Cyber Security (18 ECTS)

Knowledge – The student has knowledge of:

The conceptual difference between hashing and encryption, including when each technique is appropriate.
The principles behind JWT-based authentication, including the structure of tokens, claims, expirations, and trust relationships.
The purpose of HTTPS/TLS and how encrypted transport protects data in transit.
The core differences between symmetric and asymmetric encryption and their typical use cases.
How SQL injection attacks occur, and why parameterized queries and ORM frameworks mitigate this risk.

Implement secure password storage by applying BCrypt hashing and verification within backend services.
Configure and apply JWT authentication, including token generation, validation, and refresh token rotation.
Use secure data-access patterns in EF Core to prevent SQL injection vulnerabilities.
Document and propose the application of symmetric and asymmetric encryption for protecting images and geolocation data.
Apply principles of secure communication by describing how HTTPS/TLS should be integrated into a backend architecture.

Assess security risks related to storing and transmitting GDPR-sensitive data such as license plates, images, and GPS coordinates, and propose appropriate mitigations.
Design secure data flows that combine hashing, token-based authentication, encrypted transport, and planned at-rest encryption.
Reflect on current security limitations in the prototype and articulate well-reasoned improvement strategies (e.g., endpoint authorization, TLS enforcement, report signing).
Communicate security-related design decisions to stakeholders and explain how they support evidence integrity and data protection.
Independently acquire new security techniques and apply them to project-specific challenges in backend development.

The structure of relational databases, including tables, relationships, constraints, and delete behaviors.
The principles behind EF Core’s code-first approach and how migrations are used to manage schema evolution.
ACID properties and how transactions support data consistency and reliability.
Key considerations when comparing database storage of large files with external file/blob storage solutions.
The role of repository and Unit of Work patterns in structuring data access within a modular backend architecture.

Implement and configure data models in EF Core, including relationships, constraints, and entity configuration.
Use EF Core migrations to create and evolve a relational database over the course of the project.
Perform CRUD operations through repository patterns and maintain consistency through transaction boundaries.
Document the data model and explain how it supports project functionality such as scans, reports, and image handling.
Develop and justify proposed storage strategies for large files based on system requirements.

Evaluate how data-model and storage decisions impact system performance, maintainability, and data integrity.
Design improvements to the current schema and storage approach, such as introducing audit trails, history tracking, or external file storage.
Reflect on how EF Core and repository-based access contribute to modularity, testability, and scalability.
Relate database design decisions to broader system needs, including documentation, evidence handling, and secure data processing.
Independently learn new database concepts and apply them to practical backend solutions as the system scales or changes.