| CODE | CPS5123 | ||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Systems Security | ||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Computer Science | ||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit takes a technical approach to computer security, specifically focusing on understanding the adversaries targeting system software in the form of exploits, malware and their launchers. Knowledge of the inner workings of these malicious artifacts is fundamental to understand the limitations of operating system security controls, to configur intrusion detection systems to prevent and/or detect future security violations, as well as in recovering from past successful ones. This study-unit touches on aspects of systems/low-level programming and debugging, reverse engineering and digital forensics, and therefore an aptitude to carry out practical tasks using these techniques is a must. Given their current popularity and the opportunities provided to attackers to reach their malicious intent, this study-unit currently focuses on Windows workstations, Linux servers and Android mobile devices. Study-unit Aims: - Provide an overview of the security controls found in major operating systems; - Highlighting their scope and limitations; - By presenting a number of adversarial case studies that can successfully breach them; - While evading early detection, exercising stealth and ultimately elevating their privileges. - A number of vulnerability exploitation techniques will be covered in the scope of payload delivery and elevation of privilege. - Assigned practical tasks will provide the opportunity to configure Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Digital Forensics tools for their detection and response. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Given a sample of a malicious artifact: - Reproduce it within an isolated environment; - Assess its threat level with respect to existing security controls; - Configure IDS and Digital Forensics tools to detect its presence in live systems. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Analyze proof-of-concept exploits/malware as well as ones collected from live systems; - Test system-wide security controls through penetration testing; - Improve the design of operating system security controls; - Configure IDS and Digital Forensics tools in order to address emerging threats that target the limitation of existing security controls. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main texts: - Andrew S Tanenbaum and Herber Bos. “Modern Operating Systems, Fourth Edition”, Pearson Eduction, 2014. ISBN-13: 978-1292061429 - Bruce Dang, Alexandre Gazet and Elias Bachalaany. “Practical Reverse Engineering: x86, x64, ARM, Windows Kernel, Reversing Tools, and Obfuscation”, Wiley, 2014. - Ryan O’Neill, “Learning Linux Binary Analysis”, Packt publishing, 2016. - Offensive Security. “Metasploit Unleashed”. Available online at https://www.offensive security.com/metasploit-unleashed/ |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Practical | ||||||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Mark J. Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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