Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online 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.
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convener, Lecturer
Alireza Jolfaei
Lecturer
Mehdi Baratipour
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MInfoTechCyberSec or GradCertInfoTech
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
COMP2320/COMP6320
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides an introduction to ethical hacking and offensive security. Strong emphasis is given to ethics and ethical behaviour as students are exposed to penetration techniques and methods. In other words, students are taught how to systematically look for and exploit vulnerabilities in software, protocols and systems in order to report those vulnerabilities and improve the safety of those software, protocols and systems. Communication, in speaking and writing plays a critical role in this unit. The most proficient students in this unit may be selected to represent the University at various national pentesting competitions and challenges.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
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 of a report worth 2 marks – 20% penalty or 0.4 marks deducted from the total.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
CTF#1 | 24% | No | Week 5 |
CTF#2 | 24% | No | Week 9 |
CTF#3 | 24% | No | Week 13 |
In-Class Exercises | 18% | No | Weekly |
Research and Presentation | 10% | No | Weeks 12 (Report and Slides). Week 13 (Presentation) |
Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Week 5
Weighting: 24%
This capture-the-flag exercise will be completed during scheduled class time. Teams will compete against each other and students will be assessed individually via a report to be submitted one week after the CTF.
Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Week 9
Weighting: 24%
This capture-the-flag exercise will be completed during scheduled class time. Teams will compete against each other and students will be assessed individually via a report to be submitted one week after the CTF.
Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 24%
This capture-the-flag exercise will be completed during scheduled class time. Teams will compete against each other and students will be assessed individually via a report to be submitted one week after the CTF.
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 9 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 18%
During workshops, you will be set an in-class exercise related to that week's lecture topic to complete during the class. Your work will be checked and marked in the workshop class in which it is completed. No late submissions are accepted.
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Weeks 12 (Report and Slides). Week 13 (Presentation)
Weighting: 10%
Student groups will research a well known vulnerability (chosen by the teaching staff) and provide a presentation and demonstration of the vulnerability. Each presentation will be followed by a brief question-and-answer session. Group members will submit a report individually with a focus on the ethical implications of the use and misuse of the vulnerability.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
COMPUTING FACILITIES
COMP6320 is a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). You will be expected to bring your own laptop computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux) to the workshop, install and configure the required software, and incorporate secure practices into your daily work (and play!) routines.
CLASSES
Each week you should complete any assigned readings and review the lecture slides in order to prepare for the lecture. There are two hours of lectures and a two-hour workshop every week. The hands-on exercises in workshops help to reinforce concepts introduced during the lectures. You should have chosen a practical on enrollment. You will find it helpful to read the workshop instructions before attending - that way, you can get to work quickly! For details of days, times, and rooms consult the timetables webpage. Note that Workshops commence in week 1. Please note that you will be required to submit work every week.
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
The following two textbooks contain the bulk of the weekly readings.
WEB RESOURCES
Unit Websites COMP6320 is administered via iLearn (http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/).
Lecture recordings Digital recordings of lectures may be available. When available they will be linked from iLearn.
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.
GENERAL NOTES
In this unit, you should do the following:
Lecture notes will be made available each week but these notes are intended as an outline of the lecture only and are not a substitute for your own notes or the recommended reading list.
Tentative teaching schedule, subject to change: |
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Week |
Module |
Lecture Topics |
Assessment |
Weight |
Submit |
1 |
Systems |
Introduction, ethics, group selection, Virtual machines, Kali Linux, Windows, file systems, process models, vulnerabilities |
In-class exercise Diagnostic Test |
2% |
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2 |
In-class exercise |
2% |
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3 |
In-class exercise |
2% |
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4 |
Capture The Flag (CTF) #1 |
24% |
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5 |
Web |
Web infrastructure, injections, cross-site scripting, cookies, headers, fuzzing, vulnerabilities |
In-class exercise |
2% |
CTF #1 Report |
6 |
In-class exercise |
2% |
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7 |
In-class exercise |
2% |
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Mid Semester Break - Recess |
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8 |
|
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Capture The Flag (CTF) #2 |
24% |
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9 |
Networking |
Network stack, scanning, services, authentication protocols, services, vulnerabilities |
In-class exercise |
2% |
CTF #2 Report |
10 |
In-class exercise |
2% |
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11 |
In-class exercise |
2% |
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12 |
Capture The Flag (CTF) #3 |
24% |
Presentation Slides |
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13 |
Presentations |
Group presentations |
10% |
CTF #3 Report |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
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
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
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.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
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
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.
Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook