NIT5140 Information Security Assignment Specification
Assignment Description
1 Overview of the assessment:
The purpose of this assignment is twofold -
Task 1: In Task 1, students will explore Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption program that provides asymmetric cryptographic privacy and authentication for data communication. PGP is used for signing, encrypting, and decrypting texts, e-mails, files, directories, and whole disk partitions and to increase the security of e-mail communications.
Task 2: To develop skills to independently think of a situation and apply skills to analyze complex problems in network security under supervision. In this task, students will analyze a recent case in a chosen field. Based on his/her analysis, the student will find out the causes of the breach and will provide a plausible theoretical solution to resolve the case.
2 Task 1: Pretty Good Privacy (PGP)
2.1 Description of the assessment:
This task needs to be completed using the iGolder PGP Freeware tool. A text file with the public key is provided in the assessment folder. Use this key to encrypt the following plain text that can only be decrypted by your tutor, who has the corresponding private key.
Plain Text: {Student ID, First Name, Last Name}
You will only submit the cipher text.
3 Task 2: Critical Thinking
3.1 Description of the assessment:
This task consists of three steps – i) field selection ii) find a business case and iii) analyze the business case.
***You should work on your assignment progressively in full co-ordination with your tutor.
3.2 Field Selection
In the first step of the assignment, you have to select one of the fields listed below. You should choose your field in consultation with your lab tutor –
• Software Defined Networking
• Internet of Things
• Cloud Network
• Wireless Sensor Network
3.3 Finding a Case Study
In this step, you need to find a business case in your chosen field from last two years. The business
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NIT5140 Information Security
case can be of two types –
• A real world example, where a security breach occurs in your chosen field.
• One IEEE Journal, where authors worked toward the security of your chosen field.
3.4 Analyzing the Business Case
Analysis depends on the type of your business case –
3.4.1 A Real World Example
If it is a real world example, you need to first write a summary of the case study in your own words. Then you need to clearly identify the security breaches that occurred. Finally, you have to provide a solution that should be taken in future by the respective organization to build a shield against such attacks.
3.4.2 Research Article
You need to write a critical review of the journal that you have identified. The critical review includes – i) Summary of the Paper ii) Strength of the Paper iii) Weakness of the paper.
3.5 Task 2 Report Writing Guideline
1. Please download the IEEE Conference Template from the VU Collaborate 2. You need to use the template to write your report
3. The report should be in between 2-3 pages.
4 Plagiarism
All used sources must be properly acknowledged with references and citations, if you did not create it. Quotations and paraphrasing are allowed but the sources must be acknowledged. Failure to do so is regarded as plagiarism and the minimum penalty for plagiarism is failure for the assignment. The act of given your assignment to another student is classified as a plagiarism offence. Copying large chucks and supplying a reference will result in zero marks as you have not contributed to the report. Copying from Youtube or other videos is also plagiarism (including transcripts). Citation in a video can be included as credits at the end.
5 Due Date & Submission
The report is due at Week 11
Submission Guidelines:
1. You will upload two files –
• Task 1 – A .txt file containing the cipher text
• Task 2 – A .pdf file, this will be checked through turnitin.
Late submission of assignments will be penalised as follows:
• For assignments 1 to 5 days late, a penalty of 10% (of total available marks) per day.
• For assignments more than 5 days late, a penalty of 100% will apply.
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Marking criteria:
Example of marking criteria is shown in following table. Marks are allocated as follows: Note: The marking criteria varies for each assignment
Task 1: Marking Criteria
Criteria Description of the section Marks
Plain Text Retrieval Tutor will try retrieve the plain text from the submitted cipher text. 10
Task 2: Marking Criteria
Section to be included in the report Description of the section Marks
Abstract You should write a brief abstract that will provide a glimpse of your report 2
Literature You should write a brief literature survey on your chosen field. Your literature survey should be supported by at least 3-4 research articles 2
Business Case/Journal article In this section, you need to present the business case that you will analyze in this report 2
Analysis of the business case or journal article In this section, you should present your detailed analysis. 10
Conclusion Draw a conclusion. 2
Reference All references should be in IEEE style 2
Total 30
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Table 1 Marking Rubric – Task 2
Criteria HD (80-100%) D (70-79%) C (60-69%) P (50 – 59%) N (40 – 49%)
Abstract Highly appropriate, innovative and excellently written. Background, aim and results are articulated concisely and clearly. Highly relevant and proportion to each other. Appropriate and well written with relevant background, aim, results and conclusion, in proportion to each other. Well written with relevant background, aim, results and conclusion, in proportion to each other. Background, aim, results are articulated but the different parts of the abstract is not in well proportion to each other. Failed to brief the background, aims and results and either too long or too short.
Literature Reflect the cognitive, technical and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise the chosen field with appropriate illustration. Skilful use of high quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas. Use of cognitive and technical skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise the chosen field with appropriate illustration. Use of relevant resources to develop ideas. Lack of innovation and sources are not of very high quality. Investigate, analyse and synthesise the chosen field with appropriate illustration. Lack of innovation and resources to underpin the literature. Investigate, analyse and synthesise the chosen field without appropriate illustration. Lack of innovation and resources to underpin the literature. Too short or too little or no relevance to the topic. No references or inadequate references.
Critical Review of Business Case/Journal article The business case/journal article is reviewed critically reflecting the technical and cognitive skills. Use of appropriate knowledge gained from the units and draw a clear map. The business case/journal article is reviewed critically. Adequate use of technical and cognitive skill. Inadequate demonstration of mapping the appropriate knowledge gained from the units. The business case/journal article is reviewed critically. Inadequate use of technical and cognitive skill. Demonstration of mapping the appropriate knowledge gained from the units is missing The business case/journal article is reviewed. Technical and cognitive skill is missing. Failed to draw context based on the knowledge gained from the unit
content Poorly written. Failed to examine the article or business case critically.
Analysis of the business case (possible theoretical framework to defend) or Strong demonstration of technical skill to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at the Demonstration of technical skill to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at the Inadequate
demonstration of technical skill to generate and evaluate complex Weak demonstration of technical skill to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at the Poorly written. No demonstration of technical skill to generate and evaluate complex
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journal article (strength and/or weakness) abstract level. Clear identification of strength or weakness of the article or strong theoretical framework of defence for business case underpinned by the appropriate technical knowledge. abstract level.
Identification of strength or weakness of the article or theoretical framework of defence for business case underpinned by the appropriate technical knowledge. ideas and concepts at the abstract level. Weak identification of strength or weakness of the article or theoretical framework of defence for business case underpinned by the appropriate technical knowledge. abstract level.
Identification of strength or weakness of the article or theoretical framework of defence for business case underpinned by the inappropriate technical knowledge. ideas and concepts at the abstract level. Strength or weakness of the article or theoretical framework of defence for business is poorly articulated
Conclusion
Reference Skilful use of high quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas. Accurate citations and references using the appropriate style. All sources cited.
Appropriate paraphrasing and use of direct quotes. Consistent use of high quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas that are relevant to the chosen field. Accurate citations and references using the appropriate style. All sources cited. Demonstrate an attempt to use credible and/or relevant sources to support ideas. Some imprecise citations and references and/or deviations in referencing style. Most sources cited. Demonstrate an attempt to use sources to support ideas in the writing. Incomplete and imprecise referencing. Sources are poorly or inadequately used to support ideas. Incomplete and imprecise refefencing.
Prepared by: Khandakar Ahmed August, 2017