Overview
This advanced unit provides you with a broad understanding of electronic crime and digital forensics in investigations of electronic criminal activities. In this unit, you will learn digital forensics procedures and tools, methods of using digital evidence in justice and legal issues in digital forensics. You will use industry leading software tools to conduct your own forensics investigation on realistic case studies. Completion of this unit enables you to pursue careers within an electronic crime investigation unit of law enforcement agencies, government departments, and businesses.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite: (COIT11233 or COIT11238) and (COIT13147 or COIT12206)
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2022
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit evaluation.
Students enjoyed working in groups and learning the skills needed for the forensic investigation assessment.
Continue offering the group assessment with forensic investigative tasks.
Feedback from Unit evaluation and staff observation.
Students appreciated the variety of techniques, tools and legal/ethical implications covered in the unit.
Continue to cover the application of a variety of tools and techniques and legal/ethical issues related to digital forensics.
Feedback from Staff observation.
Case studies used in the forensics investigation assessment are limited.
Explore new case studies for the assessment.
- Define electronic crime and digital forensics
- Describe the role of digital forensic professionals in investigation and prevention of electronic crime in business environments
- Apply a systematic approach to the capture, recording, and analysis of events in a digital forensic investigation
- Discuss the legal issues involved in a forensic investigation and in current professional forensic practice
- Prepare a design and report for a digital forensic investigation.
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is in use in over 100 countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles.
ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile at https://www.acs.org.au/professionalrecognition/mysfia-b2c.html
This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA. The SFIA code is included:
- Digital forensics (DGFS)
- Network Support (NTAS)
- Penetration testing (PENT)
- Problem Management (PBMG)
- Data Analysis (DTAN)
- Service Desk and Incident Management (USUP)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - In-class Test(s) - 20% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 3 - Take Home Exam - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - In-class Test(s) - 20% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Take Home Exam - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations
Edition: 6th edn (2018) (2018)
Authors: B Nelson, A Phillips, C Steuart
Cengage Learning
Florence Florence , KY , USA
ISBN: 9781337568944
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Both paper and eBook copies can now be purchased at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code).
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Computer forensic software and student data files (with "Lab Manual for Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations (4th ed)" by A. Blitz)
- MindTap - Cloud based virtual lab integrated in Moodle unit website
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.hassan@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Understanding the Digital Forensics
Profession and Investigations
Chapter
Chapter 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Forensic investigation examples and
the Investigator’s Office and
Laboratory
Chapter
Chapter 1 and Chapter 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Data Acquisition
Chapter
Chapter 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1(In-class test): Online Quiz 1
Module/Topic
Processing crime and incident scenes
Chapter
Chapter 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Digital forensics tools
Chapter
Chapter 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1(In-class test): Online Quiz 2
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Understanding Windows, Linux and
Macintosh Systems
Chapter
Chapter 5 and Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Recovering Graphic Files
Chapter
Chapter 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1(In-class test): Online Quiz 3
Module/Topic
Digital Forensics Analysis and
Validation
Chapter
Chapter 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Virtual Machine Forensics, Live
Acquisitions, and Network Forensics
E-mail and Social Media Investigations
Chapter
Chapter 10 and Chapter 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1(In-class test): Online Quiz 4
Module/Topic
Mobile Device Forensics
Ethics
Chapter
Chapter 12 and Chapter 16
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2 (Written Assessment) Digital Forensic Investigation Due:
Week 10 Friday 11:45 PM AEST
Digital Forensics Investigation Due: Week 10 Friday (23 Sept 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Cloud Forensics and Report writing
Chapter
Chapter 13 and Chapter 14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1(In-class test): Online Quiz 5
Module/Topic
Reflection and exam overview
Chapter
Reflection of topics covered in Weeks 1-11, and exam advice
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
For any term-specific information, please contact your Unit coordinator via E-mail.
Unit Coordinator: Dr Jahan Hassan
E-mail: j.hassan@cqu.edu.au
1 In-class Test(s)
The online quizzes are to complement the theoretical knowledge you learn from the lectures/textbook. These exercises will enhance your understanding and improve your skills in the related topics of Electronic Crime and Digital Forensics.
- There are five (5) weekly online quizzes arranged on weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
- Each quiz is worth 4% of the total grade.
- The quizzes are open book, implying that you are allowed to consult the prescribed textbook, lab manuals, lecture notes, and notes you prepare for.
- You will be required to complete such tasks within a time limit.
More details of quiz instruction will be available through the Moodle unit website.
Due in the same week (3, 5, 7, 9, 11) for each quiz. More details will be provided in the online quiz specification through Moodle unit website.
Immediately after the quizzes close.
You are assessed against your abilities to:
- Understand the weekly content covered in lectures,
- Identify the links between lecture contents and lab exercises,
- Determine the best course of action for a specific investigation scenario.
Extensions are not allowed for the quizzes, because the answers will be released after the due date. If you miss attempting the quizzes, you cannot do it later.
- Define electronic crime and digital forensics
- Discuss the legal issues involved in a forensic investigation and in current professional forensic practice
- Problem Solving
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
This assessment task contains two parts:
- Part A: Practical (Hands-on) investigation (15%).
- Part B: a written report detailing the practical investigation in Part A and findings based on this investigation (15%).
The assessment requires you to
- Investigate a case with the provided digital forensic tools you will learn from this unit,
- Indicate the potential legal and ethical issues in the given case,
- Draft a report of your investigation with the process and your findings.
More details of this case study will be available through the Moodle unit website.
Week 10 Friday (23 Sept 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 12 Friday (7 Oct 2022)
Assessments will be returned through Moodle. Late submissions with or without extension approvals may be returned after the above date.
You will be assessed against your abilities to:
- Apply suitable digital forensics methodologies,
- Use appropriate tools and techniques,
- Identify legal and ethical issues in the given case,
- Investigate in a formal process,
- Report the findings in a clear and cohesive manner.
More details of the marking criteria will be available through the Moodle unit website.
- Describe the role of digital forensic professionals in investigation and prevention of electronic crime in business environments
- Apply a systematic approach to the capture, recording, and analysis of events in a digital forensic investigation
- Discuss the legal issues involved in a forensic investigation and in current professional forensic practice
- Prepare a design and report for a digital forensic investigation.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Take Home Exam
The final assessment will be a take-home exam as an online test presented in a form of a Moodle Quiz.
The arrangement for this exam will be available after Week 6.
Refer to the Moodle unit website for more details.
Take-home exam will be held during the examination period. Specific date and time will be advised via Moodle.
Overall results become available on Certification Date (see Academic Calendar).
Your answers will be marked based on the correct choice from a range of options, and for short answer items on technical correctness, completeness, clarity, originality, and relevance. Originality means the work is your own and is expressed in your own words. An answer is unacceptable (zero marks) if it is composed mostly or solely of quoted materials from other sources.
- Define electronic crime and digital forensics
- Describe the role of digital forensic professionals in investigation and prevention of electronic crime in business environments
- Apply a systematic approach to the capture, recording, and analysis of events in a digital forensic investigation
- Prepare a design and report for a digital forensic investigation.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
