Ethics in Hardware Certification Course
Online 300-hour course in ethics in hardware certification. 6 modules with ISO/IEC 15408 (Common Criteria), ISO/IEC 17025 (competence of testing laboratories) and ChipWhisperer. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the role of certification as a foundation of trust in hardware.
Analyse real cases of compromised integrity in tests and certifications.
Apply the engineer's ethical principles to product evaluation.
Assess the independence and traceability of test results.
Identify risks of counterfeit components in the supply chain.
Design fraud prevention and detection controls in certification.
Draw up an integrity plan for a hardware certification laboratory.
Who it's for
- Hardware certification engineer who wants to specialise in Ethics in hardware certification.
- Common Criteria security evaluator who wants to specialise in Ethics in hardware certification.
- Laboratory quality manager who wants to specialise in Ethics in hardware certification.
- Electronic supply chain analyst who wants to specialise in Ethics in hardware certification.
- Product security auditor who wants to specialise in Ethics in hardware certification.
- Components engineer who wants to specialise in Ethics in hardware certification.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter evaluation laboratories.
What you'll work with
- ISO/IEC 15408 (Common Criteria)
- ISO/IEC 17025 (competence of testing laboratories)
- SAE AS5553 (prevention of counterfeit electronic components)
- ISO/IEC 20243 (trusted technology providers, O-TTPS)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 (Cyber Resilience Act)
- FIPS 140-3 (cryptographic modules)
- ISO/IEC 17065 (product certification bodies)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1What equipment certification guarantees1.2Type, production and acceptance tests1.3Standards: DO-254, DO-160G, MIL-STD-810H and IEC 615081.4Common Criteria and chip security certification1.5Laboratories, evaluators and authorities1.6Self-certification versus third-party certification1.7Delegation to the manufacturer1.8Global semiconductor supply chain1.9Consequences of failed certification1.10Practical case: map of responsibilities in certifying a board
2.1Manipulation of emissions tests in the automotive sector2.2Certification delegation in the Boeing 737 MAX case2.3Counterfeit components in defence systems2.4Takata airbag failures and risk communication2.5Batteries and fire risks in certified products2.6Medical implants and deficient certification2.7US Senate reports on counterfeiting2.8Common organisational factors2.9Lessons learned2.10Workshop: causal analysis of a manipulation case
3.1IEEE and NSPE codes of ethics3.2Duty of public safety3.3Honesty in test data3.4Conflicts of interest and commercial pressure3.5Loyalty to the company and duty to the public3.6Whistleblowing3.7Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of whistleblowers3.8Law 2/2023 on the protection of informants3.9Professional and criminal liability3.10Practice: dilemma over an unfavourable test result
4.1Honest test planning4.2Representative sample selection4.3Data integrity under ALCOA+ principles4.4Tamper-proof records and traceability4.5Test repetition and selection of results4.6Handling non-conformities4.7Uncertainty and decision margins4.8Laboratory audits under ISO/IEC 170254.9Firmware and testing with special configurations4.10Laboratory: data integrity audit of a test
5.1SAE AS5553 and AS6171 against counterfeiting5.2Electronic component traceability5.3Authorised suppliers and the grey market5.4Hardware trojans and design integrity5.5Obsolescence and the temptation to substitute5.6Supplier due diligence5.7Conflict minerals and Regulation (EU) 2017/8215.8Environmental impact and RoHS5.9Quality culture in the organisation5.10Practical case: detecting a counterfeit component
6.1Selection of equipment and scheme6.2Map of actors and incentives6.3Identification of integrity risks6.4Review of test procedures6.5Data control measures6.6Reporting channel and governance6.7Ethics training plan6.8Monitoring indicators6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ChipWhisperer, LabVIEW, Cadence, Python (pandas), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures from hardware security evaluation laboratories, inspection of components suspected of counterfeiting, and supply chain audits. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the role of certification as a foundation of trust in hardware.
Analyse real cases of compromised integrity in tests and certifications.
Apply the engineer's ethical principles to product evaluation.
Assess the independence and traceability of test results.
Identify risks of counterfeit components in the supply chain.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No previous degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical standards reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme is 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with full-time work.
You work with ChipWhisperer, LabVIEW, Cadence, Python (pandas). Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be recognised towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when enrolling.
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