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Unit of study_
ELEC5616: Computer and Network Security
2025 unit information
This unit examines the basic cryptographic building blocks of security, working through to their applications in authentication, key exchange, secret and public key encryption, digital signatures, protocols and systems. It then considers these applications in the real world, including models for integrity, authentication, electronic cash, viruses, firewalls, electronic voting, risk assessment, secure web browsers and electronic warfare. Practical cryptosystems are analysed with regard to the assumptions with which they were designed, their limitations, failure modes and ultimately why most end up broken.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Engineering
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | School of Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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A programming language, basic maths |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. demonstrate the ability to write reports and make presentations on the complexity of security system design and its related performance, using clear and accurate terms and a language commensurate with the expected level of understanding by stakeholders
- LO2. demonstrate the ability to work in a team, taking up clear roles and responsibilities while drawing on skills and knowledge of other team members in order to deliver specific engineering work
- LO3. demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast practical cryptosystems and the assumptions with which they were designed to determine their failure modes and to design a cryptosystem to a specification
- LO4. demonstrate the ability to appraise applicability and value of cryptography in authentication, key exchange, secret and public key encryption, digital signatures, protocols and systems
- LO5. demonstrate proficient use of software system knowledge and cryptography in designing and evaluating security schemes
- LO6. demonstrate the ability to undertake inquiry and knowledge development by first identifying the limits of the available information on security systems and then effectively searching and synthesising the information most pertinent.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
