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Cyber Security Essentials

This subject is available under ICMS undergraduate degrees, please click the button below to find an undergraduate course for you.

Subject Code:

CYB101A

Subject Type:

Core 

Credit Points:

3 credit points

Pre-requisite/Co-requisite: 

None 

Subject Level:

100

Subject Rationale:

Globalisation in digital communication and the related interconnectivity in cyberspace, making us increasingly susceptible to cyber-attacks, regardless of our individual and operational contexts. Citizens, organisations, and governments across the world are prone to a variety of exploitations in this vast virtual domain. It is critical for ICT professionals to have a sound grasp of cybersecurity concepts and practices as the custodians of information systems and the data and information surrounding them.  

This subject introduces students to the fundamental concepts of cybersecurity. It explores cyber trends and issues, including their associated challenges and impact on individuals, companies, and institutions. Students will examine the cybersecurity discipline holistically, including topics related to cybercrime, cyberethics, cyber hygiene, cybersecurity operations, threat response and management, and cyber-governance. 

Students will gain essential knowledge of various cybersecurity domains such as information security principles, systems and network security, and defence and mitigation techniques for safeguarding organisational assets. They will also learn how to protect their privacy in the online space and operate as a responsible ICT professional. 

This subject is aligned with the two Cisco Networking Academy subjects, Introduction to Cybersecurity and Cybersecurity Essentials, that are fundamental in the Cybersecurity Pathway and the gateway to the CyberOps Associate certification. 

Learning Outcomes:

a) Acquire the fundamentals of cyber literacy, exhibiting knowledge of the principles of the cybersecurity discipline.

b) Identify different types of cyber-attacks, vulnerabilities, and threats, demonstrating knowledge of their effects in an organisational context.

c) Analyse a cybersecurity environment and select fit-for-purpose safeguarding principles, processes, and practices.

d) Assess gaps in cybersecurity operations at a system level and determine appropriate IT governance instruments and measures to increase organisational cybersecurity resilience.

e) Explain the concepts and role of cyber laws and cyberethics in ensuring organisational compliance.

Student Assessment:

WordPress Table

Broad Topics to be Covered:

Topic: 
Week 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity 

  • Understanding cybersecurity and its importance 
  • Organisational data and the concept of safeguarding 
  • Cyber attackers, their goals, motivations, and capabilities 
  • Legal and ethical issues 
  • Career pathways and certifications 
Week 2 – 4: Cyber Threats, Attacks, and Safeguarding 

  • Understanding common types of threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks 
  • Cybercriminals, deception, and their methods of infiltration 
  • Security vulnerabilities and exploits 
  • Defending against various types of attacks 
  • Cryptocurrencies and cryptojacking 
  • Data privacy and cyber hygiene for individuals 
  • Safeguarding an organisation 
Week 5: Cybersecurity P3 (Principles, Practices, and Processes) 

  • The three principles of cybersecurity: confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) 
  • Organisational data, safeguards, training, and standards for corporate protection 
  • Access controls 
  • Cryptography, encryption, and key management 
  • Hashing 
  • Data masking and steganography 
Week 6: System and Network Defence 

  • Securing systems and devices 
  • Application security 
  • Network hardening 
  • Hardening wireless and mobile devices 
Week 7: Defending an Enterprise 

  • Securing embedded and specialised systems 
  • Virtualisation and cloud computing 
  • Account management 
  • Cryptography in the enterprise 
Week 8: Cybersecurity Operations 

  • Defence in-depth strategies 
  • Cybersecurity operations management 
  • Physical security measures to protect from cybercrime 
  • Security assessments 
  • Cybersecurity resilience 
  • Attack frameworks for incident detection and response 
Week 9: Incident Response 

  • Incident response phases and processes 
  • Disaster recovery and business continuity 
  • Digital forensics 
Week 10: Asset and Risk Management 

  • Asset management and lifecycle stages 
  • Risk management frameworks, processes, tools, and techniques 
  • Security controls 
Week 11: Governance and Compliance 

  • Organisational approach to cybersecurity 
  • Cybersecurity policies and guiding principles 
  • IT security management frameworks and standards 
  • Computer ethics, cyberethics, and ethical cybersecurity specialist 
  • Cyber laws (local and international) 

Please note that these topics are often refined and subject to change so for up to date weekly topics and suggested reading resources, please refer to the Moodle subject page.