CYB803 – Securing Networks and Communications Infrastructure

This unit provides a practical survey of network security applications and standards. The emphasis is on both applications that are widely used on the Internet and for corporate networks, and standards (especially Internet standards) that have been widely deployed. In this way, students are prepared for creating secure networks in a wide range of contemporary organisations and are provided with the skills to adapt as applications and standards evolve. The unit is organised in three parts. The first part is a concise survey of the cryptographic algorithms and protocols underlying network security applications, including encryption, hash functions, digital signatures, and key exchange. The second part covers important network security tools and applications, including Kerberos, X.509v3 certificates, PGP, S/MIME, IP Security, SSL/TLS, SET, and SNMPv3. The final part looks at system-level security issues, including the threat of and countermeasures for intruders and viruses, and the use of firewalls and trusted systems.

Learning Outcomes:

• Critically reflect on diverse types of cyber-attacks against networks and communications infrastructures in the context of organisations and society
• Critically analyse the utility and applicability of diverse types of technical cybersecurity controls to protect networks and communications infrastructures
• Analyse and assess cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities related to networks and communications infrastructure
• Apply diverse types of technical security controls to networks and communications infrastructures to mitigate the risk of particular cyber-attacks