CE723-7-SP-CO:
Advanced Topics in Cyber Security
2024/25
Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (School of)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Future
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
22 October 2024
Requisites for this module
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MSC G41912 Cyber Security
This module will explore a range of advanced topics in cybersecurity that are critical for comprehensively understanding, identifying, researching, and evaluating security solutions. These topics will include the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on cybersecurity, examining both the opportunities and challenges it presents. Additionally, the module will address the impact of human factors on security-related issues, highlighting how human behavior and decision-making can affect the effectiveness of security measures and the overall security landscape.
The aims of this module are:
- To appreciate the significant influence of AI on cyber security.
- To integrate emerging technologies and human related factors within a cyber security context.
- To allow students to fully appreciate the likely effect on security related issues.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Analyse the influence of AI technologies on the cybersecurity landscape.
- Evaluate the capabilities and limitations of AI techniques.
- Assess advanced malware threats.
- Critique how human factors impact cybersecurity.
Indicative syllabus information
- AI in security:
- The role of deep learning in cybersecurity
- The use of adversarial examples in cyber defense
- Security in AI:
- Protecting machine learning techniques against cyber threats
- Random number generators:
- Their relevance in password and nonce generation
- Advanced malware threats:
- Evolution of ransomware
- Insights into future trends, including economic factors
- Human factors and usable security:
- User behavior and its relationship to cybercrime
- Positive security approaches
- User profiling and modeling
- Additional topics:
- CAPTCHAs and other mechanisms to distinguish bots from humans remotely
This module will be delivered via:
- Two 1-hour lectures per week (10 weeks)
- One 2-hour laboratory per week (10 weeks)
- Two 1-hour revision lectures in Summer Term
Inclusivity is ensured in the following ways: lecturers and other teachers are informed at the start of the term about students with special needs; student voice groups allow representatives to discuss issues surrounding learning for minorities.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Exam |
Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 120 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
|
| Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 120 minutes during September (Reassessment Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
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