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

    Cryptographic Concepts
  • Unit Code

    CSI2108
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    6
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Julia COLLINS

Description

Cryptography is a field of science that explores the means by which data can be securely transmitted through insecure mediums. A fundamental understanding of cryptographic concepts is an essential part of any cyber security specialist's arsenal of knowledge. This unit is a primer on cryptographic concepts as they are applicable to the cyber security specialist. The core cryptographic primitives will be explored in terms of function, implementation and implications of their use within the security landscape. Extending from the basic understanding of primitives the unit delves into relevant ciphers both historical and current, for a deeper understanding of the failures and successes of cryptographic theory and implementation.

Prerequisite Rule

Must have passed CSI1101 and MAT1252.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Explain fundamental cryptographic principles.
  2. Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of cryptographic implementations.
  3. Design and implement diverse crypto-systems.
  4. Independently research a crypto-system.
  5. Communicate, orally and in writing, cryptographic principles and where they are used, to a professional audience.

Unit Content

  1. Cryptographic theory and history of cryptosystems.
  2. Stream ciphers.
  3. Block ciphers.
  4. Symmetric encryption.
  5. Asymmetric encryption.
  6. Digital signatures and hash functions.
  7. Key management.
  8. Cryptovirology.
  9. Cryptanalysis.

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 113 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
PortfolioPortfolio assignment70%
ReportTechnical report30%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
PortfolioPortfolio assignment70%
ReportTechnical report30%

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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