COSC362-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Introduction to Cybersecurity

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

The course covers principles and practices of cryptography, network security, software security, and system security. It provides a foundation for understanding cyber threats, attacks, and relevant defences.

In this course, you will learn about fundamental concepts of cryptography, network security, software security, and system security. You will also explore threats and vulnerabilities in the context of how systems can be compromised and how we can prevent harm to systems.

Core topics include:
• Fundamental concepts of cryptography, including symmetric encryption, public-key encryption, cryptographic hash functions, digital certificates, and public key infrastructure
• Selected network security protocols
• Common attack frameworks and cyber attacks, including denial-of-service (DoS) attacks and malware attacks  
• Common cyber defences, including authentication, access control, firewalls, and intrusion detection and prevention systems.
• Software weaknesses and vulnerability assessment  
• Operating system security
• IT security management and risk assessment

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyse cryptographic algorithms [WA1, WA5]
2. Discuss security protocols and standards used to provide security for communications across the Internet [WA1, WA5]
3. Discuss security threats and attacks and choose appropriate countermeasures in software, computer systems, and networks [WA1, WA2, WA5, WA8, WA9, WA10, WA12]
4. Apply security fundamentals to management aspects of information security [WA1, WA3]
5. Compare and critique current and emerging computer and network security technologies [WA2, WA4, WA10, WA12]

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

Employable, innovative and enterprising

Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Prerequisites

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 11:00 - 12:00 E6 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 13:00 - 14:00 E6 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Computer Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 09:00 - 11:00 Jack Erskine 136 Lab 4
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
02 Thursday 10:00 - 12:00 Jack Erskine 136 Lab 4
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
03 Thursday 16:00 - 18:00 Jack Erskine 131 Lab 1
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Timetable Note

Depending on final student numbers, some of the advertised lab/tutorial streams may not run. Final lab/tutorial options will be available for self-allocation closer to the start of the semester through My Timetable.

Course Coordinator

Mengmeng Ge

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Case Study Report 25%
Final Exam 50%
Lab Reports 25%


For precise assessment due dates, please refer to the AKO | Learn page.

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

William Stallings & Lawrie Brown; Computer Security: Principles and Practice ; 3; Prentice Hall, 2015.

• Other books will be used in the course if necessary.
• Material (e.g., PowerPoint slides) from the course reader and lecture slides will be published on Learn as the course progresses.

Notes

There are several important documents available online about departmental regulations, policies and guidelines at the following site. We expect all students to be familiar with these.

Notices about this class will be posted to the class forum in the Learn system.

COSC students will also be made members of a class called “CSSE Notices”, where general notices will be posted that apply to all classes (such as information about building access or job opportunities).

Additional Course Outline Information

Grade moderation

The Computer Science department's grading policy states that in order to pass a course you must meet two requirements:
1. You must achieve an average grade of at least 50% over all assessment items.
2. You must achieve an average mark of at least 45% on invigilated assessment items.

If you satisfy both these criteria, your grade will be determined by the following University-wide scale for converting marks to grades: an average mark of 50% is sufficient for a C- grade, an average mark of 55% earns a C grade, 60% earns a C+ grade and so forth. However if you do not satisfy both the passing criteria you will be given either a D or E grade depending on marks. Marks are sometimes scaled to achieve consistency between courses from year to year.

Students may apply for special consideration if their performance in an assessment is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond their control.

Applications for special consideration should be submitted via the Examinations Office website within five days of the assessment.

Where an extension may be granted for an assessment, this will be decided by direct application to the Department and an application to the Examinations Office may not be required.

Special consideration is not available for items worth less than 10% of the course.

Students prevented by extenuating circumstances from completing the course after the final date for withdrawing, may apply for special consideration for late discontinuation of the course. Applications must be submitted to the Examinations Office within five days of the end of the main examination period for the semester.

Special Consideration Applications for the Final Exam

Please click HERE for the CSSE Department's policy for the academic remedy of applications for a special consideration for final exams.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $998.00

International fee $5,188.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Computer Science and Software Engineering .

All COSC362 Occurrences

  • COSC362-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025