Defending Against State-Sponsored Cyber Threats

Overview

This one-day course equips business leaders, risk officers and security executives with the knowledge to assess and mitigate the risks posed by state-level cyber operations.

The first two sessions examine how the digital age has supercharged espionage, enabling state-affiliated actors to penetrate corporate networks, steal sensitive data, and monitor business operations. We explore how cyber techniques integrate with traditional intelligence tradecraft, with case studies including intellectual property theft and unauthorisied access to confidential strategy documents. These insights will help you identify operational methods used by state-affiliated actors and understand the ways they can damage brand trust, market position and regulatory compliance.

The afternoon sessions focus on the three pillars of cyber warfare: influence, espionage and sabotage. You’ll explore how these tactics are deployed before and during conflict, including how supply chains, service providers and critical infrastructure are sabotaged and the risk posed by disinformation campaigns.  Real-world examples illustrate how geopolitical tensions translate into elevated cyber risk for businesses operating globally.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to identify, assess and prioritise cyber risks linked to state-sponsored cyber activity.

Programme details

Sessions 1 & 2: Cyber Espionage

This session examines the growing impact of hacking techniques on espionage. We start by exploring the new capabilities delivered by the digital revolution, before considering how traditional intelligence practices and cyber tradecraft interact. Then, we analyse the different use cases of cyber espionage, from gaining insight into foreign rivals to stealing an enemy’s war plans. At the conclusion of this session, you will gain a strong foundational understanding of how cyber-espionage operates, and how it integrates into the wider portfolio of nation-state intelligence capabilities.

Sessions 3 & 4: Cyber Warfare

This session begins with the history of cyber warfare, stretching back to the first Gulf War when US special forces considered using cyber sabotage to disable Iraqi air defences. We then study cyber warfare using three pillars: influence, espionage, sabotage. We consider how these pillars are employed before war, when they can contribute to pre-conflict advantage, and during the war, when they may aid conventional operations in numerous ways.

This course can be taken separately or as part of our Cyber Security for Business Discount Week (29 June - 3 July 2026).

Attending Your Course 

Further details will be emailed to you two weeks ahead of your course, this will include registration information and an overview of the course timetable.

Please get in touch if you have not received this information within five working days of the course start date. 

In the meantime, you may wish to plan your travel: Travel information

Certification

In order to be eligible for a certificate of attendance, you will need to attend the whole course. Participants who meet this criterion will be emailed after the end of the course with a link, and instructions on how to access their University of Oxford digital certificate. 

The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate, as well as share it on social media if you choose to do so. 

Fees

Description Costs
Standard course fee £745.00

Payment

Fees include course materials, tuition, refreshments and lunches. The price does not include accommodation.

All courses are VAT exempt.

Register immediately online 

Click the 'Book now' button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required.

Request an invoice

If you require an invoice for your company or organisation, please email us to request an online application form.  

Payment is then accepted online, by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer. 

Tutor

Dr Craig Jarvis

Dr Craig Jarvis is a recognised industry leader and academic in cybersecurity, with a distinguished career spanning technical, strategic and executive leadership roles.

He brings substantial industry experience, most notably serving as Chief Technology Officer at DXC Security - then the world’s largest provider of security services. In this role, he was joint second-in-command of a $1 billion annual revenue business comprising over 4,000 cybersecurity professionals and 16 security operations centres. His responsibilities encompassed enterprise leadership, technology strategy, and portfolio development.

During his tenure, Craig founded DXC Security Labs, leading innovation in cybersecurity research and development. He also established a strategic cyber threat intelligence function and launched a cyber-physical systems security division, which generated a $50 million sales pipeline within its first year.

Craig has worked across all major industry sectors. His engagements have included advising energy companies during nation-state breach responses, enhancing hospital resilience strategies, and supporting government agencies with cybersecurity transformation. Most of his time is now spent in financial services, where he advises major banks and private equity firms on cybersecurity strategy, architecture, and due diligence.

A long-standing expert in security operations, Craig spent many years in his early career as a forensic and threat intelligence analyst, leading breach investigations and countering advanced threat actors. He engineered systems to monitor malicious actors within compromised systems. 

In addition to his industry contributions, Craig is a researcher and academic. He lectures at leading institutions including the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and Royal Holloway. He has delivered training to business executives and technical leaders from some of the world’s most prestigious organisations.

Craig holds a PhD in cybersecurity, as well as master’s degrees in international security, information security and digital forensics, and classical music. He studied at institutions including the University of Oxford, King’s College London, and Royal Holloway.

His forthcoming book, Cyber Terrorism: Extremism & Hacking, will be published in 2026. He is the author of CryptoWars: The Fight for Privacy in the Digital Age and has contributed to Next Generation Enterprise Security. His academic research has been published in respected peer-reviewed journals, including Intelligence and National Security.

As a member of the Offensive Cyber Working Group's College of Experts, Craig plays an active role in shaping research in offensive cybersecurity. He is also the founding chair of the Geopolitics-Cyber Community of London Experts (GeoCyclone), an organisation bringing together business leaders, academics, and policy makers to share knowledge on national security and digital technologies.

Craig is active on LinkedIn, often posting details of upcoming courses and ongoing research.

Application

If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please click 'Ask a Question' at the top of this page. 

Accommodation

Although not included in the course fee, accommodation may be available at our on-site Rewley House Residential Centre. All bedrooms are en suite and decorated to a high standard, and come with tea- and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi access and Freeview TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

To check prices, availability and to book rooms please visit the Rewley House Residential Centre website. 

Enrolled students are entitled to discounted accommodation rates for the purpose of study, at Rewley House, and can contact the administration team for the promotional code to use for making online accommodation bookings via the website.