Cyber Forensics
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning. For Online unit delivery, learning is conducted exclusively online.
2022 teaching periods
Swinburne Online
| Teaching Period 3 | Teaching Period 2 | |
|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Prerequisites
50 Credit PointsAims and objectives
This unit introduces students to the procedures that are used in relation to cyber forensics and digital investigations to detect cyber criminal activities, protect organisation from attack and prosecute perpetrators. Students will explore computer and operating system architectures, their associated data and file structures. The unit covers key procedures and processes involved in digital and cyber forensics. Students will conduct forensic processes, utilise and research a range of tools. A crucial aspect of this unit is that students will be able to communicate the results of investigations to non-specialist audiences.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Explain computer architectures and concepts associated with data structures, the collection of evidence and validation
2. Critically review the different forensic tools and techniques to gather and analyse digital evidence
3. Report cyber forensic investigations and findings to key business stakeholders and decision makers
4. Use legal frameworks to explain and present forensically gathered evidence
2. Critically review the different forensic tools and techniques to gather and analyse digital evidence
3. Report cyber forensic investigations and findings to key business stakeholders and decision makers
4. Use legal frameworks to explain and present forensically gathered evidence
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment, general skills outcomes and content.
Teaching methods
Face to Face Mode: Class 3 hours per week
Online Mode (SOL):
Engaging with online content and discussions
Student workload:
For all teaching and learning structures (both face to face and online), students are expected to spend an average of 150 hours per unit in total over the duration of the study period
This includes all:
• Scheduled teaching and learning events and activities (contact hours timetabled in a face-to-face teaching space) and scheduled online learning events (contact hours scheduled in an online teaching space), and
To be successful, students should:
• Read all prescribed materials and/or view videos in preparation for each class
• Attend and engage in all scheduled classes (face to face or online)
• Start assessment tasks well ahead of the due date, and submit assessments promptly
• Read / listen to all feedback carefully, and consider it for future assessment
• Engage with fellow students and teaching staff (don’t hesitate to ask questions)
Online Mode (SOL):
Engaging with online content and discussions
Student workload:
For all teaching and learning structures (both face to face and online), students are expected to spend an average of 150 hours per unit in total over the duration of the study period
This includes all:
• Scheduled teaching and learning events and activities (contact hours timetabled in a face-to-face teaching space) and scheduled online learning events (contact hours scheduled in an online teaching space), and
• Non-scheduled learning events and activities (including directed online learning activities, assessments, independent study, student group meetings, and research)
• Read all prescribed materials and/or view videos in preparation for each class
• Attend and engage in all scheduled classes (face to face or online)
• Start assessment tasks well ahead of the due date, and submit assessments promptly
• Read / listen to all feedback carefully, and consider it for future assessment
• Engage with fellow students and teaching staff (don’t hesitate to ask questions)
Assessment
Online Discussion (Individual) 10-20%
Assignments (Individual) 30-40%
Case Based Project (Group) 40-50%
General skills outcomes
• problem solving skills
• analysis skills
• ability to tackle unfamiliar problems
• ability to work independently
• analysis skills
• ability to tackle unfamiliar problems
• ability to work independently
Content
• Introduction to basic principles and concepts of the risk management, pivoting quickly to risk within the context of cybersecurity
• Assessing the impact of a cyber-attack on an organisation
• Risk assessment and modelling, and minimising attack surfaces and managing threat vectors
• Importance of useable security; ensuring that security controls and processes are sufficiently agile to adapt to changing threats and are appropriate to, and do not overwhelm business priorities and performance
• Introduction and application of established frameworks for assessing and managing risks: eg Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM), the US National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework and the UK government’s Cyber Essentials
• Understanding and planning for risk associated with human factors in particular insider threat
• Social engineering
• Data and operational risk
• Integrating enterprise risk and cyber risk
• Inherent, current and residual risk
• Asset classification – the identification of Security Controls need to protect assets including data
• Reporting and communicating risk, risk mitigation strategies to stakeholders.
• Risk sharing
• Research methods
• Assessing the impact of a cyber-attack on an organisation
• Risk assessment and modelling, and minimising attack surfaces and managing threat vectors
• Importance of useable security; ensuring that security controls and processes are sufficiently agile to adapt to changing threats and are appropriate to, and do not overwhelm business priorities and performance
• Introduction and application of established frameworks for assessing and managing risks: eg Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM), the US National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework and the UK government’s Cyber Essentials
• Understanding and planning for risk associated with human factors in particular insider threat
• Social engineering
• Data and operational risk
• Integrating enterprise risk and cyber risk
• Inherent, current and residual risk
• Asset classification – the identification of Security Controls need to protect assets including data
• Reporting and communicating risk, risk mitigation strategies to stakeholders.
• Risk sharing
• Research methods
Study resources
- References.
References
• Arnes, A 2017, Digital Forensics, Wiley
• Sammons, J 2015, Digital Forensics: Threatscape and Best Practices, Elsevier
• Wayne, J 2018, Cybersrime and Digital Forensics, Clanrye International
• Sammons, J 2015, Digital Forensics: Threatscape and Best Practices, Elsevier
• Wayne, J 2018, Cybersrime and Digital Forensics, Clanrye International