Course coordinator
Associate Professor Dan Kim
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Elec Engineering & Comp Science School
Access control, Authentication, Security Models, Secret-key and Public-key Cryptography, Network Security and Application-layer Security.
The course provides students familiar with computer communications and operating systems with an introduction to the dynamic field of Information Security. Topics covered include symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, access control, authentication, network security, security protocols, and security risk management.
Course Changes:
- Assignment topics will be more closely aligned with lecture content.
- The report format and required answers for assignments will be specified in detail.
Course requirements
Assumed background
It is assumed that students have passed CSSE2310 (or a course with similar content).ﾠ
Students WILL require a sound understanding of operating systems principles, computer networking principles, programming (proficiency in C and Pythonﾠprogram language is essential and assembly language is required),ﾠand program execution. This is prerequisite knowledge and will not be re-taught during this course. Students will also require a general computing background consistent with having completed two years of an undergraduate degree in Computer Science / Information Technology / Software Engineering or Digital Systems Electrical Engineering. Students must understand 1) computer networks including TCP/IP basics, packet encapsulation, connection-oriented and connectionless protocols, 2) computer architecture/operating systems principles including program counters, stack and heap operations, and memory layout and 3) core computer science principles including bits, bytes, nibbles, words, big-endian, little-endian, bitwise logic operations, and also be able to convert between decimal, binary and hexadecimal without a calculator.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
CSSE2310 or CSSE7231
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
COMS3000, COMS7003, CYBR7002
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Associate Professor Dan Kim
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Note that ICT laboratory classes start in WEEK 2.
Students should use Allocate+ to sign-on to one ICT class, I01, I02, etc.
Aims and outcomes
The aim of the course is to provide students already familiar with computer operating systems andﾠnetworking with an introduction to the field of Information Security. Core concepts such as Authentication, Integrity and Confidentiality will be discussed and students will gain an understanding of the basic cryptographic primitives and protocols,ﾠsecurity solutions that are required to implement these security goals. Students will develop the skills to perform hands-on labs in the system and network security.ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
identify and describe cryptographic algorithms, compare their use, and the issues of strengths and weaknesses.
LO2.
demonstrate application and in-depth understanding of computer security technology and principles such as authentication, denial of services, intrusion detection, and firewalls.
LO3.
describe security threats and their countermeasures in software, computer systems, networks.
LO4.
evaluate security protocols and standards used to provide security for communications across the Internet.
LO5.
apply the security fundamentals to management aspects of information and computer security.
LO6.
apply and analyse current and emerging computer and network security technologies
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Code, Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Assignment 1
|
25% |
20/09/2024 3:00 pm |
| Computer Code, Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Assignment 2
|
25% |
4/11/2024 3:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Assignment 1
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Computer Code, Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
20/09/2024 3:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Information security hands-on labs (part 1).
You are required to complete hands-on labs and the results should be submitted to the submission dropbox (e.g., gradescope or Moodle dropbox).
Submission guidelines
Detailed submission instructions will be provided on the Blackboard course website.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 21 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Marked assignments with feedback and/or detailed solutions with feedback will be released to students within 21- 28 days.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assignment 2
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Computer Code, Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
4/11/2024 3:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Information security hands-on labs (part 2).
You are required to complete hands-on labs and the results should be submitted to the submission dropbox (e.g., gradescope or Moodle dropbox).
Submission guidelines
Detailed submission instructions will be provided on the Blackboard course website.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 21 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Marked assignments with feedback and/or detailed solutions with feedback will be released to students within 21- 28 days
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
The exam will be an on-campus paper-based exam. This exam will be a closed book and will contain a combination of problem-solving and short/long answer questions.
Hurdle requirements
Students must gain at least 40% on the final exam to pass the course.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Materials | None. |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Overall mark is in the range of 0-19%. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Overall mark is in the range of 20-44%. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Overall mark is in the range of 45-49%. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Overall mark is in the range of 50-64%. Students must gain at least 40% on the final exam to pass the course. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Overall mark is in the range of 65-74%. Students must gain at least 60% on the final exam and at least 60% on the assignment component to receive a grade of 5. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Overall mark is in the range of 75-84%. Students must gain at least 70% on the final exam and at least 70% on the assignment component to receive a grade of 6. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Overall mark is in the range of 85-100%. Students must gain at least 80% on the final exam and at least 80% on the assignment component to receive a grade of 7. |
Additional course grading information
Your overall mark will be calculated by adding your total mark for the two assignments (weighted to 50%) and the final exam (weighted to 50%). If your overall mark finishes with a fractional component, that fraction will be rounded up to the next whole number.
For gradesﾠ5/6/7 students need to obtain minimum percentages on the exam, and on the assignment component (total of assignments 1&2) as listed above.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Having Troubles?
If you are having difficulties with any aspect of the course material you should seek help. Speak to the course teaching staff.
If external circumstances are affecting your ability to work on the course, you should seek help as soon as possible. The University and UQ Union have organisations and staff who are able to help, for example, UQ Student Services are able to help with study and exam skills, tertiary learning skills, writing skills, financial assistance, personal issues, and disability services (among other things).
Complaints and criticisms should be directed in the first instance to the course coordinator. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may bring the matter to the attention of the School of EECS Director of Teaching and Learning.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Handouts
All relevant learning material such as lecture slides, tutorials, etc. will be available via course blackboardﾠ(learn) site .
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Not scheduled |
Lecture |
Lectures Lectures will be dedicated mainly to presenting new concepts and topics on information security. The topics will be introduced to help students to do hand-on labs and assignments. Lecture slides are available on Blackboard. Contents for each week are on the teaching plan on Blackboard. Lectures will be recorded and available afterwards for viewing via Blackboard. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Multiple weeks |
Tutorial |
Contacts and priacticals Tutorials will be used to reinforce understanding of the course material. It is also used to help students with assignments. Active student participation is expected. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Additional learning activity information
They consist of hands-on labs, opportunities to engage with lecture content, and support for assignments by casual academics.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: