CSC8202 : Information Security and Cryptography
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Professor Thomas Gross
- Owning School: Computing
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
Avoiding security breaches is a high priority for organisations which store and handle confidential data. This module will provide students with the fundamentals of information security covering the techniques used to protect information and information systems from unauthorized access and tampering. The module will cover both the technical (e.g., cryptography) and organisational aspects (e.g., security policies) of protecting information.
Outline Of Syllabus
• Cryptography primitives (Symmetric and Asymmetric primitives: encryption, MACs, signatures, hash functions
PKI).
• Identification & Authentication.
• Biometrics.
• Access Control & Authorisation.
• Identity Management.
• Privacy.
• Security Policies.
• Information security risk management and disaster recovery.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 1:30 | 1:30 | Digital Examination. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Lectures (in person). |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 24 | 1:00 | 24:00 | Formative Coursework to assess practical skills on a realistic and open-ended problem, while still assessing theoretical underpinnings. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Practicals (in person) for Q&A and optional exercises. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | Online tutorials. |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured non-synchronous discussion | 1 | 8:30 | 8:30 | Lecture follow-up via online discussion board sessions. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 34 | 1:00 | 34:00 | Background reading and revision for examination. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 12 | 1:00 | 12:00 | Lecture follow-up |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will be used to introduce the learning material and for demonstrating the key concepts by example. Students are expected to follow-up lectures within a few days by re-reading and annotating lecture notes to aid deep learning.
Students are expected to spend time on coursework outside timetabled classes.
Students aiming for 1st class marks are expected to widen their knowledge beyond the content of lecture notes through background reading.
Students should set aside sufficient time for lecture follow up and revision to prepare for the coursework.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 90 | 1 | A | 100 | N/A |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical/lab report | 1 | M | Formative coursework. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The formative coursework allows an assessment of the development of student's practical skills on a realistic and open-ended problem.
The examination is an appropriate way to assess knowledge of theoretical, including ethical, underpinnings and practical skills.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- CSC8202's Timetable