CYBERCRIME AND CYBERSECURITY - 2023/4

Module Overview

The study of cybercrime and cybersecurity not only represents one of the key emerging areas of research within contemporary criminology but is also a crucial problem of national policy and crime control. Recent (2016) data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales suggest that cybercrime may now be the most prevalent form of criminality in the UK and repeated breaches to key infrastructures across most jurisdictions have emphasized why it is has also become one of the main threats to international peace and security.

This module will introduce students to the key themes within the study of cybercrime and cybersecurity – including, offence types and their prevalence; typical victims and perpetrators; policing and control measures; varieties of cybersecurity responses and the ‘human’ problem in making these resilient.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

MCGUIRE Michael (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Week 1 – Introduction


• Week 2 – Cyber dependent Crime (I)  - Malware & Ransomware


• Week 3 – Cyberdependent Crime (II)  - Bots


• Week 4 – Cyberenabled Crime Fraud


• Week 5 – Sexual Offending and Indecent Imagery


• Week 6 – Hate Speech & Trolling


• Week 7 – Stealing Ideas in the digital domain


• Week 8 – State and Corporate Sponsored Cybercrimes


• Week 9 – Cybersecurity – themes and methods


• Week 10 – Humans and other problems with Cybersecurity


• Week 11 – Cybercrime 4.0?

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate





Learning Outcome


Assessed by




Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the ways in which different theories have sought to understand different types of cybercrimes

• 2,000 word essay

Use an advanced ability to make connections and distinctions between these different theories and to apply them to real world cases of cybercriminality and the cybersecurity response

• Formative Case Study proposal


• Case Study Report

 




Apply critical understanding to the ways in which issues and theories of cybercrime and cybersecurity  intersect with policy and the operations of the criminal justice system

• 2,000 word essay


• Case Study Report

 




 


 





 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

 

• An essay of 2,000 words. Feedback will be provided to students both via written and verbal comments


• A case study report/presentation of 3,000 words. Feedback will be provided to students both via written and verbal comments

 

Formative assessment and feedback

• A proposal and outline plan for the Case Study Report of no more than 1,000 words. Verbal and written feedback will be provided to students.

Module aims

• As learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Foster an advanced ability to make connections and distinctions between these different theories and apply these to real world contexts of cybersecurity and cybercrime.


• Provide a systematic understanding of the ways in which different theories have sought to understand different types of cyber-criminality


• Develop a critical understanding of the ways cyber-criminality and cybersecurity intersect with public policy and the operations of the criminal justice system

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

Knowledge and understanding is fostered through lectures, seminars and workshops that guide students through relevant material and develop their capacity for critical thought. Students are encouraged to pursue deeper study independently through extensive reading and to apply learning to their own specialist substantive areas or interests. Teaching and learning consists of a mixture of lectures, seminars and applied case study exercises, Guest speakers with expertise in cybercrime theory and the implementation of cybersecurity measures will provide engagement with innovative and leading edge developments in cybercrime theory and the practical responses to preventing cybercrime

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOCM051

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.