The development of the Internet has offered great benefits in communication, governance and commerce. Over 3 billion people are connected to the Internet, yet national and international efforts to ensure the security, safety and privacy of the Web has not been achieved. Indeed the Internet has become a source of insecurity as cyber-criminals exploit vulnerabilities in software and systems while nation states and other actors use the web to attack infrastructure, conduct espionage and wage cyber-war. Criminal predation has followed the opportunities for exploitation that an open Internet and the massive shift to web based e-commerce and other everyday transactions provide.
This course explores cyber-security measures and the different forms of cybercrime and emergent forms of cyber-warfare. Students address these challenges to cyber-security and examine the nature, prevalence, scope and the means by which criminals perform these crimes. The course also examines the impact of cybercrime on victims, business, and the state, and the responses of information security providers and police agencies. It explores the role and networks of offenders as well as the means to investigate and prevent cybercrime. International efforts (e.g. Council of Europe, Convention on Cybercrime) to counter cyber-security threats by state and non-state actors are assessed. The course concludes with a critical assessment of the threats to liberty posed by the emergent new digital age of surveillance.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon Successful completion of this course, students will be able to:- Understand the different theoretical and cross-disciplinary approaches (criminological, political, legal and information security/management) to the study of cyber-security and the regulation of the Internet and the Internet of Things.
- Understand the structure, mechanics and evolution of the Internet in the context of emerging crime threats and technological and other trends in cyberspace.
- Distinguish and classify the forms of cybercriminal activity and the technological and 'social engineering' methods used to undertake such crimes.
- Investigate assumptions about the behaviour and role of offenders and victims in cyberspace, and use basic web-tools to explore behaviour on-line.
- Analyse and assess the impact of cybercrime on government, businesses, individuals and society.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of cyber-security, cyber-laws (e.g. the Budapest Convention) and other countermeasures against cybercrime and cyber warfare.
Indicative Assessment
Reflection essay (800 words): 15% (LO 1-4)Case Study (Problem Based Learning [PBL]) seminar presentation of 30 minutes (groups 4-6): 25% (LO 3 - 6)
A Web-based research exercise (800 words): 15% (LO 2-4)
Major Research Essay (4500 words): 50% (LO 1-6)
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 18 hours of lectures, and 18 hours of seminars and workshops; and, b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.Preliminary Reading
Citron, Danielle 2014, Hate Crimes in Cyberspace, Harvard University Press.
Clough, John, 2010, Principles of Cybercrime, Cambridge University Press.
Grabosky, Peter 2015, Cybercrime, Oxford University Press
Greenwald, Glenn 2014, No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, The NSA and the US Surveillance State (Metropolitan Books, New York)
Holt, Bossler and Siegfried-Spellar 2015, Cybercrime and Digital Forensics, Routledge
Jaishankar, K. [Ed.] 2011, Cyber Criminology: Exploring Internet Crimes and Criminal Behaviour, Boca Raton, FL, USA: CRC Press.
Lessig, Lawrence, 2006, Code Version 2.0, Basic Books New York
Misha, Glenny, 2012, Dark market: Cyberthieves, Cybercops and You, Vintage, London.
Reyns, Bradford W., Melissa W. Burek, Billy Henson, Bonnie S. Fisher, 2013, ‘The unintended consequences of digital technology: exploring the relationship between sexting and cyber-victimization’, Journal of Crime and Justice, Vol. 36 (1).
Rosenzweig, Paul, 2012, Cyber Warfare: How Conflicts in Cyberspace are challenging America and Changing the World, Praeger, Santa Barbara.
Sanger, David 2012, Confront and Conceal (Ch 8) Crown, New York.
Schjolberg, Stein 2014, A History of Cybercrime, BoD – Books on Demand.
Holt, Thomas and, Bernadette Schell, 2013, Hackers and Hacking: A Reference Handbook, ABC-CLIO: Santa Barbara.
Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare 2013, Cambridge University Press.
UNODC, 2013, Comprehensive Study on Cybercrime, UN, New York: available at http://www.unodc.org/documents/organizedcrime/UNODC_CCPCJ_EG.4_2013/CYBERCRIME_STUDY_210213.pdf.
Zetter, Kim 2014, Countdown to Zero Day, Crown, New York
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3360 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $5160 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
