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:

• William Stallings, Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practices, Prentice Hall (4th Edition) · Charles Pfleeger, Security in Computing, Prentice Hall, 20026 (4th Edition)

• Charlie Kaufman, Radia Perlman and Mike Speciner, Network Security: Private Communication in a Public World, Prentice Hall

• Dieter Gollman, Computer Security, John Wiley

• Simson Garfinkel and Gene Spafford, Practical Unix Security, O’Reilly & Associates, Inc.

• Trusted Computing Platforms: TCPA Technology in Context, Ed: Siani Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2003

• 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.

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.