Module Descriptors

Core modules

Cybersecurity Science and Applications

This module provides students with a comprehensive overview of cybersecurity concepts, principles, and practices. It covers topics such as security threats, vulnerabilities, risk management, access control, cryptography, network security, and incident response. Students will learn about the latest cybersecurity technologies and tools, as well as emerging threats and challenges facing organisations and individuals.

 Network Security

This module provides an in-depth study of network security, including the principles, protocols, and technologies used to secure computer networks. Topics covered include network security threats and vulnerabilities, network security policies and procedures, network security technologies, and network security management and operations.

Cyber Threat Intelligence and Analysis

This module provides an in-depth understanding of techniques for detecting, responding to, and defeating Threats Intelligence (TI) using artificial intelligence and analysis techniques. Students will identify, extract, and leverage intelligence from different types of cyber threat actors. Students will learn how to identify and analyse cyber threats, assess risk, and develop effective mitigation strategies. The module covers a range of topics including threat intelligence sources, threat actors, attack techniques, incident response, and cyber threat hunting. 

Cryptography and Information Security

The module provides a comprehensive introduction to cryptography and information security. Students will learn the fundamental concepts, principles, and techniques of cryptography and information security, including encryption and decryption, secure communications, digital signatures, authentication, access control, network security, and more. The module also covers current research topics and emerging trends in cryptography and information security.

Cybersecurity Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance

This module provides a comprehensive introduction to cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance. Students will learn the fundamental concepts, principles, and techniques of cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance, including regulatory compliance, risk assessment, security policies, incident response, and more. The module will also cover current research topics and emerging trends in cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance.

Informatics Research Methods

The module provides a comprehensive introduction to the methodologies and skills required to conduct informatics research. It focuses on understanding the nature of informatics and informatics research, formulating research questions, and developing hypotheses. It delves into defining research objectives and scope and selecting suitable research methods and tools. The module focuses on research evaluation and assessment and it offers practical research advice and numerous essential research skills, including reading, reviewing, presenting, and writing.

Elective modules: students have to choose two modules

Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment

This module provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct effective penetration testing and vulnerability assessment in computer systems and networks. It covers the latest methodologies and tools used by industry professionals, with a focus on ethical hacking, reconnaissance, scanning, enumeration, exploitation, and reporting. Students will also learn how to conduct risk analysis and develop strategies to mitigate security threats.

Digital Forensics and Incident Investigation

The module provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct digital forensics investigations and incident response. It covers the latest tools, techniques, and methodologies used by industry professionals, with a focus on identifying, preserving, analysing, and presenting digital evidence. Students will learn how to investigate a variety of incidents, including cybercrime, data breaches, and insider threats.

Cloud Security and Virtualization

The module provides students with a comprehensive understanding of cloud security and virtualisation concepts. It covers security challenges in cloud computing, security architecture in cloud computing, security models, and security best practices. Students will also learn about virtualisation concepts and techniques, virtualization platforms, and how to secure virtualised environments.

Mobile Security and Internet of Things (IoT) Security

The module provides an in-depth understanding of the security risks associated with mobile devices and IoT devices, and the security measures to protect against those risks. It covers the security architecture for mobile devices, mobile app security, IoT security architecture, and IoT security standards. Students will also learn about security testing techniques for mobile and IoT devices.

Selected Topics in Cybersecurity

The module provides advanced knowledge and skills related to selected topics in cybersecurity. It equips students with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to analyse, design, and implement security solutions for complex information systems. The module covers various topics, including cloud security, network security, incident response, threat intelligence, and ethical hacking and explore some of these at a deeper level.

Secure Software Development

The module provides in-depth knowledge and practical skills in developing secure software applications. Students will learn the fundamental concepts and principles of secure coding practices, software vulnerabilities, and secure software development life cycle (SDLC). It emphasises techniques to mitigate common software security risks and provides hands-on experience in implementing secure coding practices. The module covers threat modelling, secure design principles, secure coding standards, secure authentication and authorization mechanisms, input validation, secure data handling, secure error handling, and secure deployment practices.

Data Mining and Exploration

Data mining is about analysing, interpreting, visualising and exploiting the data that is captured scientific and commercial environments. This module provides students with an opportunity to gain an in depth understanding of the theories and issues related to mining and exploring data, ranging from statistical summaries, to visualisation, to classification and clustering. Practical case studies will be used for illustration.

Knowledge Management

The module teaches the principles and technologies of knowledge management. A case study approach, as and where appropriate, will be adopted in introducing the course contents. The module covers the fundamental concepts in the study of knowledge and its creation, representation, dissemination, use and re-use, and management. The focus is on methods, techniques, and tools for computer support of knowledge management, knowledge acquisition, and how to apply a knowledge management system using one of the knowledge-based system tools.

Dissertation

This module will constitute the final part of the MSc in Cybersecurity. It offers an opportunity for students to demonstrate the ability to undertake independent research. Students will demonstrate their application of knowledge to solve a problem in the area of cybersecurity. Each student will be allocated a supervisor for any assistance and guidance and will also be supported by additional dissertation workshops to help and plan their research journey. Students will be expected to demonstrate a formal method of scientific inquiry through a research design process. By undertaking this module, students should be able to demonstrate their practical skills underpinned by theoretical understanding of their chosen problem area.