Module Code - Title:

ET4023 - INTRODUCTION TO SECURITY AND CRYPTOGRAPHY

Year Last Offered:

2025/6

Hours Per Week:

Lecture

2

Lab

2

Tutorial

1

Other

0

Private

0

Credits

6

Grading Type:

Prerequisite Modules:

Rationale and Purpose of the Module:

To introduce fundamental concepts of information and network security. To introduce the ideas of threats and vulnerabilities such as viruses, worms, malware etc. To introduce fundamental ideas in cryptography. To place them in their historical perspective. To provide an appreciation of approaches to preventing such attacks.

Syllabus:

[Introduction to information and network security:] Why security is an important issue. [Threats and vulerabilities:] Threats from passive and active attackers and from digital pests such as virus, worms and malware. [Historical development of codes and ciphers:] Classical ciphers (Caesar, Vigenere, one-time-pad etc.) Machine based codes: Enigma, Purple. Classical cryptanalysis (Beltchley Park, the Bombes etc.) [Introduction to cryptography:] Basic approaches of symmetric key encryption. Block ciphers and stream ciphers. Basic approach of public key encryption. Introduction to key management. Application of ciphers. [Protection against attacks:] Introduction to security components such as firewalls and IDS, virus scanner, file integrity checker, OS update management. Role of passwords. Password cracking techniques.

Learning Outcomes:

Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)

Describe the concepts of threat, attack and vulnerability. Describe what malware, viruses, worms and bots are, and how they may be countered. Manually encrypt and decrypt short messages using simple ciphers. Explain the basic operation of symmetric and public key ciphers. Select suitable ciphers for a given application. Describe the operation of basic security components for network and system protection.

Affective (Attitudes and Values)

N/A

Psychomotor (Physical Skills)

N/A

How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:

Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):

Prime Texts:

Williams Stallings and Lawrie Brown (2008) Computer Security: Principles and Practice , Prentice-Hall

S. Singh (2000) The Code Book: The Secret History of Codes and Code Breaking , Fourth Estate

Piper, F. and Murphy S. (2002) Cryptography: A very Short Introduction , Oxford Paperbacks

Other Relevant Texts:

Pfleeger C.P. and Pfleeger S.L. (2003) Security in Computing (3e) , Prentice Hall

Schneier, B. (1996) Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorthms and Source Code in C (2e) , John Wiley and Sons

Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:

Semester(s) Module is Offered:

Module Leader:

Richard.Conway@ul.ie