JUSTIFICATION AND OVERVIEW:
Operators who understand how to script are no longer just users of tools—they become creators, modifiers, and enhancers of operational capability. While the Basic Coding for Operators course introduced foundational concepts, Advanced Coding for Operators is built for personnel who are ready to take control of their technical workflows, build lightweight mission tools, and automate field tasks under real-world constraints.
This course dives deeper into Python, shell scripting, and applied coding in hostile or time-critical environments. It emphasises working with real datasets, modifying open-source security and OSINT tools, integrating scripts into daily workflows, and preparing scripts for peer-use or handover. Students will learn how to make their tools more resilient, handle edge-case errors, and apply logic to tactical data sets—such as logs, RF capture files, telemetry, and field intelligence.
Advanced Coding for Operators is designed to turn competent beginners into operational coders. It focuses onreal-world use cases: creating modular scripts, handling complex data structures, integrating with APIs and sensors, building simple user interfaces, and implementing secure practices for sensitive environments. The course does not aim to turn operators into software engineers—it empowers them to become autonomous, flexible problem-solvers who can build what they need, when they need it.
Content is taught with a field-first mindset: disconnected ops, forensic soundness, and minimising digital footprint. Attendees will walk away with templates, toolkits, and the practical ability to write clean, purposeful code under pressure.
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT:
This course enables mission-focused personnel to write and adapt tactical-grade code for automation, tool modification, and field data handling. Students leave with a practical skillset for solving technical problems independently using Python, Bash, and real-world logic—built from the ground up with operational pressure and mission integrity in mind.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
Completion of Basic Coding for Operators or demonstrable operational coding experience (Python and shell scripting proficiency will be verified). Students must bring their own laptop or be assigned a secured virtual machine with Python 3.x, Git, and standard CLI tools pre-installed. Participants are expected to have a working knowledge of Python syntax, functions, and control flow logic.
INDICATIVE COURSE CONTENT
Module 1: Script Enhancement & Workflow Automation
• Structuring scripts for reusability and modularity
• Adding input validation, user interaction, and error handling
• Automating multiple-step field tasks with conditional logic
Module 2: Working with Real Operational Data
• Parsing logs (Syslog, PCAP metadata, GPS traces, BLE scan dumps)
• Extracting key fields, timestamps, and indicators from noisy data
• Exporting results into intelligence-ready formats (CSV, JSON, SQLite)
Module 3: Tactical Tool Creation
• Building command-line tools with argument parsing
• Creating simple field interfaces (e.g., Tkinter or CLI menus)
• Developing field data entry tools that store or transmit securely
Module 4: Operator API & Web Interaction
• Querying APIs (Shodan, HaveIBeenPwned, internal dashboards)
• Automating secure web-based queries or scraping structured targets
• Creating mission toolkits that operate with minimal/no internet
Module 5: Secure Scripting and Operational Safety
• Avoiding OPSEC risks in code (e.g., local storage, hardcoded keys)
• Obfuscating scripts for field use
• Handling logs, data retention, and forensic soundness
Module 6: Portable Deployments & OpSec Coding Practices
• Making your scripts portable across Windows/Linux/Mac environments
• Writing code that works without network dependency
• Secure handling of credentials, tokens, and sensitive inputs