CS263-15 Cyber Security

Introductory description

The module aims to provide students with a grounding in the specification, design, implementation and evaluation of secure systems.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The emphasis of the module is on the specification, design, implementation and evaluation of secure systems. The outline below is illustrative of what will be covered, though the nature of computer security means that the specific topics covered will vary as developments dictate.

Secure Systems Development Context

• Core concepts - confidentiality, availability, authenticity, control, trust, etc.
• Core technologies - authentication, permissions and access control, privacy controls,
  communication protocols, event monitoring, sandboxing, cryptographic hashes, etc.
• Architectures - Distributed systems, centralised systems, etc.

Specification and Design

• Formal specification methods and secure systems
• Secure model-driven development
• Secure architecture and pattern-based design
• Methodologies and standards for secure systems development
  Implementation and Testing
• Secure programming techniques
• Security and design-patterns for systems implementation
• Obfuscation and de-obfuscation
• Reverse Engineering
• Fuzzing

Evaluation and Maintenance

• Validation methods and system hardening
• Human factors and organisational security
• Software and threat evolution
• Remote protection
• Penetration testing

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Understand core security concepts and technologies relating to the development of secure systems.
• Understand the significance of context in the development of secure systems.
• Understand how software development methodologies can be augmented to account for the development of secure systems, including coverage of pattern and model-driven development approaches.
• Understand and have experience applying defensive programming approaches in the development and analysis of secure systems.
• Understand and have experience the principles of state-of-the-art approaches for the testing of secure testing, including penetration testing and fuzzing.
• Appreciate the long-term challenges surrounding and approaches for managing secure systems in an organisational context.

Indicative reading list

Please see Talis Aspire link for most up to date list.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

See syllabus

Transferable skills

Technical skills;
Communication skills;
Critical thinking;
Multitasking;