COMS7003 - Sem 2 2008 - St Lucia - Internal

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Printed: 06 July 2008, 10:40PM
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1. General Course Information

1.1 Course Details

Course Code: COMS7003 Course Title: Information Security
Coordinating Unit: School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
Semester: Semester 2, 2008    Mode: Internal
Level: Postgraduate Coursework
Location: St Lucia
Number of Units: 2    Contact Hours Per Week: 2L1T
Pre-Requisites: COMP2303 or COMP7306
Recommended Pre-Requisites: COMS3200 or COMS7201
Incompatible: BSIS3205 or BSIS7213 or COMM3905 or COMM7905 or COMP3502 or COMP7506 or COMS3000 or COMS7003 or MGTS3205 or MGTS7213 or CO392 or ID360
Course Description: Access control, Authentication, Security Models, Secret-key and Public-key Cryptography, Network Security and Application-layer Security.
Assumed Background: This course does not have any compulsory prerequisite courses. Students will require a general computing background, consistent with having completed two years of a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Information Technology.

1.2 Course Introduction

COMS3000/7003 will provide an introduction to the field of Information Security. Topics that will be covered include access control, authentication, secret-key and public-key cryptography, network security and application-layer security.

1.3 Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Marius Portmann
Phone: 3365 8356     Email: marius@itee.uq.edu.au
Campus: St Lucia Building: General Purpose South (Map)   Room: 617
Consultation:

TBA


Lecturer:  David Ross     Email: dar@uq.net.au
Consultation: TBA


1.4 Timetable

Timetables are available on mySI-net.

Additional Timetable Information
More detailed timetable information will be available on the course web site: www.itee.uq.edu.au/~coms3000

2. Aims, Objectives & Graduate Attributes

2.1 Course Aims

The aims of the course is to provide an introduction to the field of Information Security.  Concepts such as Access Control, Authentication, Integrity and Confidentiality will be discussed, and students will gain an understanding of the basic cryptographic primitives and protocols that are required to implement these security goals.

2.2 Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

1  understand the basic concepts and goals of Information Security, such as Confidentiality, Integrity, Authentication and Non-Repudiation, and their relevance in various contexts.
2  understand and critically evaluate a range of access control and authentication mechanisms, including passwords, biometrics and multifactor authentication for various application scenarios.
3  understand, critically evaluate and apply cryptographic mechanisms and protocols.
4  independently locate, interpret and critically judge academic and other literature in the field of Information Security, and provide corresponding evaluation reports.

2.3. Graduate Attributes

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following UQ (Postgrad Coursework) graduate attributes:

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTELEARNING OBJECTIVES
A. IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY
A2. A broad understanding of the field of study, including how other disciplines relate to the field of study.  
A3. A comprehensive and in-depth knowledge in the field of study. 
A5. An international perspective on the field of study.3
A7. An appreciation of the link between theory and practice. 
B. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
B1. The ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently, in both written and spoken forms.1, 4
B2. The ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome. 
B3. The ability to select and use the appropriate level, style and means of communication.4
B4. The ability to engage effectively and appropriately with information and communication technologies.1
B5. The ability to practise as part of an interdisciplinary team. 
C. INDEPENDENCE AND CREATIVITY
C2. The ability to work and learn independently and effectively. 
C3. The ability to generate ideas and adapt innovatively to changing environments.3
C5. The ability to formulate and investigate problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices. 
C6. The abilities and skills that provide a foundation for future leadership roles. 
D. CRITICAL JUDGEMENT
D2. The ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement.1, 2, 4
D4. The ability to process material and to critically analyse and integrate information from a wide range of sources. 
D5. The ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and to reflect critically on the justifications for decisions using an evidence-based approach. 
E. ETHICAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING
E1. An understanding of social and civic responsibility. 
E3. An appreciation of the philosophical and social contexts of a discipline. 
E4. A knowledge and respect of ethics and ethical standards in relation to a major area of study. 
E5. A knowledge of other cultures and times and an appreciation of cultural diversity. 
E7. The ability to work effectively and sensitively across all areas of society. 
E8. An understanding of and respect for the roles and expertise of associated disciplines. 

3. Learning Resources

3.1 Required Resources

The main learning resources for this course are the lecture notes which will be provided on the course web site.  
 

3.2 Recommended Resources

C. Kaufman et al., Network Security Private Communication in a Public World, Prentice Hall  
 
William Stallings, Cryptograhy and Network Security, Prentice Hall  
 
Bruce Schneier, Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C, Wiley
  
 

3.3 University Learning Resources

Access to required and recommended resources, plus past central exam papers, is available at the UQ Library website (http://library.uq.edu.au/search/r?SEARCH=COMS7003).

The University offers a range of resources and services to support student learning. Details are available on the myServices website (https://student.my.uq.edu.au/).

3.4 School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Learning Resources

Students enrolled at St Lucia who wish to retain a hard copy of this profile can use the free print quota provided each semester to students enrolled in courses in the School of Information Technology & Electrical Engineering. For information on how to use this print quota, see the School Policy on Student Photocopying and Printing (St Lucia) (http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/about_ITEE/policies/copy-print.html). Students enrolled at the Ipswich campus will either be provided with a hard copy or given directions in class on how to obtain a free copy.

ITEE course websites can be found at http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~COURSECODE. Many ITEE courses also have Usenet newsgroups, named uq.itee.COURSECODE. Instructions for accessing newsgroups are available at http://studenthelp.itee.uq.edu.au/faq/1stYearFAQ.html#accessnews.

3.5 Other Learning Resources & Information

Handouts
All relevant learning material such as additional reading, lecture slides, tutorials etc. will be available via the course web site.

Web
The course web site is available at http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~coms3000. The course web site will contain a link to this profile, access to individual assessment results, assignments, tutorials, electronic copies of the lectures notes as well as any extra reading material.

Newsgroup
The course newsgroup is uq.itee.coms3000. This group is available on both the University and School news servers (news.uq.edu.au and news.itee.uq.edu.au).
Students are encouraged to post questions (and answers!) to the newsgroup. Copies of announcements will also be posted to the newsgroup. The teaching staff will monitor the newsgroup.

4. Teaching & Learning Activities

4.1 Learning Activities

Date
Activity
Learning Objectives
21 Jul 08 - 20 Oct 08
 Lectures (Lecture Series): A detailed teaching plan can be found on the course website.

Readings/Ref: Lecture Notes ; Kaufman ; Schneier ; Stallings
1, 2, 3, 4
28 Jul 08 - 20 Oct 08
 Tutorials (Tutorial Series): Tutorials will be used to reinforce understanding of the course material. Active student participation is expected.
Readings/Ref: Lecture Notes ; Kaufman ; Schneier ; Stallings
1, 2, 3
4 Aug 08 - 29 Aug 08
 Assignment 1 (Report): Essay-style assignment where students need to locate, read and critically evaluate academic literature in the field of Information Security
4
1 Sep 08 - 10 Oct 08
 Assignment 2 (Report): Essay-style assignment where students need to locate, read and critically evaluate academic literature in the field of Information Security
4
15 Sep 08
 Mid-Semester Exam (Exam): The mid-semester exam will be held at the beginning of the lecture in week 9. It will be brief (30 minutes) and will be comprised of multiple choice questions covering all the material that has been covered in the lectures, readings, and tutorials prior to the test.

Readings/Ref: Lecture Notes ; Kaufman ; Schneier ; Stallings
1, 2, 3, 4
3 Nov 08
 Final Exam (Exam): A two hour final examination will be held during the final examination period. This exam will be open-book and will contain both multiple-choice and short-answer questions.
Readings/Ref: Lecture Notes ; Kaufman ; Schneier ; Stallings
1, 2, 3, 4

4.2 Other Teaching and Learning Activities Information

You are not required to attend any of the teaching sessions (except those in which an assessment activity is taking place), however, you are strongly encouraged to do so. The lectures and tutorials have been specifically designed to aid your learning of the course material. Failure to attend a session may result in you being disadvantaged. It is up to you to find out what happened at any class session that you miss.

5. Assessment

5.1 Assessment Summary

This is a summary of the assessment in the course. For detailed information on each assessment, see 5.5 Assessment Detail below.

Assessment Task
Due Date
Weighting
Learning Objectives
Report
Assignment 1
4 Aug 08 05:00 - 29 Aug 08 03:00
15%
4
Report
Assignment 2
1 Sep 08 05:00 - 3 Oct 08 03:00
15%
4
In Class Quiz
Mid Semester Exam
15 Sep 08
10%
1, 2, 3
Exam - during Exam Period (Central)
Final Exam
Examination Period
60%
1, 2, 3, 4

5.2 Course Grading


Grade 1, Fail: Fails to demonstrate most or all of the basic requirements of the course:

Weighted average over all assessment items:  0% - 21%



Grade 2, Fail: Demonstrates clear deficiencies in understanding and applying fundamental concepts; communicates information or ideas in ways that are frequently incomplete or confusing and give little attention to the conventions of the discipline:

Weighted average over all assessment items:  22% - 47%



Grade 3, Fail: Demonstrates superficial or partial or faulty understanding of the fundamental concepts of the field of study and limited ability to apply these concepts; presents undeveloped or inappropriate or unsupported arguments; communicates information or ideas with lack of clarity and inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline:

Weighted average over all assessment items:  48% - 52%



Grade 4, Pass: Demonstrates adequate understanding and application of the fundamental concepts of the field of study; develops routine arguments or decisions and provides acceptable justification; communicates information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline:

Weighted average over all assessment items:  53% - 67%



Grade 5, Credit: Demonstrates substantial understanding of fundamental concepts of the field of study and ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; develops or adapts convincing arguments and provides coherent justification; communicates information and ideas clearly and fluently in terms of the conventions of the discipline:

Weighted average over all assessment items:  68% - 77%



Grade 6, Distinction: As for 5, with frequent evidence of originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and in creating solutions; uses a level, style and means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience:

Weighted average over all assessment items:  78% - 87%



Grade 7, High Distinction: As for 6, with consistent evidence of substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critically evaluates problems, their solutions and implications:

Weighted average over all assessment items:  88% - 100%


5.3 Late Submission

No extensions will be granted except in exceptional personal circumstances (documented medical reason or family emergency). Personal hardware or computer failures are not grounds for extension.

5.4 Other Assessment Information

Students will be notified of assignment collection arrangements late in the semester.

5.5 Assessment Detail

Assignment 1
Type: Report
Learning Objectives Assessed: 4
Due Date:
         4 Aug 08 05:00 - 29 Aug 08 03:00
Weight: 15%
Task Description:

In this assignments, students are required to locate, read and critically evaluate academic literature on a specific topic in the area of Information Security. The assignment will be submitted in form of a written report.


Criteria & Marking:

Detailed marking criteria for this assignement will be available on the course website.

 


Submission: Hard-copy assignments will be submitted via submission boxes on level 1 of GP South. (Box number will be announced.)Your assignment submission must be accompanied by a signed coversheet declaring that the submission is your original work.
Assignment 2
Type: Report
Learning Objectives Assessed: 4
Due Date:
         1 Sep 08 05:00 - 3 Oct 08 03:00
Weight: 15%
Task Description:

In this assignments, students are required to locate, read and critically evaluate academic literature on a specific topic in the area of Information Security. The assignment will be submitted in form of a written report.


Criteria & Marking:

Detailed marking criteria for this assignment will be available on the course web site.


Submission: Hard-copy assignments will be submitted via submission boxes on level 1 of GP South. (The box number will be announced.) Your assignment submission must be accompanied by a signed coversheet declaring that the submission is your original work.
Mid Semester Exam
Type: In Class Quiz
Learning Objectives Assessed: 1, 2, 3
Due Date:
         15 Sep 08
Weight: 10%
Duration: 30 minutes
Format: Multiple-choice
Task Description:

The mid-semester exam will be held at the beginning of the lecture in week 9. It will be brief (30 minutes) and will be comprised of multiple choice questions covering all the material that has been covered in the lectures, readings, and tutorials prior to the test.


Criteria & Marking:

More detailed information on the mid-semester exam will be provided during the lectures and on the course web site.


Final Exam
Type: Exam - during Exam Period (Central)
Learning Objectives Assessed: 1, 2, 3, 4
Due Date:
         Examination Period
Weight: 60%
Perusal: 10 minutes
Duration: 120 minutes
Format: Multiple-choice, Short answer, Short essay, Problem solving
Task Description:

A two hour final examination will be held during the final examination period. This exam will be open-book and will contain both multiple-choice and short-answer questions.

Students are permitted to use an EPSA approved and labelled non-programmable calculator in this examination. More details on EPSA approved calculators can be found at http://www.epsa.uq.edu.au/calculators.html. The use of unlabelled calculators is not permitted.


Criteria & Marking:

More detailed information on the final exam will be provided in the last lecture and will also be available via the course web site.


6. Policies & Guidelines

 
This section contains the details of and links to the most relevant policies and course guidelines. For further details on University Policies please visit myAdvisor and the University Handbook of Policies and Procedures.

6.1 Assessment Related Policies and Guidelines

University Policies & Guidelines

An overview of the University’s assessment-related policies can be found on myAdvisor (http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/index.html?page=2910).

Academic Integrity
It is the University's task to encourage ethical scholarship and to inform students and staff about the institutional standards of academic behaviour expected of them in learning, teaching and research. Students have a responsibility to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity in their work. Students must not cheat in examinations or other forms of assessment and must ensure they do not plagiarise.

Plagiarism
The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.

Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25128) which makes a comprehensive statement about the University's approach to plagiarism, including the approved use of plagiarism detection software, the consequences of plagiarism and the principles associated with preventing plagiarism.

Feedback on Assessment
Feedback is essential to effective learning and students can expect to receive appropriate and timely feedback on all assessment. For a detailed explanation of the feedback you are entitled to, you should consult the policy on Student Access to Feedback on Assessment. (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25109)

As a student you have a responsibility to incorporate feedback into your learning; make use of the assessment criteria that you are given; be aware of the rules, policies and other documents related to assessment; and provide teachers with feedback on their assessment practices.

There are certain steps you can take if you feel your result does not reflect your performance. Please refer to the myAdvisor web site. (http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/index.html?page=2953)

Feedback in this Course

Students are encouraged to provide feedback regarding the lecturing, tutorials, content or any other issue regarding this course.

School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Assessment Guidelines

Misconduct
 

Further to the statement on academic integrity and plagiarism above, students are required to read and understand the ITEE policy on Student Misconduct (http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/about_ITEE/policies/student-misconduct.html).

 

Late Arrival or Non-attendance at Examinations

 

The policy and procedure for late arrival or non-attendance at centrally controlled examinations is set out in the University's Examinations policy (HUPP 3.30.5), sections 8 and 10.2.

 

The way in which late arrival at a School-controlled examination is dealt with will be at the discretion of the course coordinator, who may be guided by the policy for centrally controlled exams.

 

In the case that a student requests a special exam for a School-controlled exam, the request will be considered and, if allowed, the timing shall be determined by the course coordinator, in consultation with the School's Chief Examiner where necessary, and in accordance with HUPP 3.30.5. Unless otherwise indicated in the Course Profile, applications must be made in writing to the Head of School no later than one week after the exam. Late applications will not be accepted.

 
Examination Feedback
 
In addition to the advice above, students wishing to view examination answer scripts and/or question papers should consult with the School office (Room 217, General Purpose South Building [78], St Lucia; Room 218, Building 1, Ipswich) regarding arrangements. The ITEE policy on exam script viewing is available at http://study.itee.uq.edu.au/current_students/exam_script_viewing.html.

Supplementary Assessment

If you fail this course you may be eligible for supplementary assessment - see the general award rules and/or your program rules for details. You should note that even though you may be eligible for supplementary assessment under these rules, in some circumstances there may be no practical assessment that can be offered to allow you to meet the minimum passing requirements. These circumstances may include failure based on:
  • group or team based assessment;
  • attendance or class participation requirements;
  • laboratory-based assessment, where laboratories can't practically be made available after classes have finished;
  • project or thesis-based assessment, where a significant period of time would be required to undertake supplementary assessment;
  • progressive assessment, where subsequent assessment items build on earlier assessment items; or
  • multiple assessment items, where it is impractical to offer multiple supplementary assessment items.
If the course coordinator determines that there is no practical supplementary assessment that can be offered to allow you to improve your grade, then you will not be offered supplementary assessment and your grade will remain unchanged.

6.2 Other Policies and Guidelines

University Policies and Guidelines

Placement Courses
Students on a placement course – also known as a work placement, internship, industry study, industry experience, clinical practice, clinical placement, practical work, practicum, fieldwork, teaching practice – should refer to the University policy, Placement Courses (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25120) for detailed information.
 
Working with Children
Students whose studies include a professional/work placement, internship, clinical practice, teaching practice or other similar activity which involves them in regular contact with children should refer to the University policy, Working with Children Check - "blue card" (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25004) to find out how to apply for a ‘blue card’.
 
Students with a Disability
Any student with a disability who may require alternative academic arrangements, including assessment, in the course/program is encouraged to seek advice at the commencement of the semester from a Disability Adviser at Student Support Services. Refer to the University policy, Students with a Disability (Disability Action Plan) (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25122) and to the policy on Special Arrangements for Examinations for Students with a Disability (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25111

Where an adjustment is made to an accredited program, it is the responsibility of the relevant Faculty to liaise with professional and registration bodies regarding the acceptability of the change/s.  

Occupational Health and Safety
Undergraduate Students (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25055) and Postgraduate Students (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25057) should be familiar with the University policies on occupational health and safety in the laboratory.

Other School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Guidelines

Ethical Clearance
If your course involves assignment or project work involving human subjects or human-related materials, you must investigate the need for ethical clearance and obtain it when required. Information on ethical clearance can be found at http://www.uq.edu.au/research/orps/index.html?page=5064&pid=5256.

Learning Summary

 

Below is a table showing the relationship between the learning objectives for this course and the broader graduate attributes developed, the learning activities used to develop each objective and the assessment task used to assess each objective.

Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

1  understand the basic concepts and goals of Information Security, such as Confidentiality, Integrity, Authentication and Non-Repudiation, and their relevance in various contexts.
2  understand and critically evaluate a range of access control and authentication mechanisms, including passwords, biometrics and multifactor authentication for various application scenarios.
3  understand, critically evaluate and apply cryptographic mechanisms and protocols.
4  independently locate, interpret and critically judge academic and other literature in the field of Information Security, and provide corresponding evaluation reports.


Assessment & Learning Activities

  Learning Objectives
  1 2 3 4
Learning Activities
Lectures (Lecture Series)
selected
selected
selected
selected
Tutorials (Tutorial Series)
selected
selected
selected
  
Assignment 1 (Other)      
selected
Assignment 2 (Other)      
selected
Mid-Semester Exam (Exam)
selected
selected
selected
selected
Final Exam (Exam)
selected
selected
selected
selected
Assessment Tasks
Assignment 1      
selected
Assignment 2      
selected
Mid Semester Exam
selected
selected
selected
  
Final Exam
selected
selected
selected
selected

Graduate Attributes

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following UQ (Postgrad Coursework) graduate attributes:

  Learning Objectives
  1 2 3 4
Graduate Attributes
A IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY
A2. A broad understanding of the field of study, including how other disciplines relate to the field of study.        
A3. A comprehensive and in-depth knowledge in the field of study.        
A5. An international perspective on the field of study.    
selected
  
A7. An appreciation of the link between theory and practice.        
B EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
B1. The ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently, in both written and spoken forms.
selected
    
selected
B2. The ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome.        
B3. The ability to select and use the appropriate level, style and means of communication.      
selected
B4. The ability to engage effectively and appropriately with information and communication technologies.
selected
      
B5. The ability to practise as part of an interdisciplinary team.        
C INDEPENDENCE AND CREATIVITY
C2. The ability to work and learn independently and effectively.        
C3. The ability to generate ideas and adapt innovatively to changing environments.    
selected
  
C5. The ability to formulate and investigate problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices.        
C6. The abilities and skills that provide a foundation for future leadership roles.        
D CRITICAL JUDGEMENT
D2. The ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement.
selected
selected
  
selected
D4. The ability to process material and to critically analyse and integrate information from a wide range of sources.        
D5. The ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and to reflect critically on the justifications for decisions using an evidence-based approach.        
E ETHICAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING
E1. An understanding of social and civic responsibility.        
E3. An appreciation of the philosophical and social contexts of a discipline.        
E4. A knowledge and respect of ethics and ethical standards in relation to a major area of study.        
E5. A knowledge of other cultures and times and an appreciation of cultural diversity.        
E7. The ability to work effectively and sensitively across all areas of society.        
E8. An understanding of and respect for the roles and expertise of associated disciplines.        

Authorised by: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Maintained by: Software Services
Last Updated - 24 May , 2006