In a Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking course, such as the 12-month diploma offered by ACHIN – School of Technology, students gain both foundational and advanced knowledge to protect digital systems and ethically identify vulnerabilities in networks. The course begins with an introduction to cybersecurity, helping students understand various types of cyber threats, risks, and the importance of maintaining security. It covers key principles such as confidentiality, integrity, availability (CIA triad), authentication, and non-repudiation. Learners explore different types of cyberattacks including malware, phishing, ransomware, social engineering, and denial-of-service (DoS/DDoS) attacks. Ethical hacking techniques form a major component of the curriculum. Students are introduced to the legal and ethical responsibilities of ethical hackers, different types of hackers (white, black, and grey hat), and the process of penetration testing. They learn how to conduct reconnaissance, scan systems, exploit vulnerabilities, and generate professional security reports. Hands-on modules cover footprinting, network scanning with tools like Nmap and Wireshark, and system hacking strategies. Network security is another critical focus area. Students study essential network protocols and architectures such as TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, firewalls, VPNs, routers, and switches. They learn to secure networks by configuring firewalls, using intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and protecting wireless networks through WPA2, WPA3, and other standards. The course provides practical training on widely used ethical hacking tools like Kali Linux, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Nessus, and Nikto. Students gain familiarity with Linux operating systems and commands that are essential for cybersecurity tasks. Cryptography concepts, including symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing, and SSL/TLS protocols, are also covered in depth. Students explore web application security by learning about common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), CSRF, and file inclusion. They practice web penetration testing techniques to identify and secure application flaws. Identity and access management is addressed through the study of authentication methods, biometrics, multifactor authentication, and access control models such as role-based access control (RBAC). The program includes training on incident response, helping students understand how to detect, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents. Basics of digital forensics are introduced, along with essential knowledge of cyber laws, including the Indian IT Act, GDPR, and compliance standards like ISO 27001. Finally, the course emphasizes career preparation through real-world cybersecurity projects, simulated attacks, defense strategy development, and network hardening exercises. Students receive guidance for globally recognized certifications such as CEH, CompTIA Security+, and CISSP, along with support for resume building and job interviews in the cybersecurity field.