module specification

This module provides a broad introduction to cybercrime and cyber security evolution. The module examines the relationship between advances in Internet-based and digital technologies, and their criminal exploitation within cyberspace. It examines a wide range of cyber threats, attacks and risks, and the strategies employed to mitigate these, including the laws that are in place to protect and prevent online crimes/cybercrimes.

1. Background to the development, evolution and challenges of, and legislative context for digital and cybercrimes.
2. Cybercrime and cybersecurity in relation to various types of current and emerging online cyber-attacks, threats and criminal acts, including related digital crimes.
3. Technical measures, controls and applications in areas of applied cryptography, steganography, network intrusion, authentication, authorisation, including new technological developments.
4. The economic, legal, social, ethical and professional impact of cybercrime and cybersecurity within the national and global context.

Students will enhance their knowledge, skills and understating in the subject through relevant scholarly activities and reference to the appropriate published materials, including guest speakers.

Each week, the module will be delivered through a 2 hours lecture/seminar and a 2 hour workshop.  The workshops, in particular, will allow students to apply their theoretical knowledge through practical activities using suitable tools, methods and approaches.

Appropriate blended learning approaches and technologies, such as, the University’s VLE and online tools, will be used to facilitate and support student learning, in particular, to:

• deliver content;
• encourage active learning;
• provide formative and summative assessments, and prompt feedback; 
• enhance student engagement and learning experience.

Students will be expected and encouraged to produce reflective commentaries on the learning activities and tasks that they carry out to complete their work.

On successful completion of the module students will be able to:

LO1. Critically examine and apply current developments, concepts and principles in the fields of cybercrime and cyber security.
LO2. Apply critical reflection, analysis and evaluation to develop an understanding of the relationship between advances in digital and Internet-based technologies, and their criminal exploitation and impact on businesses and society.
LO3. Identify, examine and assess suitable strategies, policies, approaches and tools for cybersecurity as a means to preventing digital and cybercrime, and protecting infrastructure in view of the various risks, and legal, ethical, social and professional issues.
LO4. Comply with ethical norms and professional standards consistent with government legislations and laws with respect to cybercrime and cybersecurity.

Coursework (LO1, 2, and 4. A properly referenced technical report of 2000 words identifying, examining and critically evaluating a specific problem area involving cybercrime and cybersecurity.
Examination (LO1-4). A two-hour unseen examination.

Chapple, M., & Seidl, D. (2014). Cyberwarfare: Information Operations in a Connected World. USA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. (Core)

Robin, B., (2008) Investigating Digital Crime. Wiley

Shoemaker, D., & Sigler, K. (2014). Cybersecurity: Engineering a Secure Information Technology Organization. Cengage Learning.

Kim, D., Kim, P. and C. S. O. S. E. I. F. V. D., & Solomon, M. G. (2013). Fundamentals of Information Systems Security. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Ciampa, M. (2014). CompTIA Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals. Cengage Learning.

Cox, I.J., Miller, M., and Bloom, J. (2007) Digital Watermarking and Steganography, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.

Stallings, J. (2011). Cryptography and Network Security (5th ed.): Principles and Practice. USA: Prentice Hall.
Academic Journals and technical magazines.