Module Details

Module Code: CYBR9005
Title: Information Security Architect
Long Title: Information Security Architecture
NFQ Level: Expert
Valid From: Semester 1 - 2023/24 ( September 2023 )
Duration: 1 Semester
Credits: 5
Field of Study: 4817 - Cyber Skills
Module Delivered in: 1 programme(s)
Module Description: In this module the student will learn about information security and its importance in protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of systems and information. The student will develop the skills to discern between the different security needs of various stakeholders, evaluate the robustness of security designs and design security controls to protect information assets. This module was developed under the CyberSkills HCI Pillar3 Project. Please refer to consortium agreement for ownership.
 
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:
# Learning Outcome Description
LO1 Discern between the different obligations and requirements that an organization need to consider to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.
LO2 Evaluate the engagement with information security at a governance level to achieve an organisation's sustainable protection of its information assets.
LO3 Assess and design security controls that should be considered as part of an overall Information Security Management (ISM) strategy.
LO4 Assess the role of Identity and Access Management (IAM) techniques as a method to control access to information assets.
Dependencies
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is strongly recommended before enrolment in this module. You may enrol in this module if you have not acquired the recommended learning but you will have considerable difficulty in passing (i.e. achieving the learning outcomes of) the module. While the prior learning is expressed as named MTU module(s) it also allows for learning (in another module or modules) which is equivalent to the learning specified in the named module(s).
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module. You may not earn additional credit for the same learning and therefore you may not enrol in this module if you have successfully completed any modules in the incompatible list.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed. You may not enrol on this module if you have not acquired the learning specified in this section.
No requirements listed
 
Indicative Content
Information Security Principles
What is information security? Information Security models - Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (CIA) triad, Parkerian Hexad. Attacks on information – Interception, Interruption, Modification, Fabrication. Active and passive attacks in information security. Use cases on some of the more well-known attacks on information for example. Adobe, Facebook, Twitter, Playstation, Canva, Linkedin, Adult Friend Finder. Information security models including Bell-La Padula Model, Biba Model, Brewer and Nash Model, Non-Interference Model, and McCumber model.
Information Security Requirements
Obligations to consider at a business, regulatory, customer level. Business obligations - business continuity, end user security, risk management, security awareness, data protection, governance etc. Regulatory concerns - Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) etc.
Information Security Governance (ISG)
Chief Information Officer (CIO) role and responsibilities. How to engage top level management in information security decisions. Culture and impact on ISG. Awareness programmes. Compliance & Assessment. ISG as a method of ensuring responsibility, accountability, and risk controls. Goals of ISG. Characteristic of good ISG. ISO27001, COBIT, ISO 38500, PRINCE2, PDCA Cycle, NIST, Enterprise Information Security Architecture (EISA).
Information Security Management (ISM)
Features of ISM. Roles in ISM – top level management, information security organisation and other stakeholders. Information Security Policies. Risk Assessment and treatment. Implementation of controls. Monitor and review. Identity and Access Management (IAM)What is IAM. Role of IAM as part of compliance. Authentication – Single Sign in, multifactor authentication, sessions, and token management. Authorization – roles, rules, attributes etc, User management and repositories i.e. directory services. Access management. Active Directory. Biometric authentication. Open standards. Challenges and risks.
Module Content & Assessment
Assessment Breakdown%
Coursework100.00%

Assessments

Coursework
Assessment Type Project % of Total Mark 40
Timing Week 6 Learning Outcomes 1,2
Assessment Description
The learner is presented with a case study referring to a hypothetical or actual attack on an organisation's information system and is expected to consider the impact of the attack on the security requirements at a business, regulatory and customer level, in addition to how proper governance could have been used to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the system. The learner will document their work in a report produced to a professional standard
Assessment Type Project % of Total Mark 60
Timing Sem End Learning Outcomes 3,4
Assessment Description
The student will assess and design a range of security controls based on a presented case study. The learner will document their work in a report produced to a professional standard.
No End of Module Formal Examination
Reassessment Requirement
Coursework Only
This module is reassessed solely on the basis of re-submitted coursework. There is no repeat written examination.

The University reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Lectures covering the theoretical concepts underpinning the learning outcomes. Every Week 2.00 2
Lab Contact Interactive labs leveraging a sophisticated virtualised environment. Every Week 2.00 2
Independent & Directed Learning (Non-contact) Non Contact Independent Learning: preparing project deliverable, reading resource material and self-directed study. Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Lectures covering the theoretical concepts underpinning the learning outcomes. Every Week 2.00 2
Lab Contact Interactive labs leveraging a sophisticated virtualised environment. Every Week 2.00 2
Independent & Directed Learning (Non-contact) Non Contact Independent Learning: preparing project deliverable, reading resource material and self-directed study. Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
 
Module Resources
Recommended Book Resources
  • Whitman, Michael E; Mattord, Herbert J. (2018), Management of information security, 6th. Cengage Learning, [ISBN: 9781337405713].
Supplementary Book Resources
  • Jason Andress, Mark Leary, and Mark Leary. (2016), Building a Practical Information Security Program, Elsevier Science & Technology Books, [ISBN: 9780128020883].
  • Chapple, Mike, et al.. (ISC)2 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Study Guide, 8th. John Wiley & Sons, [ISBN: 9781119475873].
Recommended Article/Paper Resources
  • Cecilia (Qian) Feng, Tawei Wang. Does CIO risk appetite matter? Evidence from information security breach incidents, International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Volume 32, 2019, p.59-75, [ISSN: 1467-0895],
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accinf.2018.11 .001
  • Sultan AlGhamdi, Khin Than Win, Elena Vlahu-Gjorgievska,. (2020), Information security governance challenges and critical success factors: Systematic review, Computers & Security, Volume 99, 2020, [ISSN: 0167-4048],
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2020.1020 30
Other Resources
 
Module Delivered in
Programme Code Programme Semester Delivery
CR_KSSAR_9 Certificate in Secure Systems Architecture 1 Mandatory