Information Risk and Security

IS476

Half/ full unit

Full

Dr J Backhouse, Room tbc

This course is optional for the MSc in the Analysis, Design and Management of Information Systems and is available as an outside option to other MSc students.

The study of information risk and information security from a social and organisational perspective, analysing the role of technical, formal and informal elements in the security of systems.

• Social approaches to IS security
• Using social theory to study IS security
• Security policy and security management
• Risk management: methods and limitations
• Evaluation of security technology
• Trusted platforms
• Interoperability in secure e-commerce
• Certification and accreditation
• The limits of law for IS security
• Regulation and compliance as security issues

Lent term

Lectures

10 x 2 hours

Lent term

Classes

9 x 1 hour

Lent term

Seminars

9 x 2 hour security colloquia

Students discuss articles, small case studies, and present policy perspectives in the classes.  The colloquia provide opportunity for discussion, debate and feedback.

• C Adams and S Lloyd    Understanding Public Key Infrastructure, Concepts, Standards, And Deployment Considerations Macmillan Technical Publishing; 1999
• R Anderson, Security Engineering: a guide to building dependable distributed systems, John Wiley, 2001
• J R Beniger, The Control Revolution: technological and economic origins of the information society, Harvard University Press, 1986
• W Cheswick, S Bellovin and A Rubin, Firewalls and Internet Security: repelling the wily hacker, Addison Wesley, 1994
• G Dhillon   Principles of Information Systems Security: Text and Cases. J Wiley & Sons; 2007
• S Gafinkel, Database Nation: the death of privacy, O'Reilly Associates 2000
• A Jones and D Ashenden   Risk Management For Computer Security: Protecting Your Network And Information Assets Butterworth-Heinemann; 2005
• K D. Mitnick, W L. Simon   The Art Of Deception: Controlling The Human Element Of Security John Wiley & Sons; 2003
• F C Piper, S Murphy   Cryptography: A Very Short Introduction  Oxford Paperbacks; 2002
• T Ridge,  H Schmidt   Patrolling Cyberspace: Lessons Learned From A Lifetime In Data Security Larstan Publishing; 2006
• B Schneier, Beyond Fear: thinking sensibly about security in an uncertain world, Springer Verlag, 2003
• B Schneier   Secrets And Lies: Digital Security In A Networked World John Wiley & Sons Inc; 2004
• W Stallings, Network Security Essentials, Prentice Hall, 2000

A three-hour examination in the Summer term and an individual essay (up to 5,000 words) on an approved topic. Each component accounts for 50% of the final assessment.