Overview
As the Internet becomes more pervasive, so do the threats to the security of our computer systems and communications. This unit provides you with grounding in security technology. You will study common network security attacks, then the technologies to defend against those attacks. These technologies include cryptography, access control, authentication, firewalls and wireless network protocols. This unit provides security knowledge that is required for industry standard certification exams, such as CompTIA.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: COIT12206 OR COIT13147
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 - 2018
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 Students
More hands-on projects should be provided in tutorial lessons.
Design new hands-on workshops for tutorial lessons.
Feedback from Students
An open exam or even no exam could be considered for this unit.
A closed book exam is an important part of this unit, as it assesses students’ individual knowledge of key concepts. The closed book exam should be maintained, however more flexible methods may be used in the exam. For example, allow students to choose one from multiple provided questions to answer, or provide students with material in the exam that reduces the need for memorisation.
Feedback from Self-reflection
Reflect the trend of network security in this unit.
Design some case studies for tutorial lessons and assignments.
- Describe key security concepts and principles
- Discuss how common security attacks and defences work
- Explain the role of cryptographic mechanisms in providing computer and network security
- Apply access control technologies, including firewalls and authentication, to secure computer networks
- Explain threats and defences that are specific to wireless networks.
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:
- Information Security (SCTY)
- Penetration Testing (PENT)
- Network Support (NTAS)
- Security Administration (SCAD)
- Problem Management (PBMG)
- Data Analysis (DTAN)
- System Design (DESN)
- Incident Management (USUP)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 15% | |||||
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10% | |||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 15% | |||||
| 4 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10% | |||||
| 5 - Examination - 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 - Written Assessment - 15% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 15% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10% | ||||||||||
| 5 - Examination - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
CompTIA security+ guide to network security fundamentals
Edition: 5th (2015)
Authors: Ciampa, M
Cengage
Boston Boston , Massachusetts , USA
ISBN: 978-1-305-09394-2 / 978-1-305-09391-1
Binding: Hardcover
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- HashTab - a GUI hash Generator
- KeePass - A Free Open Source Password Manager
- keylogger - A Type of Surveillance Software
- SMAC 2.0 - MAC Address Changer
- Snort - Network Intrusion Prevention And Detection System (NIPS - NIDS)
- VirtualBox - A Virtualization Software Package
- Wireshark - Network Protocol Analyser
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
y.lin@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Security
Chapter
Introduction to Security (Ciampa, M. Chapter 1)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Threats
Chapter
Malware (Ciampa, M. Chapter 2); and Application and Network Attacks (Ciampa, M. Chapter 3)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cryptography: Basic
Chapter
Basic Cryptography (Ciampa, M. Chapter 5)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cryptography: Advanced
Chapter
Advanced Cryptography (Ciampa, M. Chapter 6)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Key Management and Distribution
Chapter
Online resources and other reference books (needed learning materials will be provided):
- PKI (Ciampa, M. Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundations, Sixth Edition, Chapter 4)
- Key Management and Distribution (Stallings, W. Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice, Seventh Edition, Chapter 14)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Network Security I
Chapter
Network Security (Ciampa, M. Chapter 7)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz - 1 Due: Week 6 Friday (24 Aug 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Network Security II
Chapter
Administering a Secure Network (Ciampa, M. Chapter 8)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Access Control
Chapter
Access Control Fundamentals (Ciampa, M. Chapter 11)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Identity Management
Chapter
Authentication and Account Management (Ciampa, M. Chapter 12);
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Mobile Security I
Chapter
Wireless Network Security (Ciampa, M. Chapter 9)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Mobile Security II
Chapter
Mobile Device Security (Ciampa, M. Chapter 10)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Compliance and Operational Security
Chapter
Business Continuity (Ciampa, M. Chapter 13); and Risk Mitigation (Ciampa, M. Chapter 14)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS - 1 is designed to test your understanding of information security including the basic concepts of information security, threats, cryptography and key management and distribution. The assessment task contains a series of short-answer questions relating to the contents covered in weeks 1-5. Further details, including what you are required to submit, will be available on the Moodle website.
Week 6 Monday (20 Aug 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 8 Monday (3 Sept 2018)
Assessments will be returned through Moodle. Late submissions with or without extension approvals may be returned after the above date.
For short-answer questions, the answers will be assessed in regards to accuracy, clarity and detail. A template with detailed tabular marking criteria will be provided on Moodle. Assignments received 14 days or more after the due date will not be marked and will receive zero.
- Discuss how common security attacks and defences work
- Explain the role of cryptographic mechanisms in providing computer and network security
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Online Quiz(zes)
The quiz consists of a series of 30 True/False and Multiple Choice questions. Questions will be randomly selected from a pool of questions on topics in weeks 1 to 5. You are unlikely to be asked the same questions as other other students, nor the same questions in subsequent attempts at the quiz. The time limit for each attempt is 45 minutes. The quiz automatically closes - if you have not submitted an attempt at the quiz by the due date, you will receive zero. Quizzes that are open (or being attempted) at the time the quiz closes will not (and cannot) be submitted.
You are allowed to attempt the quiz as many times as you want, however, the result of your last submission will be your final mark of the quiz.
Week 6 Friday (24 Aug 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 6 Friday (24 Aug 2018)
Immediately after the quiz closes.
The quiz is automatically graded by the system based on the selection of correct or incorrect answers. Each attempt will be marked after you submit your answers. The result of your last submission will be your final mark of the quiz. Extensions are not possible for quizzes. If you miss the quiz, you cannot do it later.
- Describe key security concepts and principles
- Communication
- Problem Solving
3 Written Assessment
SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS - 2 is designed to test your understanding of network security, including wireless network security, mobile security, access control and identity management. The assessment task contains a series of short-answer questions relating to the contents covered in weeks 6-10. Further details, including what you are required to submit, will be available on the Moodle website.
Week 11 Friday (28 Sept 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Friday (12 Oct 2018)
Assessments will be returned through Moodle. Late submissions with or without extension approvals may be returned after the above date.
For short-answer questions, the answers will be assessed in regards to accuracy, clarity and detail. A template with detailed tabular marking criteria will be provided on Moodle. Assignments received 14 days or more after the due date will not be marked and will receive zero.
- Apply access control technologies, including firewalls and authentication, to secure computer networks
- Explain threats and defences that are specific to wireless networks.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
4 Online Quiz(zes)
The quiz consists of a series of 30 True/False and Multiple Choice questions. Questions will be randomly selected from a pool of questions on topics in weeks 6 to 11. You are unlikely to be asked the same questions as other other students, nor the same questions in subsequent attempts at the quiz. The time limit for each attempt is 45 minutes. The quiz automatically closes - if you have not submitted an attempt at the quiz by the due date, you will receive zero. Quizzes that are open (or being attempted) at the time the quiz closes will not (and cannot) be submitted.
You are allowed to attempt the quiz as many times as you want, however, the result of your last submission will be your final mark of the quiz.
Week 12 Friday (5 Oct 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 12 Friday (5 Oct 2018)
Immediately after the quiz closes.
The quiz is automatically graded by the system based on the selection of correct or incorrect answers. Each attempt will be marked after you submit your answers. The result of your last submission will be your final mark of the quiz. Extensions are not possible for quizzes. If you miss the quiz, you cannot do it later.
- Describe key security concepts and principles
- Communication
- Problem Solving
Examination
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?
