65326 Digital and Cyber Crime
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Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 65325 Digital Trace and Identity
Description
This subject provides students an understanding of various types of cybercrime, such as organized cybercrime, multimedia-based cybercrime, and corporate cybercrime. On completion of this subject, students develop an understanding of the framework under which cybercrime can happen, including how technology and psychology of victims are manipulated by cybercriminals. This subject also provides an understanding of issues faced by law enforcement and other agencies in responding to cybercrime, practical steps needed to respond and investigate cybercrime, and the role of digital forensic science in responding to cybercrime. Students develop their practical digital investigation skills through the use of computer laboratory classes.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Identify activities which constitute cybercrime and understand different avenues of cybercrime |
|---|---|
| 2. | Identify and implement practical steps to respond to cybercrime |
| 3. | Conduct forensic examinations for finding evidence from cybercrime case |
| 4. | Communicate complex findings from investigations and generate a report |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of following course intended learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate a command of forensic science practice, including the detection, collection, and analysis of traces in order to exploit and integrate the results of analyses into investigative, evaluative and intelligence frameworks. (1.1)
- Apply investigative, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to forensic science problems and design experimental methods to test hypotheses and critically analyse and interpret data. (2.1)
- Practise safe, ethical, and professional conduct with consideration for the role of forensic science in addressing current and future challenges faced by law enforcement, the legal system, security, and the wider community. (3.1)
- Apply forensic science professional skills with a high degree of personal autonomy and reflection to demonstrate initiative and innovative thinking in solving complex forensic problems. (4.1)
- Demonstrate skills in communicating experimental conclusions, expert opinion, and the justification of professional decisions related to forensic science processes effectively to expert, scientific, and non-expert audiences. (5.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
1. Disciplinary knowledge
Students will learn what activities constitute cybercrime, how cybercrime is committed, the digital traces that are left from cybercrime activities, and steps to investigate cybercrime. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals during the lectures, and will have an opportunity to apply to this during the computer lab classes.
Feedback on the students’ knowledge will be provided during the computer laboratory sessions and assessments. Students will be assessed on their discipline knowledge and their ability to apply it in assessment tasks 1, 2 and 3.
2. Research, inquiry, and critical thinking
During the computer laboratory classes, students will need to develop their investigative and problem solving skills in order to determine the best way to identify and process digital traces. Students will be provided with verbal feedback during the computer lab classes. Furthermore, in the project, students will be asked to research a real-world cybercrime case, inquiry into the case, and propose a simple idea for mitigating the crime. Students will be assessed on this in assessment task 2. Students will be provided both verbal and written feedback for the project.
3. Professional, ethical, and social responsibility
Students will learn the impact of cybercrime in society. They will also learn skills to deal with cybercrime issues in an ethical and professional way. Students will be assessed on this in assessment task 1.
4. Reflection, Innovation, and Creativity
Students will gain awareness and experience in digital investigation processes and techniques in the lectures and computer laboratory sessions. Students will have an opportunity to implement these skills in a project where they will be completing activities to simulate a digital forensic science investigation. During these activities, students will receive informal verbal feedback from the instructor. Students will be assessed on these skills in assessment tasks 2 and 3.
5. Communication
The communication skills developed in this subject are essential for the student to be able to translate the complex ideas to a lay audience. The ability to transform complex jargon and findings are necessary for a digital forensic scientist. In the project and computer labs, students will be completing activities that will require them to report their findings in the form of a report. Students will receive feedback on their written communication skills through weekly computer lab activities. Students will be assessed on this ability in assessment task 3.
Teaching and learning strategies
Students will attend a series of weekly lectures and computer laboratory classes in this subject.
Lectures
The lectures will be two hours per week. These classes will introduce students to the key theoretical concepts of the subject. Lectures will provide an opportunity for the students to question and clarify any of the subject material. It is expected that students read the lecture material before coming to class to allow for engaging classroom discussions. Students will discuss in small groups on a case scenario presented. These activities give rise to opportunities for verbal affirmation and feedback from both peers and lecturer. All resources used in the lectures will be available through Canvas before the scheduled classes. Case studies and examples will be used in the lectures to help understand what constitutes cybercrime and how it can be investigated. The lectures are vital to supporting the students’ understanding of computer laboratory classes. Students understanding of the lecture materials will be accessed in assessment tasks 1, 2, and 3.
Computer Labs
The computer labs will be two hours per week. Computer lab sessions provide students with the opportunity to apply the principles learnt in lectures. As a pre-activity to each computer lab, students will be tested on their understanding of the lecture material via a quiz before the start of the lab activity. This will ensure the student understands the theoretical concepts required to complete the computer labs. Using appropriate tools, students will work individually and collaboratively in the computer lab on various cybercrime cases discussed during the lecture session, and develop their skills in digital forensic investigation processes. During the classes, students will receive feedback on their progress from the computer lab facilitator and from their completion of the computer lab activities. The practical skills developed in the computer labs will be essential for the completion of Assessment tasks 1 and 3.
Content (topics)
- Introduction to Cybercrime, Cybercrime types, and Government response to Cybercrime.
- Technology behind Cybercrime (DoS, Dynamic IP, Botnet, encrypted channels, etc.).
- Social engineering: The psychological tools of Cybercrime
- Online harassment and misinformation: Cyberstalking, Cyberbullying, Trolling, Hate speech, and Fake news
- Online organized crime: Credit card fraud, Drug trafficking. Cyber terrorism and Cyberwarfare
- Multimedia-based Cybercrime: child porn, revenge porn, media tampering, and deep fake
- Dealing with multimedia-based cybercrime (multimedia forensic science)
- Dealing with multimedia-based cybercrime (multimedia forensic science) Cont.
- Electronic theft, corporate espionage, intellectual property theft
- Hacking and Malware
- Role of privacy in Cybercrime and Anti-forensic science.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Computer Lab
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary knowledge 3. Professional, ethical, and social responsibility |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1 and 3.1 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Criteria: | Marking criteria include:
|
Assessment task 2: Cybercrime Investigation
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary knowledge 2. Research, inquiry, and critical thinking 4. Reflection, Innovation, and Creativity |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2, 3 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1, 2.1 and 4.1 |
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Criteria: | Students will be assessed on their ability to:
|
Assessment task 3: Final report
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary knowledge 2. Research, inquiry, and critical thinking 4. Reflection, Innovation, and Creativity 5. Communication |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2, 3 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1, 2.1, 4.1 and 5.1 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Criteria: | Students will be assessed on their ability to:
|
Minimum requirements
Computer labs for this subject are an integral part of learning the material, thus students are strongly encouraged to attend all scheduled computer lab sessions. Failure to attend a class that is associated with an assessment item will attract a mark of zero for that assessment item unless an acceptable reason for the absence, supported by relevant documentary evidence, is provided.