NIST Cybersecurity Professional®
NCSP® 800-160 Awareness Certificate
 
Build Awareness of NIST SP 800‑160 Systems Security Engineering (SSE)

NIST Cybersecurity Professional®

NCSP® 800-160 Awareness Certificate

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Course Description

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NIST Special Publication 800‑160, Systems Security Engineering, provides a comprehensive, engineering‑driven approach for building trustworthy, resilient, and secure systems. It integrates security into the entire system lifecycle — from concept and design through development, deployment, operation, and disposal — using disciplined systems engineering principles.

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The NCSP® 800‑160 Awareness Certificate is a half‑day, instructor‑led course offering a concise introduction to the purpose, structure, and strategic value of NIST SP 800‑160 Volumes 1 and 2. Designed for executives, managers, architects, and stakeholders, this course explains how systems security engineering supports secure‑by‑design practices, resilience engineering, and organisational assurance, without requiring technical engineering expertise.

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Participants gain a high‑level understanding of SSE concepts, lifecycle activities, trustworthy system characteristics, and how 800‑160 integrates with CSF 2.0, RMF (800‑37), 800‑53, and broader digital trust frameworks.

What You Will Learn

Participants gain essential awareness‑level knowledge of NIST SP 800‑160. You will learn:

• The purpose, scope, and evolution of NIST SP 800‑160 Vol. 1 & Vol. 2.

• The principles of systems security engineering and secure‑by‑design thinking.

• The system lifecycle and how security is engineered into each phase.

• The characteristics of trustworthy and resilient systems.

• Organisational roles and responsibilities in engineering secure systems.

• How 800‑160 aligns with CSF 2.0, RMF, 800‑53, and resilience engineering practices.

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Course Agenda

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Module 1: Introduction to NIST SP 800‑160 & Systems Security Engineering

• A high‑level overview of NIST SP 800‑160, its purpose, and its role in engineering secure and resilient systems. Introduces core SSE concepts, secure‑by‑design principles, and the importance of engineering‑driven cybersecurity.

Module 2: Systems Security Engineering Lifecycle & Trustworthy System Principles

• An awareness‑level introduction to the SSE lifecycle, including concept, design, development, integration, operation, and disposal. Covers trustworthy system characteristics such as resilience, reliability, safety, security, and survivability.

Module 3: Roles, Responsibilities & Organisational Governance for SSE

• A concise overview of key roles involved in systems security engineering, including architects, engineers, system owners, developers, and governance bodies. Explores how organisations embed SSE into policy, processes, and decision‑making.

Module 4: Applying NIST 800‑160 in Practice - Alignment, Use Cases & Resilience Engineering

• An introduction to how organisations apply 800‑160 in real‑world environments. Covers alignment with CSF 2.0, RMF (800‑37), 800‑53 controls, supply‑chain security (800‑161), and resilience engineering concepts.

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Learning Outcomes

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Participants will be able to:

• Describe the purpose and structure of NIST SP 800‑160 Vol. 1 & Vol. 2.

• Explain the principles of systems security engineering at an awareness level.

• Understand the SSE lifecycle and trustworthy system characteristics.

• Recognise key roles and responsibilities in engineering secure systems.

• Identify how 800‑160 aligns with CSF 2.0, RMF, 800‑53, and resilience engineering.

• Communicate the strategic value of secure‑by‑design practices to stakeholders and teams.

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Who Should Attend?

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This course is designed for professionals who need a foundational understanding of systems security engineering, including:

• Executives & Senior Leaders

• Enterprise & Security Architects

• Systems Engineers & Designers

• Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Stakeholders

• Programme & Project Managers

• Security & Resilience Managers

• Anyone seeking an introduction to secure‑by‑design engineering principles

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Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this Awareness‑level course. No engineering or technical background is required.

Participants are provided with:

• NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800-160 Awareness Certificate courseware including links to further reading and resources.

• NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800-160 Awareness Certificate, Certificate of Completion.

• NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800-160 Awareness Certificate digital badge.

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​Enrol Today

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This NCSP 800‑160 Awareness course provides students with a foundational understanding of systems security engineering and secure‑by‑design principles.

Further Reading