School: Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Software Reverse Engineering
  • Unit Code

    CSI2107
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Mohi AHMED

Description

Software reverse engineering is the art and science of determining the functionality and means of operation of unknown software. This unit explores the core tools and techniques used by cyber security specialists when encountering potentially malicious or otherwise interesting software. Successful students will learn the skills required to discover the true purpose of software in the absence of source code or other documentation. Students will be familiarized with a wide range of tools and techniques to analyse malware and develop countermeasures. The state-of-the-art malware and corresponding research will also be explored. These skills are key for any incident responder dealing with cyber incidents and intrusion.

Prerequisite Rule

Must have passed CSP1150. Must have passed ENS1161. Must have passed CSI1101. Must have passed CSI1241.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Document the use of software reverse engineering techniques as a component of incident response.
  2. Analyse potential malware or interesting software.
  3. Apply established tools and techniques to examine unknown binaries.

Unit Content

  1. Introduction to Malware.
  2. Reverse Engineering Tools.
  3. Abstraction and X86 Architecture.
  4. Static and Dynamic Analysis.
  5. Obfuscation and Packing.
  6. Malware Analysis Project.
  7. Rules to defend malware.
  8. Honeypots to detect malware.
  9. Ransomware Case Study.
  10. Dark Web.
  11. Malware in Internet of Things.
  12. Ransomware Detection.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 2 hour workshopNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentReview of Reverse Engineering Tools20%
ProjectApplied Reverse Engineering Analysis 45%
AssignmentMalware Defence White Paper and Video Reflection35%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentReview of Reverse Engineering Tools20%
ProjectApplied Reverse Engineering Analysis45%
AssignmentMalware Defence White Paper and Video Reflection35%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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