Level 3

Course code COU3305

Course Title Computer Security Concepts
Credit value 03
Core/Elective Core
Prerequisites GCE A/L 3 passes
Hourly Theory Practical Independent Learning Assessment Total hrs.
breakdown 20 Sessions x DS hrs. = - Sessions (20x 3) = 60 hrs. Continuous 150 hrs.
2 = 40 hrs. 14 hrs. Online = 34 hrs. Assessments
(CA) = 02 hrs.
Total = 94 hrs. Home
Assignments

Course Aim/s. Enhance basic understanding of computer security and encourage application security to every aspect in
computing.
Programme • PLO1: Subject and Theoretical Knowledge: Establish the fundamental and specialized knowledge
Learning and understanding in the area of Computer Science, and critically analyze data to make judgments
Outcomes and propose solutions to problems.
(PLO)
addressed by • PLO2: Practical Knowledge and Application: Practical skill development and application to
course construct arguments, ideas, and solve problems effectively and efficiently in the field of computer
science.
• PLO3: Communication: Communicate or present ideas, issues and solutions effectively and
efficiently accompanied by awareness of current trends and developments in the field of computer
science.
• PLO5: Creativity and Problem Solving: Construct sustained arguments and use these arguments
and ideas with techniques to find solutions for a given situations.
• PLO8: Attitudes, Values and Professionalism: Demonstrate positive attitudes, personal
responsibility, accountability, value professionalism and act on the ethics established in the workplace,
and tasks performed.
• PLO9: Vision for Life: Develop the capability to identify self-capacity and visualize the future goals,
and plan accordingly to improve competencies to assume major responsibilities with confidence.
• PLO10: Updating Self: Improve competencies via training and higher studies to develop additional
skills that will enable them in making sound decisions. Engage in independent learning using scholarly
reviews and secondary sources of information.
Course At the completion of this course student will be able to:
Learning
Outcomes • CLO1: Analyze the tradeoffs of balancing key security properties (Confidentiality, Integrity, and
(CLO) Availability). (PLO1, PLO2)
• CLO2: Describe the concepts of risk, threats, vulnerabilities and attack vectors (including the fact that
there is no such thing as perfect security). (PLO1, PLO2, PLO5)
• CLO3: Explain the concepts of authentication, authorization, access control. (PLO 2, PLO 10)
• CLO4: Explain the concept of trust and trustworthiness. (PLO10, PLO3)
• CLO5: Familiarize ethical behavioral patterns as a security specialist (PLO11, PLO2)
• CLO6: Identify operation of secure organization and application of knowledge to achieve one.
• CLO7: Application of knowledge in analyzing situations and proposing security solutions (PLO1,
PLO2, PLO3, PLO4)
• CLO8: Identify personal responsibility in secure computing (PLO12)
Content 1. Introduction to the course
(Main topics,
subtopics) 2. Security and Awareness
3. Information Security Concepts
4. Security terminology
5. CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)
6. Concepts of risk, threats, vulnerabilities, and attack vectors
 7. Authentication and authorization, access control (mandatory vs. discretionary)
8. Security system design
9. Security Models
10. Concept of trust and trustworthiness
11. Attacks, threats, and attackers
12. Attacker goals, capabilities, and motivations (such as underground economy, digital espionage
13. Examples of malware (e.g., viruses, worms, spyware, botnets, Trojan horses or rootkits)
14. Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
15. Social engineering
16. cyberwarfare, insider threats, hacktivism, advanced persistent threats)
17. Privacy, Attacks on privacy and anonymity –
Social models that inform interaction design: culture, communication, networks and organizations

18. Malware/unwanted communication such as covert channels and steganography

19. Systems security introduction

20. Ethics (responsible disclosure) and Secure organization
Teaching - Self-Learning/Independent learning of Self-study
Learning • Course material
methods (TL) • Recommended reading
• Online interactivity through MOODLE

Contact sessions
• Day schools, online classes Non- compulsory
• Laboratory practical exercises (compulsory)

Assessment Overall Continuous Assessment Mark (OCAM): 40% Final Assessment: 60 %

strategy
Details: Final Evaluation
Continuous Assessment (CA) CA I: 01 hr. Theory: 02 hrs. (MCQ & Structured Essay)
Continuous Assessment (CA) CA II: 01 hr.
Home Assignment (HA) HA I
Home Assignment (HA) HA II

OCAM= 50% of best CA I/CA II + 30% of other CA I

/CA II + 10% of HA I + 10% of HA II
Overall mark = 40 % OCAM + 60 % Final Examination
Recommended 1. Stalling, W. and Brown, L. 2017. Computer security: Principles and Practice. 4th ed. Pearson.
Readings