/EC (privacy in electronic communications)
- Wassenaar Arrangement
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Role of communications in operations1.2Confidentiality of military communications1.3Information security and human lives1.4Tension between secrecy and democratic transparency1.5Information ethics in the military profession1.6Use of civilian networks and personal phones1.7Risks of mobile phone geolocation in conflicts1.8Social media and operational security1.9Leak cases in recent conflicts1.10Case study: the Strava case and operational security
2.1The right to secrecy of communications2.2Privacy of military personnel2.3Debate on backdoors in encryption2.4End-to-end encryption and defence2.5Lawful interception and safeguards2.6Monitoring the communications of one's own personnel2.7Data protection in command systems2.8European case law on interception2.9Communications of lawyers, healthcare workers and chaplains2.10Workshop: ethical analysis of the backdoor debate
3.1Interception of adversary communications3.2Impact on civilian communications3.3Disruption of civilian networks and collateral damage3.4Protection of healthcare and humanitarian communications3.5Distinctive emblems and protected signals3.6Perfidy and misuse of protected signals3.7Lawful military deception versus perfidy3.8Internet shutdowns and human rights3.9Journalists and protected communications3.10Practical exercise: legal analysis of a civilian network disruption
4.1Information and psychological operations4.2Disinformation and ethics4.3Use of communications for propaganda4.4Limits on manipulating the population4.5Protection of the right to information4.6Ethics of social media use by military personnel4.7Responsible strategic communication4.8Verification of information in open sources4.9NATO standards on strategic communication4.10Case study: ethical assessment of a communication campaign
5.1Security by design in communication systems5.2Metadata minimisation5.3Access logging and auditing5.4Independent oversight5.5Staff training in operational security5.6Management of personal devices5.7Protocols for leaks5.8Whistleblowing and protection5.9Ethics committees in communications programmes5.10Laboratory: metadata analysis of simulated communications
6.1Selection of the communication system6.2Concept of use and stakeholders6.3Privacy and rights analysis6.4International legal analysis6.5Operational security risk assessment6.6Responsible design measures6.7Policy recommendations6.8Monitoring plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is GNU Radio, MATLAB Communications Toolbox, Wireshark, OpenSSL, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied through real encrypted communications laboratory procedures, interception case analyses and security assessments of equipment. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Relate military communications to the ethical values at stake.
Analyse the tension between encryption, privacy and security.
Assess the legal and ethical limits of interception and disruption.
Identify the risks of information and influence operations.
Apply responsible design principles to communication systems.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
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 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The course works with GNU Radio, MATLAB Communications Toolbox, Wireshark and OpenSSL. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the final integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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