This unit introduces students to ethical hacking concepts and knowledge. We will explore some of the common and fundamental tactics and techniques to enable students to better understand the wide field of ethical hacking and its implications today. In parallel, methods to mitigate attacks will be explored as necessary.
The unit will cover areas as defined in the Cyber Security Book of Knowledge (CyBoK) as recommended by the Australian Computer Society (ACS). These areas include: (1) Attacks and Defences; (2) Systems Security; (3) Software and Platform Security; and (4) Infrastructure Security.
On this site, you will find all materials necessary for you to complete the assessments of this unit, including lab materials and the project.
{% hint style="danger" %} This unit provides cybersecurity knowledge and techniques for your learning purposes only. It is ABSOLUTELY ILLEGAL to apply the learned knowledge to others without proper consent/permission, and even then, you must check and comply with any regulatory restrictions and laws. The authors do not take any responsibility for your misbehaviour using the information provided here. {% endhint %}
Students are able to (1) identify security vulnerabilities in computer systems; (2) demonstrate an understanding of different penetration testing methods and skills; (3) design basic penetration testing methods; (4) select appropriate penetration testing tools for different applications/platforms/environments; and (5) evaluate security design, implementation and penetration testing practices.
There are 3 lab quizzes that are worth a total of 60% of unit marks. There will be a group project worth 40% of unit marks. There is NO final exam in this unit. Please note that assessment items and schedules may change, and the best effort will be taken to inform you of such change - but as a student, you are expected to also regularly check for any new updates here.
Although the prerequisite for this unit is only 12 points of programming, you are advised to take this unit in the third year so that you can obtain various computer science knowledge (especially computer systems and networks) to ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of computer systems and networks to do well in this unit. Some essential background knowledge are also provided in the labs section, such as the Networks 101 module.
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