Course Specification MSc Computer Security 2016-17 (MCSEC)

LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY Course Specification MSc Computer Security 2016-17 (MCSEC) Our courses undergo a process of review periodically, in addition to annual review and enhancement. Course Specifications are updated on an annual basis to include modifications approved through our University s quality assurance processes. This Course Specification provides an indication of the current curriculum. If any changes are made to material information an updated Course Specification will be made available. www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Faculty of Arts, Environment & Technology School of Computing, Creative Technologies & Engineering Award and programme title: MSc Computer Security Level of qualification: Level 7 Interim awards available: Award Title Level PGDip Computer Security 7 PGCert Computer Security 7 Length and status of programme and mode of study Programme Length (years) Status (FT/PT/SW) Mode (campusbased / DL or other) MSc Computer Security PT 3 years Distance learning Course Specification Overview and Aims Background and philosophy In 2006 the Faculty introduced an Undergraduate award in Computer Forensics and ran an award in Computer Security and Ethical Hacking, this was previously run under another pseudonym. An increasing demand for these undergraduate awards and industry changes now means the Undergraduates awards of Computer Forensics and Computer Forensics & Security are offered. In 2012 an MSc in Digital Forensics & Security was launched. In-house we currently have excellent resources for our on-site provision of Computer Security practical teaching. However, what we do not have are the resources to provide distance learning. As the course will initially, at the outset at least, utilise teaching material and technical resources that

are already tested and developed by Toolwire, the scope of risk and resource overutilization is vastly reduced. The Toolwire relationship is already in place within other Faculty s within the University, developing this aspect of the relationship will allow the School to begin to have an online presence, of which it is currently lacking. Overview The course will run as distance learning which will allow students to enter into a flexible learning environment, whilst also allowing the University to engage both international and local students without the need for visas or travel. This will also allow for access to those students who are working full-time within computing, who wish to enter into higher education to develop their security abilities. All of these points embed themselves into achieving the University s Strategic Plan Themes 1 and 5. This course aims to develop students to be able to implement Computer Security mechanisms into any business they obtain employment with, including entering the Computer Security profession. The course is intended for students who already have an IT background, from either a professional or academic route. It is not intended to be a course for experienced practitioners or students in Computer Security. This option allows the course team to draw upon, and extend the depth of, material and resources they deliver and develop for the undergraduate awards, allowing an efficient use of resources but at an appropriate level for MSc study. The material for the MSc will be developed to be more indepth and complex, as is appropriate for the level. Aims To provide opportunities for graduates with an honours degrees in computing (or equivalent qualifications) to pursue advanced study in the field of Computer Security and develop general skills appropriate to the holder of a Masters level award. To produce individuals who have a critical and balanced appreciation of the practical and theoretical issues associated with Computer Security. To develop individuals who are equipped with the skills and knowledge to devise, develop, manage, and implement Computer Security methodologies. To provide a forum for the exchange and critical analysis of information relating to the field of Computer Security, thereby developing the experience and skills of the students themselves and contributing to the body of knowledge in relation to the cognate area of Computer Security. Demand Computer security plays an important role in enabling the protection and trust required for business and society to effectively operate. Organisations and individuals increasingly depend on information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, which frequently processes and stores large amounts of sensitive data. Consequently, there is significant security risk involved, and ICT systems need to be defended against many types of malicious attack. Every new ICT solution or system has the potential to introduce vulnerabilities, and be misused by attackers. Therefore, organisations require security expertise to assess, design, deploy, and maintain security solutions. Preventing cyber-attacks and ensuring that digital systems, often the backbone of an organisation, are available and functioning correctly, is an incredibly complex challenge as the sophistication of the digital equipment used and the ability of attackers has grown rapidly in recent years. The UK Cyber Security Strategy (http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/uk-cyber-security-strategyfinal.pdf ) published by the UK Government (2011), states the objectives of the government, and

sets out how the UK will support economic prosperity, protect national security, and safeguard the public s way of life by building a more trusted and resilient digital environment. Of the objectives, objective 4 states The UK to have the cross-cutting knowledge, skills and capability it needs to underpin all our cyber security objectives. Within the document the Government states one of its principles to be Seized the business opportunities working with industry and academia to boost our share of the cyber security market and cemented the UK s status as a safe place to do business online. There has been a major transformation in the role of cyber-security professionals and a sharp rise in the need for a larger and more dynamic cyber security workforce. Cyber security is now a prominent, highly regarded profession offering many varied career paths which together underpin the social, political and financial fabric of modern society. Whilst the need for a bright, dedicated, and quick-thinking cyber security workforce is growing, the number of skilled candidates is not. Recent statistics from Microsoft suggest that the IT industry will create 78,000 jobs in the UK in the next four years (http://www.publictechnology.net/content/21568) but research from the government body e-skills confirms a 50% decline in young UK residents entering IT careers during the last five years (http://www.creativeskillset.org/uploads/pdf/asset_14618.pdf?1). The current economic climate and drive from international governments to increase the security skills throughout their respective domains suggests there will be a high demand for this course. The fact that it will be offered through distance learning will appeal to the professional local and international markets allowing organisations to sponsor employees to develop internal skills. Course Learning Outcomes 1 Ability to deal with complex problems and demonstrate critical evaluation of theoretical and practical issues associated with the implementation and testing of Computer Security methods and justify these based on ethical and legal requirements. 2 Demonstrate a critical analysis of current issues and new technologies within the field of Computer Security. 3 Demonstrate originality and synthesis in the application of theory and techniques, drawn from earlier studies, through the production of the dissertation/project, a significant piece of high level independent work. These learning outcomes of the programme align well with the QAA Subject Knowledge and Understanding (section 5) for a masters in Computing http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/informationandguidance/documents/qaa386_c omputing.pdf Course Structure 40 Course Structure The students on M.Sc. Computer Security develops a student s understanding of key topics in security such as authentication, access control, malware, vulnerabilities, secure coding, sandboxing, virtualisation, vulnerability assessment, Unix security, and ethical hacking and penetration testing techniques. Our students will also develop the security mind-set, and be better prepared for the immense challenges facing ICT and security

professionals. Students at L7 must learn research skills and must be able to employ their skills to a broader context. Critical analysis and introspection during projects and case scenarios is a must. With regard to Computer Security, students will look into ethical hacking and must be able to critically analyse the requirements of modern day communication networks and convergence applications. An ideal Masters student on this course, will be able to do a realistic project/dissertation that employs the skills involved in analysing, diagnosing and preventing security flaws. The course is designed to run over 36 months. Students can enter either year one or year two and will then take either the year one or year two modules the following year. This intake process allows for an economic use of resources. Whilst the modules do develop skills horizontally and vertically throughout the course the modules are designed to also stand alone. Once a student has completed these two years they can enter the final year and complete their course. This structure will provide the intended student population, professionals working in industry, to develop academic and scholarly skills, in preparation for their research. The final year involves the study of Research Practice in semester 1 which feeds research directly into the dissertation module in semester 2. Semester 1 Semester 2 Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Year 1 Project Management (20 credits) Network Security Firewalls and VPNs (20 credits) Hacker Techniques Tools & Incident Handling (20 credits) Year 2 Security Strategies for Web Applications and Social Networks (20 credits) Incident Response & Investigation Distance Learning (20 credits) Principles of Digital Security (20 credits) Year 3 Research Practice Distance Learning (20 credits) Dissertation (40 credits) Learning and Teaching Details relating to contact hours and other key information sets (KIS) are available on the course page of our Online Prospectus on our website. Learning and Teaching Approaches The Course employs a wide range of learning opportunities and teaching methods, informed by curriculum review, research-based pedagogical approaches and continuous staff development.

Innovative approaches to teaching, learning and assessment are encouraged. The Course expands the application of technology in the delivery of teaching and learning support wherever appropriate. Scheduled sessions will include the use of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical laboratory sessions. Advantage will be taken of both technology and supportive activities to ensure that effective learning takes place. These activities will include the use of simulations, case studies, projects, practical work, work-based learning, formative face-to-face and online collaborative discussions and student-led learning. The University s Virtual Learning Environment (University VLE) is at the heart of all modules. The faculty has moved beyond the use of the VLE as a repository and now the breadth of University VLE s provision is used in collaborative work, 24/7 access, innovative learning and assessment activities. Modules include self-assessment quizzes to enhance student engagement and to provide formative feedback. The course is offered on a distance learning basis only. However, live lectures and tutorials will be delivered online on a regular basis (generally every two weeks for each module or at a suitable change in module topic) via Adobe Connect or similar service a webinar facility to which students are invited to connect. Students can interact with these live sessions in much the same way as they can in a face to face class. The sessions will be recorded with the recordings made available to all students regardless of whether they attended the live session or not. This facility allows regular contact with teaching staff. The course employs a Learning and Teaching Strategy which seeks to bring together knowledge, skills and understanding. These will enable students to become effective and critically aware in the identification and evaluation of appropriate decision-making strategies, and to develop research capability and cognitive skills necessary to analyse and resolve problems in their professional context. The acquisition of knowledge and skills is seen as progressive and cumulative as students gain capability and move towards greater independence. Teaching and learning methods during the online workshops also aim to enhance collaborative working and group skills as well as the abilities of the independent researcher. Each module is fully supported with extensive use of Blackboard (the University s VLE) which contains a variety of directed reading, tutorial questions and self-assessment tests. Students are expected to undertake background reading each week, both to enhance knowledge and critical awareness and to inform class discussion during the online workshop sessions. The move to increasing levels of student independence is progressive through the course with students expected to demonstrate a substantial degree of initiative and self-reliance in the Professional Research module. Google+ will be utilised to facilitate student communication and sharing, it will be frequently suggested that students share useful information they have found, along with sharing their opinions, views and experiences of relevant topics. This will be initiated at induction. Being distance learning, interaction between students is not considered appropriate or effective prior to induction. Post induction, continued communication by email between the cohort is encouraged along with participation in Google+. The entire course team is invited to the course enhancement meetings twice per year where module tutors are encouraged to share with the wider team details of their module material, types of assessment and teaching strategies. At the course enhancement meeting the relevant module

evaluations are shared with the entire course team so that everyone is aware of the student feedback and proposed developments on each module. There are multiple opportunities for students to consider and critique research papers across the entire programme; in particular in the research practice and dissertation modules in which this is assessed. The online library contains numerous excellent data bases which give access to a number of high level research papers in this sphere of study. Evidence to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes Achievement is evidenced through the following assessment methods: Examinations; Coursework assignments and Reports; Essays; Research briefs or protocols; Research Papers; Presentations; Arbitration awards; Adjudication decisions; Management of mediation; Online formative assessment. Notwithstanding the fact that this is an online distance learning course only, reference is made to the Leeds Beckett learning and Teaching strategy and the PG course development principles which can be found at: http://www.leedbeckett.ac.uk/staff/files/postgraduate_course_development_principles.pdf Learning and Teaching Activities Learning and teaching methods will provide high quality learning opportunities that enable students to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes of the Course. In particular these focus upon professional practice and practical problem based assessments. Students will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through a variety of mechanisms including reports and practical undertakings. The course will utilise professional tools and guidelines from industry and professional bodies to inform the teaching methodologies and resources of the award. To enable students to fully utilise these methodologies the award is structured to develop the students understanding of the key concepts of theory and practical process. The building of this knowledge and feedback for assessments undertaken by students allows the building of a greater understanding of the subject areas. The course aims to foster the development of independent study skills and autonomy of learning and encourage a commitment to lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Teaching and learning methods increasingly promote the capacity for students to assume responsibility for their own learning and development. Progressive use of project based integrated assessment and product/problem based learning allow students to take on greater self-direction of their learning. Students must also develop subject specific skills that are marketable in the short to medium term as well as more general skills that will facilitate their future development and continuous learning. The course supports the latter through identification of appropriate skill sets and these are developed

through the programme of study and assessment methods. In particular emphasis is placed on a student s ability to critically analyse the subject area and their ability to effectively communicate their understanding of the process. The course employs a wide range of learning opportunities and teaching methods, informed by curriculum review, pedagogic research, and continuous staff development. Innovative approaches to teaching, learning and assessment are encouraged. The Course seeks to expand the application of technology in the delivery of teaching and learning support. Scheduled sessions will include the use of lectures, lab exercises and discussion groups, and advantage will be taken of both technology and supportive activities to ensure that effective learning takes place. These activities will include the use of simulations, role-play, case studies, projects, practical work, work based learning, workshops, peer tutoring, peer group interaction, selfmanaged teams and learner managed learning. The learning and teaching methods used are identified in the descriptor for each of the modules. The contextualisation of the learning and teaching strategy of each award is the sum of the learning and teaching methods of the modules that constitute the programme of study towards that award. These methods will promote the broad learning strategy of the University and the Faculty, which are under constant review and refreshment. This is tested at least annually for fitness for purpose and integrity of the student learning experience for the award. The course will be delivered as a web based distance learning course. There is limited opportunity therefore to engage in traditional face to face teaching activity. However, every opportunity will be taken to utilise innovative distance learning material to simulate the classroom experience as much as possible. To this end, full use of a VLE will be made for each module to make the web based material fully interactive. The VLE contains a variety of: Specific course reading material Additional directed reading Problem solving exercises Reflective learning techniques Computer-assisted learning (self-assessment tests) Where possible, once the students have submitted an answer online they will receive immediate feedback in the form of a model answer. The variety of exercises allows for a range of learning preferences. Students will be encouraged both online and on the VLE to ask questions and are given clear indications in the VLE how to contact the module leader. They will also be encouraged to post their questions to a Discussion Board on the VLE so that all may benefit from the question and the reply. The type and range of assessments have been designed to require students to think deeply about practical scenarios and to evaluate problems and prescribe solutions appropriate to a professional practitioner. Use of the Virtual Learning Environment Extensive use is made of the VLE and both synchronous and asynchronous conferencing tools. Other tools, such as Turnitin drop boxes are embedded into the VLE for the submission of coursework.

The VLE is the primary tool for delivering the study material with extensive links to other sites. The VLE is also the primary tool for submitting assessments via Turnitin. The assignments are also marked online using the Turnitin tools. The VLE provides internal links to self-assessment activities, mainly quizzes, to enable students to check their own progress. The VLE also provides a link to other tools such as the discussion board which hosts a number of debates in which students are encouraged to participate. The VLE will be used to post announcements and email students. All work will be placed here so that students will be able to access any resources made available. However, other resources such as Google+ will be used for instant individual and group communication. Use of Blended-Learning N/A The course is 100% distance learning and online

Assessment Strategy The course is designed with strong themes that run through the assessment on modules; these themes build on and re-enforce previous study. The assessment types reflect real world practice, where possible, therefore automatically implement a variety of methods. To develop students throughout the course assessment progresses from in-class assessments and analytical reports to analysis and practical implementation of learning. The course is intended to be highly vocational and will therefore focus highly on the use of case studies and examples for students to review and undertake. A large percentage of the course will be laboratory based, utilising practical work with industry based tools and process. The assessment of this work will range from presentations depicting students understanding and ability to work as a group to the implementation of practical skills in the analysis and testing of evidence and digital systems. The three LO s of the award show a clear slant towards the practical aspects of Computer Security. The modules therefore have a focus on assessing the practical abilities of students. Specifically the students will undertake Security Assessments on a range of digital devices. Students not only need to be able to undertake the practical aspects of this work, but they are also assessed upon their ability to critically analyse their actions and the situation in line with legal requirements. These processes culminate in the professional production of the material to be communicated and presented to the client through face-to-face meetings or through the formative assessment of a court room cross examination. More detail regarding assessments are contained within the MAT s. Formative feedback will be provided throughout the modules on the work students have undertaken including laboratory exercises and in-class discussions. This will allow students to improve work before final summative assessment at the end of each module. The course content and assessment methodologies directly align themselves to the course learning outcomes and the intended graduate attributes: developing a student s ability and understanding of the practical implementation of the theoretical learning and utilisation of internationally recognised tools and techniques. Each of the graduate attributes are developed via practical exercises, discussions and assessment. Each attribute is consolidated and enhanced throughout the course, as the student progresses. By its nature, the course develops a very high level of digital literacy in all its students. Students are expected to demonstrate self-learning, problem solving ability, and global and digital awareness by the time they graduate. These skills are core life-skills that underpin leadership and communication. Students are actively encouraged to engage with industry related forums to provide research in the subject area and/or learn from their potential industry peers. Students are also encouraged to engage with the University VLE for all course documentation and the course/level Facebook group that facilitates students discussions and allows for information to be given to students in a familiar technological situation. In particular throughout the course, at various stages, students are expected to undertake practical analysis work of unknown data using a variety of known and unknown tools and resources. Students will be required to research and identify tools they have no prior experience of to complete tasks through exploratory processes. The nature of the subject area allows students to develop sought after industrial skills. In particular great emphasis is placed on the use of real world activities to encourage students to engage with the industrial aspect of the course. These tasks are then summatively assessed ensuring students understand their current abilities against what is expected.

The practical nature of the course often allows demonstration of work to be incorporated into the assessment. This promotes student presentation and communication skills, while providing an opportunity for immediate feedback and discussion with tutors. This presentation of work is particularly useful as a mechanism for providing formative feedback but also plays an important role in summative assessment. In particular through group work students are encouraged to feedback to their peers the level of effectiveness of their contributions and commitment to the assessment. Due to the nature of distance learning and the potential for students to be in different time zones all summative work will be conducted on an individual basis. However, formative assessment will be used (where feasible) to enable team working and communication. To reduce the potential for cheating and plagiarism the course utilises several methods. The use of unknown material for practical assessments will prevent students from preparing the answers. The use of random screenshots and webcam shots throughout phase examinations will determine what was active at the time and who was also present. Secure locked down browsers (such as Respondus LockDown) will also prevent students from accessing external resources on their machine. Turn-it-In will be used for similarity checking, and vivas will be used to determine a student s understanding of the work submitted. Feedback on Assessed Coursework Students are encouraged to obtain formative feedback of assessments from their tutors during scheduled meetings and timetabled sessions. Written feedback is given against assessment criteria and in many cases this is provided via the VLE. Interim summative assessment is often used within individual modules to encourage engagement and build student confidence. Students will have the opportunity to submit drafts of their written assignments for formative feedback prior to submission. For practical assessments, sample practice tests will be provided where feasible. Students will be encouraged to engage with the discussion forums and technology to facilitate discussions of assessments and peer-review of work. The use of a forum will allow communication even in different time zones/working hours. Module Assessment Methods Assessment Method Mapping Module Titles Research Practice Y 20% 20%/60% Core (Y) Oral / practical exam Coursework Dissertation Report Exam Project Dissertation Y 20% 100% Project Management Y 50% 50%

Network Security, Firewalls and VPNs Y 100% Hacker Techniques Tools & Incident Y 100% Handling Security Strategies for Web Applications Y 100% and Social Networks Incident Response & Investigation Y 100% Distance Learning Principles of Digital Security Y 50% 50% Employability and Professional Context The MSc Computer Security has a very high degree of employability; the course design is current and the content is in-line with industry expectations. The skills developed are much sought after within industry, where there is a high demand for cyber security expertise. Possible career paths include security positions: such as, security architect, malware analyst, security analyst, system/network/web/application penetration tester, security auditor, CISO/ISO, director of security, and incident responder. Security has wide reaching implications and these skills can benefit many other ICT roles such as software developers/engineers, system administrators, network administrators, and members of management. The curriculum has been designed with the global scenario in mind, and developed alongside industry partners. Since this course will be attractive to a number of international students, the course ensures that students are able to put the concepts into context with regional companies where they work. Where possible, the course delivery team will endeavour to organise guest lectures and workshops to offer further support to students. After the successful completion of the course, students will be able to embark on MRes, MPhil or a PhD further qualifications as well as entering industry. Representatives from industry are invited to meet members from the Course team a number of times during each year; these are typically documented within employer forum record sheets. These meetings allow employers to advice upon, and influence, new course provision; reflect on and update current provision; and input into staff development and research. In addition the relationship with employers and sector practitioners is also enhanced by the appointment of visiting professors and lecturers, collaborative projects, showcasing events and research events. It is typically during these guest lectures and further industry conferences where discussions are held with employers regarding the content of the award. Our Careers Advice Service also provides students with up-to-date knowledge and skills relevant to the needs of the sector. The school also has a placement office which might be able to help students find a suitable job. Work-Related Activities Placement or Work-Related Activity Level:

N/A Placement or Work-Related Activity Length in Weeks: N/A Type of Placement or Work-Related Activity: N/A Reference Points used in course design and delivery All our courses leading to Leeds Beckett University awards have been designed and approved in accordance with UK and European quality standards. Our courses utilise the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and relevant subject benchmarks (where these are available) and professional, statutory and regulatory body requirements (for professionally accredited courses). We review our courses annually and periodically, responding to student feedback and a range of information to enhance our courses. Our University is also subject to external review by the Quality Assurance Agency. Our latest report can be found on the QAA website at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews-and-reports We appoint External Examiners to verify that our University sets and maintains standards for awards which adhere to relevant national subject benchmark statements and the FHEQ (UK), ensure standards and student achievements are comparable with other Higher Education Institutions in the UK, with which they are familiar, and ensure that assessments measure achievement of course and module learning outcomes and reach the required standard. External Examiners may also provide feedback on areas of good practice or potential enhancement.