COIT12202 - Network Security Concepts

Showing: 2026 HE Term 1
General Information

Unit Synopsis

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

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 2
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2021

Term 2 - 2021 Profile
Brisbane Cairns Melbourne Online Rockhampton Sydney Townsville
Term 2 - 2022 Profile
Brisbane Cairns Melbourne Online Rockhampton Sydney Townsville
Term 2 - 2023 Profile
Brisbane Cairns Melbourne Online Rockhampton Sydney Townsville
Term 2 - 2024 Profile
Brisbane Cairns Melbourne Online Rockhampton Sydney Townsville
Term 2 - 2025 Profile
Brisbane Cairns Melbourne Online Rockhampton Sydney
Term 2 - 2026 Profile
Brisbane Cairns Melbourne Online Rockhampton Sydney

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).

Assessment Overview

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.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Written Assessment 25%
2. Written Assessment 45%
3. Online Quiz(zes) 30%

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

Past Exams

Previous Feedback

No previous feedback available

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.

Source: Student and Teaching Team Feedback
Feedback:
 Lack of network security practical demonstration in lectures.

Recommendation:
 Include examples of relevant network security practices in some lectures.

Action Taken:
 Incorporated one practical exercise into each weekly lecture.
Source: Student Feedback
Feedback:
 The Cisco Packet Tracer tutorials were not reflected in the unit's assessments.

Recommendation:
 Incorporate tasks involving Cisco Packet Tracer for cybersecurity configuration into the final assessment.

Action Taken:
 Revised the final assessment to add requirements for the use of Cisco Packet Tracer for cybersecurity configuration tasks.
Source: Student Feedback
Feedback:
 Students request clear and constructive marking feedback.

Recommendation:
 Prepare a detailed marking guideline to help markers provide more valuable and constructive feedback on assessments.

Action Taken:
 The marking guidelines and reminder emails were enhanced to help markers deliver more constructive, detailed feedback to students.
Source: Discipline Reflection
Feedback:
 Assessments in this unit may be vulnerable to inappropriate use of AI tools.

Recommendation:
 Submit a UUP request to design and revise all assessments.

Action Taken:
 In Progress
Source: Student Feedback
Feedback:
 I liked the knowledge quizzes in the lectures and think they should be used more often, with more time given for students to think before answering.

Recommendation:
 Add more interactive quizzes in lectures to improve student engagement.

Action Taken:
 In Progress
Source: UC Reflection
Feedback:
 The lecture slides were developed three years ago, and a new version of the textbook has since been published; therefore, the teaching content should be updated accordingly.

Recommendation:
 Submit a UUP request to update the teaching content.

Action Taken:
 In Progress
Unit Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Describe key security concepts and principles
  2. Discuss how common security attacks and defences work
  3. Explain the role of cryptographic mechanisms in providing computer and network security
  4. Apply access control technologies, including firewalls and authentication, to secure computer networks
  5. 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 • • •
2 - Written Assessment • •
3 - Online Quiz(zes) • • • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Communication • • • • •
2 - Problem Solving • • • • •
3 - Critical Thinking • • •
4 - Information Literacy • • • •
6 - Information Technology Competence • • • •
8 - Ethical practice • • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10
1 - Written Assessment • • • • •
2 - Written Assessment • • • • • •
3 - Online Quiz(zes) • • • •