MSc Machine Learning / Course details

In our hyper-connected digital world, we constantly need to exchange data/information over various types of networks. Network security is all about ensuring that this exchange of data is done security and privately, without compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the data, regardless of the means of communication (wired or wireless).
 

The unit starts with general network security goals and attacker models and then focuses on main security mechanisms and protocols for protecting communication over different network layers. This will cover various attacks on the networks, network security and penetration testing tools and countermeasures to ensure security and privacy goals are satisfied. Students will be able to practice experience with various network security tools.

The unit aims to introduce students to security issues and countermeasures in a networked computer system and develop practical skills regarding penetration testing and malware analysis, identifying vulnerabilities and threats and exploring both cryptographic and non-cryptographic methods and security protocols and their applications for countering network-based security threats and attacks.

• Describe security vulnerabilities and threats in a networked or distributed system context.
   
• Explain security protocols/techniques, malware analysis techniques and tools.
   
• Design and analyse security protocols or solutions for a given security problem or for achieving a given security goal.
   
• Apply security techniques and technologies to solve security problems in practical systems.
   
• Apply various malware analysis techniques and tools.
   
• Critically assess technologies and analyse their suitability for specific application scenarios.

• Security goals and attacker models
   
• Access control
   
• Network protocols and their security
   
• Network security tools
   
• Penetration testing and malware analysis
   
• Technologies for private communication

• Asynchronous material in the form of multimedia materials, directed reading and formative quizzes delivered through the virtual learning environment.
   
• Synchronous activities in the form of lectures for consolidating the contents of multimedia materials, and workshops.

• Report: Individual feedback at workshops and through the VLE.
   
• Written Exam: Cohort level feedback after marking.

• Willam Stallings. “Network Security Essentials: Applications and Standards”. Pearson, 2017
   
• Willam Stallings. “Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice” (Global Edition). Pearson, 2022.
   
• Ross Anderson. "Security Engineering: A guide to building dependable distributed systems", 2 ed.: Wiley, 2008.