Students
COMP8260 – Advanced System and Network Security
2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor and Lecturer
Muhammad Ikram
4 Research Park Drive, Becton-Dickinson (BD) Building, Macquarie University
16:00 to 17:00 on Mondays
Milton Baar
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
ITEC647 or COMP6250
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
As organisations and users increasingly rely upon networked applications for assessing information and making critical business decisions, securing distributed applications is becoming extremely significant. The unit is concerned with the protection of information in computing systems and networks. It will address concepts and techniques for securing distributed applications.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Analyse key security requirements and trends in a distributed networked computing settings
- ULO2: Evaluate security services such as authentication and access control in distributed systems and networks
- ULO4: Apply (network) security techniques and mechanisms to develop (network) security protocols
- ULO5: Develop and advance skills of research and critical analysis in a manner consistent with the completion of a postgraduate degree.
- ULO3: Analyse the security threats and develop security architecture and functionalities to counteract the security threats
- ULO6: Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills to communicate technical ideas
General Assessment Information
Late Submission
No extensions will be granted without an approved application for Special Consideration. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late. For example, 25 hours late in submission for an assignment worth 10 marks – 20% penalty or 2 marks deducted from the total. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.
Supplementary Exam
If you receive Special Consideration for a module exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled after the normal exam period. By making a special consideration application for the module exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1 | 10% | No | Week 7 |
| Quiz 1 | 10% | No | Week 6 |
| Assignment 2 | 30% | No | Week 12 |
| Quiz 2 | 10% | No | Week 11 |
| Final Exam | 40% | No | Semester 2 exam period |
Assignment 1
Assessment Type 1: Problem set
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 10%
Assignment on Security Mechanisms and Protocols
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse key security requirements and trends in a distributed networked computing settings
- Evaluate security services such as authentication and access control in distributed systems and networks
- Apply (network) security techniques and mechanisms to develop (network) security protocols
- Analyse the security threats and develop security architecture and functionalities to counteract the security threats
Quiz 1
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 10%
Quiz 1 is a short in class test (close book) that will be based on your previously covered lecture material for weeks 1-4.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse key security requirements and trends in a distributed networked computing settings
- Evaluate security services such as authentication and access control in distributed systems and networks
- Analyse the security threats and develop security architecture and functionalities to counteract the security threats
Assignment 2
Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Week 12
Weighting: 30%
Group Project.
(C&U) Content and Understanding: 5% (Individually assessed via Q&A on the Project)
(P) Presentation: 15% (Individually assessed)
(R) Project Report: 10% (Assessed as a Group)
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse key security requirements and trends in a distributed networked computing settings
- Evaluate security services such as authentication and access control in distributed systems and networks
- Apply (network) security techniques and mechanisms to develop (network) security protocols
- Develop and advance skills of research and critical analysis in a manner consistent with the completion of a postgraduate degree.
- Analyse the security threats and develop security architecture and functionalities to counteract the security threats
- Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills to communicate technical ideas
Quiz 2
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 10%
Quiz 2 is a short in class test (close book) that will be based on your previously covered lecture material for Weeks 5-8.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse key security requirements and trends in a distributed networked computing settings
- Evaluate security services such as authentication and access control in distributed systems and networks
- Apply (network) security techniques and mechanisms to develop (network) security protocols
- Develop and advance skills of research and critical analysis in a manner consistent with the completion of a postgraduate degree.
- Analyse the security threats and develop security architecture and functionalities to counteract the security threats
Final Exam
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Semester 2 exam period
Weighting: 40%
The final examination in this unit is a hurdle requirement; students must get a mark of at least 40% in the examination to pass the unit. If students get a mark between 30% and 40% in students' first attempt at the final examination, students will be given a second and final attempt.
Concretely, in order to pass the unit, students must obtain an overall total mark of 50% or higher, and a mark of 40% or higher in the final examination.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse key security requirements and trends in a distributed networked computing settings
- Evaluate security services such as authentication and access control in distributed systems and networks
- Apply (network) security techniques and mechanisms to develop (network) security protocols
- Develop and advance skills of research and critical analysis in a manner consistent with the completion of a postgraduate degree.
- Analyse the security threats and develop security architecture and functionalities to counteract the security threats
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
COMPUTING FACILITIES
Important! Please note that this is a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) unit. You will be expected to bring your own laptop computer (Windows, Mac or Linux), install and configure the required software.
CLASSES
Each week you should complete any assigned readings and review the lecture slides in order to prepare for the lecture. There are three hours of lectures every week. The lectures will be pre-recorded and available online. You are at the very least expected to go through the lecture slides and videos during the first two hours of the time slot for the lecture, i.e., Fridays 11:00AM to 1:00 pm. There will be a live Q&A session every week during the third hour of time slot for the lecture, i.e., Fridays 1:00 to 2:00 pm. During the live Q&A session, you can ask questions related to the lectures, hands on, and take home exercises.
For details of days, times and rooms consult the timetables webpage.
Take home exercises will commence in week 1.
Please note that you will be required to submit work every week. Failure to do so may result in you failing the unit or being excluded from the exams.
DISCUSSION BOARDS
This unit makes use of discussion boards hosted within iLearn . Please post questions there; they are monitored by the staff on the unit.
REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS
This material for this unit is in part based on the following textbooks:
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William Stallings, Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practices, Prentice Hall (4th Edition) · Charles Pfleeger, Security in Computing, Prentice Hall, 20026 (4th Edition)
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Charlie Kaufman, Radia Perlman and Mike Speciner, Network Security: Private Communication in a Public World, Prentice Hall
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Dieter Gollman, Computer Security, John Wiley
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Simson Garfinkel and Gene Spafford, Practical Unix Security, O’Reilly & Associates, Inc.
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Trusted Computing Platforms: TCPA Technology in Context, Ed: Siani Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2003
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Ross Anderson, Security Engineering, John Wiley, 1st or 2nd Edition
TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED
iLearn
iLearn is a Learning Management System that gives you access to lecture slides, lecture recordings, forums, assessment tasks, instructions for practicals, discussion forums and other resources.
Echo 360 (formerly known as iLecture)
Digital recordings of lectures are available. Read these instructions for details.
Technology Used
PacketTracer, Anaconda, Jupyter Notebook with Python.
Unit Schedule
| Week | Topic | Reading |
| 1 | Introduction: Cyber Security Trends and Concepts | Lecture Slides |
| 2 | Threat Models and Security Goals | Lecture Slides |
| 3 | Cryptography, Cryptographic and Security Protocols | Lecture Slides |
| 4 | Authentication and Access Control | Lecture Slides |
| 5 | Web Security | Lecture Slides |
| 6 | Internet Security Protocol | Lecture Slides |
| 7 | Distributed Systems Security: BGP Security | Lecture Slides |
| 8 | Cloud Computing Security | Lecture Slides |
| 9 | Distributed Denial of Service Attacks and Defences | Lecture Slides |
| 10 | Mobile Platform Security Architecture | Lecture Slides |
| 11 | Anonymity and Censorship Techniques | Lecture Slides |
| 12 | Group Project Presentations | Lecture Slides |
| 13 | Revision | Lecture Slides |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Grading Standards
At the end of the semester, you will receive a grade that reflects your achievement in the unit
- Fail (F): does not provide evidence of attainment of all learning outcomes. There is missing or partial or superficial or faulty understanding and application of the fundamental concepts in the field of study; and incomplete, confusing or lacking communication of ideas in ways that give little attention to the conventions of the discipline.
- Pass (P): provides sufficient evidence of the achievement of learning outcomes. There is demonstration of understanding and application of fundamental concepts of the field of study; and communication of information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. The learning attainment is considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the specified outcomes.
- Credit (Cr): provides evidence of learning that goes beyond replication of content knowledge or skills relevant to the learning outcomes. There is demonstration of substantial understanding of fundamental concepts in the field of study and the ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; plus communication of ideas fluently and clearly in terms of the conventions of the discipline.
- Distinction (D): provides evidence of integration and evaluation of critical ideas, principles and theories, distinctive insight and ability in applying relevant skills and concepts in relation to learning outcomes. There is demonstration of frequent originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and providing solutions; and the use of means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience.
- High Distinction (HD): provides consistent evidence of deep and critical understanding in relation to the learning outcomes. There is substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critical evaluation of problems, their solutions and their implications; creativity in application.
Your final grade depends on your performance in each assessment task and on your ability to perform well enough on the hurdle assessment tasks.
For each task, you receive a mark that reflects your standard of performance. Then the different component marks are added up to determine an aggregated mark out of 100. In order to pass the unit, this aggregated mark needs to be at least 50.
Note that none of the assessment tasks in this unit are a hurdle requirement. However, if you do not make a reasonable attempt at the assessments, you will be unlikely to pass the unit.
Your final grade is then a direct reflection of the aggregated mark (provided that you satisfy the hurdle requirements) according to the following:
- 85-100 for HD
- 75-84 for D
- 65-74 for CR
- 50-64 for P
If you receive special consideration for the module exams, a supplementary exam will be scheduled in the week of the regular exam offering. By making a special consideration application for the module exams you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. You can check the supplementary exam information page on this course' iLearn page for dates, and approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.
If you are given a second opportunity to sit the final examination as a result of failing to meet the minimum mark required, you will be offered that chance during the same supplementary examination period and will be notified of the exact day and time after the publication of final results for the unit.