Forensic Information Technology

Course Structure

1. [\'Computer Forensic Investigation and Cryptography: This unit covers the practical aspects of conducting a forensic investigation of digital evidence. In order for the students to develop a critical understanding of computer forensics, a holistic approach of the forensics investigation process is adopted, with a full investigation \\x91life cycle\\x92 from seizure of evidence through to giving evidence in court as an expert witness. We look at a range of tools, operating systems and devices. This unit also includes the main aspects of cryptography and steganalysis that are relevant for the discovery and recovery of hidden information.\', \'Computer Security: The unit provides an introduction to computer security concepts and their practical application, in both closed and interconnected networks. Students are expected to both understand and be able to critically evaluate different approaches to securing complex computer systems.\', "Cybercrime Security and Risk Management: This unit provides opportunities for participants to develop skills and knowledge in the understanding of corporate cyber threats. Drawing upon a range of practical examples, students will examine how rapid technological development and expansion in access to the internet has impacted upon crime (e.g. how anonymity and unfounded trust encourage deception), mapping out the terrain of information technology, and identifying the emerging areas of cyber crime. Areas explored will include the crossing of established boundaries into spaces over which control has already been established such as cyber-intrusion and cyber-theft, but also \'new cyber crimes\' in the form of virtual trespass, Denial of Service attacks, and the development of opportunities for offending in the context of social networking websites. The final section of the unit will examine how education and organisational responses can prevent victimisation and mitigate IT risk.", "Master\'s Project: You will undertake either an engineering unit or a study project, during the summer period. The project offers students the opportunity to apply the taught material in the solution of a real-world problem directly related to their course. The engineering project usually involves building a piece of software to solve a problem. An example of the sort of thing you might do would be building a tool to address a specific forensics requirement. The study project usually involves undertaking a study of an IT domain relevant to forensics. To prepare for this the project includes a number of preparatory sessions, which contribute to part of your final mark. This part of the project enables students to acquire essential skills in research methods and communication, and to consider the professional issues related to their work.", \'Systems, Security and Data Analysis: The first part of the unit provides an overview of computer organisation, operating systems and network design, with a strong focus on security considerations and aspects relevant to computer and digital forensics. The early part of the unit will provide an introduction to relevant issues in system architecture and file system organisation. Threats to computer systems will be considered. The first half of the unit is concluded with studying in some depth current technologies for securing real computer networks. The second part of the unit deals with the important topic of data analytics. Many organisations are now rapidly accumulating large volumes of data that defy traditional methods of data analysis, and yet often have important relationships concealed within them. The emerging field of data mining combines techniques of machine learning, expert systems, databases and statistics to create a new generation of intelligent and automated tools, which are already being applied in many areas of business, science and government.\', \'Advanced Programming Skills for the Web: This unit draws together a number of system development skills, focusing on how they can be applied to the development specifically of web applications. Topics covered include web programming, connecting databases to web applications, software tools, testing and security.\']