School of Psychology and Computer Science	UCLan Coursework Assessment Brief		Academic Year 2020/21
	Module Title:  Advanced Topics in IT Security                    Module Code:  CO4510		Level 7
	Assignment – Research Paper	This assessment is worth 60% of the overall module mark
RELEASE DATES AND HAND IN DEADLINE Start: 23/10/2020 Submission deadline of the research paper: 05/12/2020 23:59 Please note that this is the latest time you can submit – not the time to submit! Feedback will be given to the class within 15 working days of the assignment hand-in date, i.e., 15 working days counting from the complete contribution due date. This will take the format of individual written feedback using the feedback sheet available on Blackboard under the ”Assignment” menupoint.
SUBMISSION DETAILS The assignment work should be submitted to the appropriate assignment submission Turnitin folder available on Blackboard[1] by the due date. You should: 1.      Use the ACM SIG template for Word files, which can be found on Blackboard area, under the following place: ”Assignment” menupoint -> ”ACM SIG Word Template”.   Note that the ACM SIG template uses numbered references, not Harvard style referencing.   2. Use RefWorks (or similar) to organise your references. RefWorks is available on the UCLan network.

1.   Learning Outcomes 

This assignment addresses the following learning outcomes: 

• Evaluate approaches to the management of IT Security 
• investigate, summarise and review contemporary topics in IT security 
• Apply ideas from research and current practices to address problems of IT system security

 2. Assignment Description

This assignment is individual, You have to write a paper with a total size of 2400 words in the ACM SIG template (excluding references). Please check the Section 5 for more info on the template.  

  Research Paper Structure

 

The paper should contain at least the following sections. Note that you may add sections and subsections to improve the paper and its structure; for example, you may want to organise the literature review in sub-sections. 

1.     An abstract provides a compact summary of the report, which hightlight what you have done, and usually include the major findings and their significance. It is very important that based on the abstract a reader should be able to tell whether your paper will be useful to them. (ideally 200-300 words)

2.  An introduction summarizes your research question and its context/ background (such as trends, statistics, recent developments in the field), the practical relevance of this question, the initial goal of your paper (how you expected to answer your research question), the relevance of the question for practitioners or researchers, how you did answer your question, and how the paper is structured. 

3.     A critical analysis of existing literature relevant to your research question. Identify any interesting results, insights, how effective are the proposed methods, and their limitations. Where applicable, also review relevant practices from high quality sources. Additionally, consider the extent to which methods proposed in research papers have been tested in industry. Due to the constraint on page number, only consider the most relevant, recent papers in the field.   

4.    Based on the drawbacks and limitation identified in this field, propose and discuss a possible (future) direction to improve or overcome some of these drawbacks. You may also discuss the mitigations or counter measures collected from research and/or current practices that minimise or avoid issues identified by the literature review.  

  ·         Note that you do not have to develop a method (since it is out of scope of this assignment), but only provide some interesting thoughts and discussion on a possible direction (i.e., mainly expressing your idea). 

    5.     A conclusion drawing conclusions about what you have achieved, reflecting on your initial goal, and summarize the main findings.  

3  Selecting a Research Topic   

The following research questions are provided to give you an idea of the type of question that you are expected to answer. Before you start, you should locate a paper that will help you to find other papers. 

Important: Let your tutor know about your chosen topic before you start.  You should specify a research question, and you should narrow down the topic. Otherwise, you will run out of space quickly.

3.1.  Web Security 

• Phishing attack
• SQL injection
• Cross site scripting (XSS)
• Cross site request forgery (CSRF)
• Browser security
• Certificate vulnerabilities (e.g., Heartbleed bug)
• Typosquatting

3.2.  Coping with Internal Attackers/Threats 

• Based on honeynet/honeypot/honeytokens
• Based on trap documents
• Based on intrusion detection system (IDS)

 

3.3.  Authentication Methods

• Multi-factor authentication
• CAPTCHA
• Graphical Passwords
• Single Sign On (SSO)

3.4. Security and Privacy of Cloud services 

• Client-side/end-to-end encryption vs. server side encrytion scheme
• Privacy and accountability of cloud services
• from the data subjects (user), data controller (service provider), and legal perspective. 
• Big data problem in cloud computing and storage
• Data theft in cloud (e.g., Fog computing)
• Automated malware analysis in the cloud
• Health-care management in the cloud 

3.5. Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) 

• Zero-day type attacks and their detection
• coping with attacks based on zero-day or unknown vulnerabilities 

3.6 Botnets

• Detecting and mitigating botnets
• Online social networks based command and control (C&C) methods and detection

3.7 Smart City Security  (IoT)

• Secure vehicular communications
• Security of smart road traffic control systems   

 

3.8 Security and Privacy in Social Networks

• Centralized and decentralized (peer 2 peer) social networks
• Privacy and accountability of social networks
• from the data subjects (user), data controller (service provider), and legal perspective.
• Protecting children in online social networks 
• Crowdturfing activities in online social networks and detection 
• Sybil (fake) account problem in online social networks and detection  

3.9 Mobile Security

• Privilege escalation attacks
• Android security problems
• IOS security problems

3.10 Firewall, IDS Security 

• Firewall/IDS misconfiguration problems
• Inconsistency/Anomaly in firewall and IDS rulesets 
• Conformation between high-level firewall/IDS policy and low-level firewall/IDS configuration  

3.11  Hardware security modules (HSM) 

• Security of Banking Hardware Security Modules
• Security HSM API analysis

3.12  Shilling attacks against recommender systems

·         How effective are recommender systems against shilling attack

·         E.g., Amazon, Netflix

TOP CONFERENCES AND JOURNALS IN CYBER SECURITY AND PRIVACY

You may browse the websites of the following top conferences and journal for the most relevant related works. Note that each conference and journal have a different version each year, e.g., CCS 2014, CCS 2015, etc., therefore you can Google based on the conference name + year + keywords. Also, keep in mind that these are only recommendation, you are allowed to work with papers from other places.

• ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS)
• USENIX Security Symposium (USENIX)
• IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy 
• Network & Distributed System Security Symposium (NDSS)
• European Symposium on Research in Computer Security (ESORICS)
• ACM Conference on Security and Privacy in Wireless and Mobile Networks (WISEC)
• ACM Symposium on Information, Computer and Communications Security (ASIACCS)
• Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium (PETS) 
• Workshop on Privacy in the Electronic Society (WPES)
• Annual Privacy Forum (APF)
• Black Hat
• DEF CON
• IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security Journal
• IEEE Security & Privacy Journal
• TDSC - IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing Journal
• TISSEC - ACM Transactions on Information and System Security Journal
• IEEE Communications Magazine
• ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR)

Penalty

For every 10% you exceed your word limit, you will have 10% of your marks removed until a maximum of 100%. Your word limit does not include references, but does include citations (quotes). 

6 Late work

Late work must be submitted to eLearn in the required assignment slot. 

6.1. Penalties for late submission

Except where an extension of the hand-in and presentation deadline dates has been approved (using extenuating circumstances forms), lateness penalties will be applied in accordance with University policy as shown in Table 1[1].

(Working) Days Late	Penalty
Up to 5	Maximum mark 50%
More than 5	0%

Table 1: Late submission penalty

7. Mitigating circumstances

Extensions are granted when there are serious and exceptional factors outside your control. Everyday occurrences such as colds and hay fever do not normally qualify for extensions. Where possible, requests for extensions should be made before the hand-in date.
Information about how to submit : 

9 Unfair Means to Enhance Performance

The University operates an electronic plagiarism detection service (Turnitin) where your work will be automatically uploaded, stored and cross-referenced against other material. You should be aware that the software searches the World Wide Web, extensive databases of reference material and work submitted by members of the same class to identify duplication.

To avoid accusations of plagiarism, give an in-text citation and provide bibliographic details of any source used in the references list. Remember that you can reuse ideas from different sources but not literal text. 

HELP AND SUPPORT Please edit the below to describe how any questions arising from this assessment brief should be handled – e.g. tutorials in seminars, online forum, etc.  Enter here details for how academic support for this assessment will be provided For support with using library resources, please contact <insert name and email address of your subject librarian> or SubjectLibrarians@uclan.ac.uk. You will find links to lots of useful resources in the My Library tab on Blackboard. If you have not yet made the university aware of any disability, specific learning difficulty, long-term health or mental health condition, please complete a Disclosure Form.  The Inclusive Support team will then contact to discuss reasonable adjustments and support relating to any disability.  For more information, visit the Inclusive Support site. To access mental health and wellbeing support, please complete our online referral form. Alternatively, you can email wellbeing@uclan.ac.uk, call 01772 893020 or visit our UCLan Wellbeing Service pages for more information.  If you have any other query or require further support you can contact The <i>, The Student Information and Support Centre.  Speak with us for advice on accessing all the University services as well as the Library services. Whatever your query, our expert staff will be able to help and support you. For more information , how to contact us and our opening hours visit Student Information and Support Centre. If you have any valid mitigating circumstances that mean you cannot meet an assessment submission deadline and you wish to request an extension, you will need to apply online prior to the deadline.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this assessment brief is correct at time of publication. In the unlikely event that any changes are deemed necessary, they will be communicated clearly via e-mail and a new version of this assessment brief will be circulated.	Version: 1

   

10 Reassessed Work 

Reassessment in written examinations and coursework is at the discretion of the Course Assessment Board and is dealt with strictly in accordance with University policy and procedures. Revision classes for referrals will take place during ’reassessment revision, appeals and guidance week’ as marked on the academic calendar

The mark for the reassessed module is subject to a maximum of 50%.

Please see the UCLAN Academic Regulations and Assessment Handbook for information and penalties related to “unfair means to enhance performance”[1].

MARKING SCHEME

CO4510 Assignment 

Student

To be awarded a failing grade (less than 50%) your work will not have met the required standard. The following (non-exhaustive) list contains examples that may cause your work to fail (several of the following points together would lead to a fail).                                                         The abstract is very badly written/many typos/grammar issues.                                         Very badly written/many typos/grammar issues/missing context, main findings/cannot understand the research question and goal           Used very low quality/number of sources/no main findings/results identified/no critical reasoning/many typos                 Critical discussion: very limited or no drawbacks identified\very low quality suggestions\many typos or grammar issues/ no critical discussion.        Very limited number (0-4) and quality (old, poor conferences/journals) of references         Can be bad format (Not ACM format)        Can exceed greatly the word limit (2400 words + 10%).

To be awarded a pass mark (52, 55, 58) your work will be of a competent standard. The abstract is readable but still too long/short or contain some spelling/grammar issues. Acceptable sentences/may contain some typos and grammatical issues/understandable writing skill                                Used low quality/number of sources/low quality discussion of main                                         findings/results identified/ limited no critical reasoning. Critical discussion: limited drawbacks identified\low quality suggestions\some typos or grammar issues                          Limited number (5-7) and quality (old, poor conferences/journals) of references Good format (ACM format Can exceed slightly the word limit (2400 words +10%).                                                                                                      Your report structure, writing style (compact/focused), referencing quality/quantity will be used to determine whether you receive a low (52), mid (55) or high (58) pass grade.

To be awarded a merit grade (62, 65, 68) your work will be of a very good standard. The abstract is readable and in appropriate length, it may contain only few spelling/grammar issues. Good sentences/may contain only few typos and grammatical issues/easy readability    Used acceptable quality/number of sources/acceptable quality discussion of main findings/results identified/contain critical reasoning but missing some or contain unnecessary parts                                                               Critical discussion: Sufficient drawbacks identified\ good quality suggestions\few typos or grammar issues            Acceptable/good number (8-12) and quality (acceptable conferences/journals) of references             Good format (ACM format) Within the word limit (2400 words + 10%).                                                                                                      Your report structure, writing style (professional/compact/focused) and referencing quality/quantity will be used to determine whether you receive a low (62), mid (65) or high (68) merit grade.

To be awarded a distinction grade (74, 80, 87, 94, 100) your work will be of a very good standard.  The abstract is compact and clear with very few or no spelling/grammar issues. Well-written/good/professional sentences/may contain very few typos and grammatical issues    Used high quality/number of sources/high quality discussion of main findings/results identified/with high quality critical reasoning                                                                                                            Critical discussion: High number of drawbacks or important drawbacks identified\ high quality suggestions\very few or no typos/grammar issues                                      High number (> 12) and quality (acceptable conferences/journals) of references                                    Good format (ACM format) Within the word limit (2400 words + 10%)        Your report structure, writing style (professional/compact/focused) and referencing quality/quantity will be used to determine whether you receive a low (74), mid (87) or high (94, 100) distinction grade.