Introduction to Cybersecurity

Objectives:
This course aims to give an introduction to and an overview over the concepts of vulnerabilities, threats, attacks, and security measures and mechanisms in both computer systems and computer networks.

Content:
Human, Organisational and Regulatory Aspects including Risk Management and Governance, Law and Regulation, as well as Human Factors, Privacy and Online Rights; Attacks and Defences including Malware and Attack Technologies, Adversarial Behaviours, Security Operations and Incident Management, and Forensics; Systems Security including Cryptography, Operating Systems and Virtualisation Security, Distributed Systems Security, as well as Authentication, Authorisation and Accountability; Software and Platform Security including Software Security, Web and Mobile Security, Secure Software Design and Development; and Infrastructure Security including Network Security, Hardware Security, Cyber-Physical Systems Security and Physical Layer Security.

On completion of the course the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student should be

• able to describe typical threats to modern digital systems, and to outline techniques of defense against each threat.
• able to describe the fundamentals of modern cryptography
• able to describe the popular computer and network security mechanisms and protocols
• aware of the difficulty of security problems

Skills

The student is able to

• catch up new security mechanisms in a short period of time
• discuss security aspects, as outlined in the course content description, with security-peers informally/semi-informally
• identify security tasks that need to be handled by experts

General competence

The student

• is familiar with new ideas and innovation processes,
• can exchange opinions with others with relevant background and participate in discussions concerning the development of good practice.