Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 20 x 2 Hour Lectures |
| Practical | 5 x 2 Hour Practicals |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours Written Examination | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | 4,000 word report on security issues | 50% |
| Supplementary Exam | Resubmission of failed/nonsubmitted components or others of equivalent value. | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Design and structure databases appropriate to given problems, identifying potential issues of data persistence, resilience, security and verification of systems that process the data.
2. Evaluate the legal,social,ethical and professional issues involved in handling data.
3. Explain the structure of Internet and Distributed systems and the technologies and protocols behind them.
4. Identify potential security issues with specific types of computer systems and the data they contain, and suggest mitigating strategies.
Aims
This module gives students a technical understanding of the computing issues relevant to data handling and security. It forms a firm foundation for later modules on practical issues in information security (MSc Security) and in data mining (MSc Data Science).
Brief description
produce results, or insufficient thought is put into how the data is made available or to whom. The module will look at a range of issues related to performance and security in the context of computer systems. It will address not only confidentiality and privacy of data but also the integrity of data and guaranteeing reproducible
results.
Content
2. Social,legal and professional issues with data and software. People in the system. Business drivers for software systems. Overview of relevant computer law. Quality Assurance and software engineering. Ideas of security, resilience, testing,maintenance. 8 hours.
3. Relational modelling and data storage. Persistent storage. Entities and relationships. Primary and foreign keys. Referential integrity. Relational algebra. Data normalisation. Overview of SQL. Validating a design. 8 hours.
4. Distributed systems, structure of the Internet and how it works: Internet architectures, domains, TCP/IP, OSI,Internet Security Protocols; Tunnelling; VPNs; network attack and defence; TLS; Non IP Protocols & Standards. 8 hours.
5. Application Security issues: Email,web, social networks, ORM, Database security, Big Data security, identity management, programming issues. Physical security. 6 hours.
6. Cryptography and system security: Cipher and algorithm types; applications to confidentiality, integrity and authentication; PKI AES and RSA; Key management; Digital Signatures. Authentication (secrets, tokens, biometrics); Access Control (MAC, DAC, RBAC) and Privilege management; 6 hours.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Inherent to subject |
| Communication | Through assignment |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Inherent to subject |
| Information Technology | Inherent to subject |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Encourages students to see roles in subject for career and personal development |
| Problem solving | Inherent to subject |
| Research skills | Inherent to subject |
| Subject Specific Skills | Technical skills related to internet systems and security |
| Team work | No |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7