Cyberwarfare and Terrorism

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Abstract

This subject explores the increasing threats to personal, corporate and national security from the cyber warfare and terrorism perspectives. Students commence by studying the principal motivations behind cyber attacks, which may be political, ideological, vengeance oriented, or profit based. The increasing incidence of such attacks is explored, and examples given of key military and government computing systems being subverted through digital warfare or terrorism. Students also learn how it may be possible to defend and prevent such attacks through the use of policy, procedure and technical controls. The subject will conclude with an analysis of future trends in the nature of cyber warfare and terrorist activities.

Syllabus

Cyber attacks and defencesCyber espionageCyber sabotageCyber politics and vandalismNation state malware, for example, StuxnetCyber attack motivations including hacktivism, private sector, and militaryCyber terrorism and cyber warfareCyber monitoring, surveillance and intelligenceSCADA systems and public infrastructureThe future of warfare

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

be able to discuss and analyse trends in cyber warfare and terrorism and the increasing impact of such events on the security landscape;

be able to compare and contrast the different types of cyber security threats, including cyber terrorism, cyber crime, and cyber warfare;

be able to analyse examples of actual cyber terrorist attacks and to explain their motivations, method of operation, and impacts;

be able to distinguish between private, corporate, and national cyber attack events and their motivations;

be able to analyse the main types of cyber attacks and the various tactics and strategies used during attacks;

be able to propose security policy, procedural and technical controls to mitigate the threats of different types of cyber attacks and the risks they present.

Enrolment restrictions

Only available to students enrolled in IT Masters relevant courses.