UK

Qualifi Ltd · RQF Level 5

Qualifi Level 5 Extended Diploma in Cyber Security

You don’t just earn this. You learn to use it, one-to-one, on your own real work.

  • LevelRQF Level 5
  • Total credits240
  • Guided learning1,320 hours
  • Units in this qualification11

Awarded by Qualifi Ltd · on the Ofqual register

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What you’ll learn

What each unit actually teaches you to do

This Qualifi Level 5 Extended Diploma focuses on cyber security. It includes study of threats and risks, incident management, and network security. The qualification also covers security strategy, laws, and policies relevant to the digital technology sector.

These are the units Qualifi Ltd registers against this qualification. It is a catalogue, not a syllabus. Which of them you take depends on the combination the qualification requires, and that is set by the awarding body rather than by us. Every unit here is regulated, and every one you earn is yours to keep.

Communications and Incident ManagementReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
You'll understand the physical and human resources required to manage major cybersecurity incidents, applying Business Continuity Management principles. The unit also covers disaster recovery and crisis management in incident planning and response.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand the physical and human resources required to effectively manage a major suspected cybersecurity incident.
  • Apply Business Continuity Management (BCM) principles to the planning and response phases of a major incident.
  • Understand how Disaster Recovery (DR) and Crisis Management are integrated into the response to a suspected major cyber-enabled incident.
  • Evaluate the potential impact of failing to adequately plan for crisis communications and incident response in the event of a major cybersecurity incident.
CryptographyReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
You'll develop a comprehensive understanding of cryptographic principles, including symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing algorithms, and digital signatures. The unit covers relevant standards, regulations, and the design of encryption plans for organisations.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand key cryptographic principles and modes of operation, including symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing, and digital signatures.
  • Understand the standards, regulations, and laws that apply to business and government organisations in relation to encryption, such as GDPR, PCI DSS, and industry-specific regulations.
  • Design an encryption plan and courses of action for a given organisation, considering factors such as data sensitivity, compliance requirements, and business needs.
Cyber Security Threat and RiskReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
You'll gain an understanding of complex business cyber security threats and risks, including recent mega-breaches, malware, ransomware attacks, and the evolving tactics of malicious actors using customised intrusion tools.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand complex business cyber security threats and risks, including their potential impact on organisations.
  • Understand recent mega-breaches, including the vulnerabilities exploited and the consequences for affected organisations.
  • Explain malware and ransomware attacks, including their methods of propagation and potential damage.
  • Understand how threats and malicious hackers are advancing, including their evolving techniques and targets.
  • Understand the development of customised intrusion tools, including their purpose and functionality.
Cyber Security Threats and Risks: Banking and FinanceReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
This unit covers cyber security threats and risks affecting traditional and emerging financial services. You'll understand financial market architectures, payment systems, and the role of cryptocurrencies within financial services infrastructure.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand the various threats and risks facing both traditional and emerging financial services.
  • Understand the architectural structures that underpin traditional financial markets.
  • Understand how payment systems are connected to the underlying financial services architecture.
  • Understand how cryptocurrencies are connected to the underlying financial services architecture.
Cyber WarsReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
It teaches you to understand nation-state involvement in cyber defence and offensive strategies, motivations behind state-linked cyber attacks, and the targeting of private sector industries and critical national infrastructure.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand how nation-states are potentially engaged in cyber defence and offensive capability strategies.
  • Understand the motivations and causes behind nation-state-linked cyber attacks and data breaches.
  • Understand how private sector industries have been targeted by potentially state-sanctioned cyber-crime groups and/or armies.
  • Understand how Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) has been targeted by state-backed cyber-crime groups and/or armies.
Database Security and Computer ProgrammingReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
This unit provides learners with knowledge of database security measures, including access controls, encryption, and auditing mechanisms. It also explores cloud-based storage security and the relationship between computer programming and hacking techniques.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand the broad range of security measures required to protect databases from unauthorised access and data breaches.
  • Understand database categories of control, including access controls, encryption, and auditing mechanisms.
  • Understand the underpinning concepts of cloud-based storage solutions, including their security implications and best practices.
  • Understand the relationship between computer programming and computer hacking, including how programming skills can be used for both defensive and offensive purposes.
  • Understand the “interpreted” general-purpose programming language Python, including its syntax, data structures, and common libraries.
Digital Investigations and ForensicsReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
You'll understand the core principles, legal and ethical considerations of digital investigations. The unit includes applying investigative tools at a strategic level and planning for the establishment and management of investigation and forensics teams.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand the core principles of digital investigations, including legal and ethical considerations.
  • Apply different types of tools that support professional digital investigations at a strategic level.
  • Plan for the establishment and management of an investigation and forensics team.
  • Understand the critical importance of safeguarding evidential integrity throughout digital investigations.
Incident Response, Investigations and ForensicsReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
This unit covers the role of incident response as a business function, including the operation of Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) and aligned task forces for business continuity, disaster recovery, and crisis management. It also addresses investigation of major incidents.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand the role and composite parts of Incident Response as a business function and how Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) operate.
  • Understand how aligned task forces operate for Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and crisis management in the context of incident response.
  • Understand how major computer incidents are formally investigated, including evidence gathering and analysis.
  • Understand the relevant laws and guidance in relation to the conduct and planned structure of major incident investigations, ensuring compliance and best practice.
Network Security and Data CommunicationsReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
This unit provides learners with an understanding of network communication between computer and digital devices, potential exploitation methods, and security prevention techniques. It covers network security, systems hardening, and key security and forensic concepts.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand how computer and digital devices communicate with one another over a network.
  • Understand, at a strategic level, how computer networking, web applications, and software can be exploited by malicious actors.
  • Understand methods of security prevention and systems hardening techniques to mitigate potential exploits.
  • Understand key network security and systems resilience tools, terminology and models used in the industry.
Security Strategy: Laws, Policies and ImplementationReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
You'll explore cyber security strategy, including strategic management, legislative and industry standards, and the implementation of security and risk management policies. The unit also considers future legal and technical developments in cyber security.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand the concept of strategy and the strategic management of planning and buy-in processes in relation to cyber security.
  • Understand how legislation, formal industry standards, and training accreditation support and enhance cyber security practices.
  • Understand how to implement Plan, Do, Check, and Act (PDCA) security and risk management policies within an organisation.
  • Understand the future legal and technical environment and its potential impact on cyber security planning and digital risk management strategies.
  • Understand how to plan and design a security audit for a cyber network, including scope, methodology, and reporting.
Strategic LeadershipReal unit · Qualifi Ltd
This unit explores the role of senior leaders in strategic leadership, focusing on establishing a security-conscious culture and championing information security initiatives. You'll evaluate management streams, performance monitoring mechanisms, and understand threat and risk identification in information security.

What you'll be able to do

  • Understand the role of senior leaders and strategic leadership in information security, including setting the tone from the top and championing security initiatives.
  • Evaluate the management streams and performance monitoring mechanisms that relate to information security, including by considering key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics.
  • Understand how threat and risk identification and management is integrated into C-Suite considerations and governance, including risk appetite and tolerance.
  • Understand how data protection legislation impacts considerations of strategy-setting and strategic leadership, including data breach notification requirements and accountability.

The honest bit

You’ve started things before

Most courses were built for a room full of people who aren’t you. A cohort moves on whether or not your week allowed it, and by the third week the thing you’re behind on becomes the reason you stop opening it.

There’s no cohort here, and no timetable to fall behind. Before anything starts, Zavmo asks when you’re sharpest and how long you can realistically sit down for, then builds the sessions around those answers. A bad fortnight changes your pace. It doesn’t put you behind.

And you only pay once you start learning. Searching and planning are free, and you can cancel any time — so the cost of finding out is an afternoon, not a year.

Your passport

Every credit is a stamp you keep

Level 5 credits are regulated. They don’t vanish when a subscription ends or a website closes. They travel to any employer, and Zavmo keeps the map of what you’ve earned and what’s next.

Communications and Incident ManagementCryptographyCyber Security Threat and RiskCyber Security Threats and Risks: Banking and FinanceCyber WarsDatabase Security and Computer ProgrammingDigital Investigations and ForensicsIncident Response, Investigations and Forensics

Each stamp is a real unit registered against this qualification.

Who’d teach you this

The Evidence Evaluator

Assessor

Helps you show what you can actually do, gathering the evidence that proves it as you learn.

Meet all twelve tutors

Where this connects

Where these credits take you

A qualification is never a dead end here. See the jobs its credits open, the national occupational standards its units map to, and the future skills they quietly build.

See Your Progress GrowIllustration
Qualifi Level 5 Extended Diploma in Cyber Security
  • Assist in Implementing Digital Forensic Processes
  • Assist with digital forensic examinations under supervision
  • Carry Out Intrusion Detection and Analysis
  • Carry out digital forensic examination activities
  • Contribute to Information Security Incident Investigation and Management Activities
  • Contribute to digital forensic examination activities
  • Deliver digital forensic services
  • Develop and implement cryptographic methods
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

Where this can lead

International Security Incident Response Specialist

Your journey here as an International Security Incident Response Specialist is just the beginning. The skills you'll hone – critical thinking, forensic analysis, rapid problem-solving under pressure – are invaluable, not just in security, but in any complex technical environment. We're excited to see where you take it.

See the whole journey →
Opens the roleInternational Security Incident Response SpecialistOne of the jobs this qualification is a route intoSee the role →Opens the roleSenior Incident Response EngineerOne of the jobs this qualification is a route intoSee the role →Opens the roleIncident Response ManagerOne of the jobs this qualification is a route intoSee the role →Opens the roleSenior International Security Incident Response SpecialistOne of the jobs this qualification is a route intoSee the role →Opens the roleIncident Response Engineer ManagerOne of the jobs this qualification is a route intoSee the role →Opens the roleIncident Response EngineerOne of the jobs this qualification is a route intoSee the role →Future FluencyAll ten future skillsSee how every unit is contextualised by the tenExplore →

Showing 6 roles, drawn from 529 job records mapped to this qualification.

Skills it covers

What the job actually needs. These are the standards the units are built against, in the words employers and awarding bodies already use for the work itself.

Assist in Implementing Digital Forensic ProcessesAssist with digital forensic examinations under supervisionCarry Out Intrusion Detection and AnalysisCarry out digital forensic examination activitiesContribute to Information Security Incident Investigation and Management ActivitiesContribute to digital forensic examination activitiesDeliver digital forensic servicesDevelop and implement cryptographic methodsDirect Digital Forensic Examination ActivitiesDirect Security Architecture DevelopmentDirect information security architecture activitiesDirect information security governance activitiesDirect information security incident management and forensicsDirect information security testing activitiesIdentify Cyber Security Threats and VulnerabilitiesLead Forensic ExaminationManage Intrusion Detection and AnalysisManage digital forensic activities+4 more

How you’ll actually learn this

One-to-one, on your own real work

A qualification is usually something done to you: sit the class, sit the exam, hope it sticks. Here it’s the opposite. You learn it one-to-one with a companion, on your own real work, and you keep going until you can use it, not just recall it.

One-to-one, on your real workNo lectures, no past-papers. Every unit is practised on the actual tasks your job throws at you, a tutor beside you, not a video in front of you.
Taught to the top, not the testMost courses stop at remembering. Your companion keeps climbing: analysing, judging, creating. That’s the part a machine can’t do for you.
Credits you keep, a map that continuesEvery unit is regulated and yours for good. The day you finish, Zavmo already knows the next role your new credits open.
Communications and Incident ManagementLevel 5

Applied to your work in any of these jobs

Which job do you mean?
International Security Incident Response SpecialistSenior Incident Response EngineerIncident Response ManagerSenior International Security Incident Response SpecialistIncident Response Engineer ManagerIncident Response Engineer

Learners will understand the physical and human resources required to manage major cybersecurity incidents, applying Business Continuity Management principles. The unit also covers disaster recovery and crisis management in incident planning and response.

How the thinking builds
  1. Remember
  2. Understand
  3. Apply
  4. Analyse
  5. Evaluate
  6. Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.
Your PlanIllustration

Built for Qualifi Level 5 Extended Diploma in Cyber Security

11 units in this credential, in the order it lists them, awarded by Qualifi Ltd.

  1. Communications and Incident Management
  2. Cryptography
  3. Cyber Security Threat and Risk
  4. Cyber Security Threats and Risks: Banking and Finance
  5. Cyber Wars
  6. Database Security and Computer Programming

and 5 more in the full unit list below.

These are the real units of this credential, in its own order. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

One to one, not one to many

No two people run this the same way

A course is written once and handed to everyone. This is assembled around you, and keeps changing as it learns you. Five things it reads, and what each one changes.

  1. Your actual work Every unit is taught against a live piece of your own work, not a worked example from a textbook.
  2. What you already know The first conversation finds your starting point, so you skip what you can already do and spend the time on what you cannot.
  3. The conditions you learn under Not a learning-styles quiz. The evidence does not support those. The dimensions the research does back, read once and used to shape the plan.
  4. How far you got last time It picks up mid-thought. The tutor knows what you said, what you struggled with, and what it asked you to try.
  5. Which tutor suits the moment Twelve of them, each for a different kind of thinking. The one who walks you through a first idea is not the one who stress-tests it.

See how you learn, free. Eight questions, no sign-up. A directional taster; the diagnostic inside Zavmo goes deeper and keeps adapting.

Why it sticks

Most courses stop at remembering

There’s a well-known ladder of how deeply you learn something, called Bloom’s Taxonomy. Most courses get you up the first two rungs: you remember some facts, you pass a test, you forget it. Real skill lives at the top. Judging, deciding, creating. And this isn’t a generic ladder: every rung has a named Zavmo tutor who walks you up it.

  1. 6CreateThe Creative Catalyst
  2. 5EvaluateThe Evidence Evaluator
  3. 4AnalyseThe Analyst
  4. 3ApplyThe Coach
  5. 2UnderstandThe Connector
  6. 1RememberThe Builder

Where most courses leave you Where Zavmo takes you

Why this matters: AI can already remember and understand for you. What it can’t do is take your real problem and judge the right call. So the only learning worth paying for is the learning that takes you to the top. That’s exactly what a tutor doing it with you, on your real work, is for.

The value

Why the companion is worth £70 a month

You’re not paying for the units. They’re regulated, and the same wherever you earn them. You’re paying for the one thing that decides whether you actually get there: a companion that makes them stick, on your real work.

That is one-to-one on this qualification, every day, on the work you already do, for £70 a month. Your first module is free, so you can see the teaching before you pay for any of it. Billed monthly, cancel any time and billing stops.

Earned on your own work, taught to the top.

Everything you just read, learned one-to-one on the job you already do. Your first module is free, so you can see the teaching before you pay for any of it.

Build my plan, free

No card. See how this qualification maps onto your role and meet the tutors who’d teach it, free. The learning begins when you subscribe. It’s £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.