Security Threat and Risk Assessment

University of Maryland, College Park via Coursera Specialization

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Provider

Coursera Specialization
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

4 weeks, 2 hours a week
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Beginner

Found in

Overview

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This specialization is intended for current and aspiring security professionals, organizational leaders, and others seeking foundational skills in threat and risk assessment. Across three courses, you will explore non-state cyber threats, insider risk, and structured approaches to threat and vulnerability assessment, with an emphasis on the human, behavioral, and organizational factors that shape security risks. You will develop the ability to understand adversaries’ motivations and methods, recognize factors that contribute to insider risk, and use structured assessment to inform prevention and security decisions.

Syllabus

Course 1: Cybersecurity: Overlooked Threats to Your Strategy
Course 2: Breach From Within: Introduction to Insider Risk and Threats
Course 3: Threat Assessment: Anticipating Terrorism & Targeted Attacks

Courses

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Cybersecurity: Overlooked Threats to Your Strategy tackles what truly keeps cybersecurity professionals up at night: the human forces driving unconventional and asymmetric cyber attacks designed to defeat your defenses. Applying a better understanding of their drivers bolsters your cybersecurity. Beyond what is taught by most cybersecurity programs, this course shifts the focus from systems to your adversaries—examining the psychological motivations, strategic objectives, and decision-making processes of non-state cyber actors determined to outmaneuver your defenses, so you can learn how to guard against them. Led by Dr. Steve Sin, Director of the Unconventional and Asymmetric Threats Division at the University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), learners gain the rare, adversary-centered overview missing from most cybersecurity curricula. Strengthen your strategy by understanding the human forces shaping today’s cyber threats. No technical background is required; just curiosity and a desire to understand one of today’s most pressing security challenges.
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Breach from Within: Introduction to Insider Risk and Threats examines one of today’s most complex security challenges: the threat that originates from trusted insiders. While many security programs focus on external attacks, this course shifts attention to the human, behavioral, and organizational factors that drive insider incidents. Drawing on real-world cases and interdisciplinary research, learners explore how insider risk develops over time, why warning signs are often missed, and how insider threats can escalate beyond data breaches into workplace violence, critical infrastructure disruption, and national security threats. The course emphasizes proactive, ethical, and risk-based approaches to prevention, integrating insights from psychology, organizational behavior, and modern security frameworks. Led by Dr. Steve Sin, Director of the Unconventional and Asymmetric Threats Division at the University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), this course provides a human-centered perspective often missing from traditional security education. No technical background is required—just curiosity and a desire to better understand one of the most pressing security risks organizations face today.
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Threat Assessment: Anticipating Terrorism & Targeted Attacks examines how structured assessment can help identify and mitigate threats before violence occurs. Rather than attempting to predict the future or relying on profiles, this course focuses on systematically evaluating behaviors, vulnerabilities, and risk factors to support informed prevention and intervention. Drawing on real-world cases and evidence-based frameworks, learners explore the foundational concepts of threat, vulnerability, and risk and how these concepts interact across national, homeland, and organizational security contexts. The course examines how to conduct and integrate threat and vulnerability analyses, avoid common assessment pitfalls, and connect assessment findings to organizational strategy. Learners also consider the importance of multidisciplinary teams, structured reporting processes, and coordinated action in preventing harm. Led by Dr. Steve Sin, Director of the Unconventional and Asymmetric Threats Division at the University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), this course offers an interdisciplinary approach that connects behavioral threat assessment with broader security and risk analysis. No technical background is required—just curiosity and a desire to better understand how terrorism and targeted violence can be recognized, assessed, and prevented before harm occurs.