Module Identifier COM5410  
Module Title FORENSIC COMPUTING AND ETHICAL HACKING  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Mr Richard C Shipman  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Mr Richard C Shipman, Dr Frederick W Long  
Pre-Requisite Only available to Final Year MEng students.  
Course delivery Lecture   At least 10 hours  
  Practical   20 hours  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours  50%
Semester Assessment Laboratory notebook and report  50%
Supplementary Assessment Will take the same form, under the terms of the Department's policy   

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Analyze a computer for deleted and hidden information.

Detect vulnerabilities in a computer system using appropriate tools, and secure against.

Demonstrate an understanding of threats to computer systems and computer networks.

Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical concerns involved in forensics.

Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant materials at a crime scene.

Develop a strategy for defending a computer system against attack.

Aims

To provide an insight into the growing field of forensic computing and network security.

Brief description

The course will provide a practical and in-depth view of security of machines and networks, an overview of the tools available to monitor and analyse such machines and networks before the systems have been compromised, and also to analyse the forensic evidence left behind to trace culprits.

Content

1. Legal and ethical issues surrounding forensic computing and ethical hacking. (1 Lecture)
2. Footprinting and Scanning (1 lecture + 1 practical)
3. Viruses, Trojans and Backdoors (1 lecture + 1 practical)
4. Denial of Service ( 1 lecture + 1 practical)
5. Social Engineering (1 lecture)
6. IDS, Firewalls and Honeypots (1 lecture + 1 practical)
7. Cryptography (1 lecture + 1 practical)
8. Buffer Overflows & Web application vulnerabilities (4 practicals)
9. The use of forensic computing software (eg. EnCase, Penguin Sleuth, Knoppix STD) (4 practicals)
10. Hacking wireless networks (1 lecture)
11. Scene of crime analysis (1 lecture + 1 practical)

Module Skills

Problem_solving Use of forensic analysis software  
Research skills In order to do practicals  
Communication Presentation of workshop results as a report and//or lab workbook.  
Improving own Learning and Performance Inherent in level of subject  
Team work Working as pairs in lab work  
Information Technology Inherent to subject  
Application of Number no  
Personal Development and Career planning no  

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7