Assessment Brief- Assessment 3 (Group)
| Unit Code/Description | ICT306 – Advanced Cybersecurity |
| Course/Subject | Bachelors |
| Semester | This Semester |
| Unit Learning Outcomes Addressed | a) Evaluate different techniques used by attackers and defenders in cybersecurity, employing both technical knowledge and ethical reasoning. b) Design, implement, and critically evaluate cybersecurity solutions for addressing real-world challenges. |
| Assessment Objective | This assessment task requires students to design, implement, and critically evaluate a cybersecurity project. Students must demonstrate advanced technical knowledge, professional skills, and an ethical approach to addressing cybersecurity threats or vulnerabilities. |
| Assessment Title/Type | Cybersecurity Project Implementation, Report, and Presentation |
| Due Date | 12th Week |
| Weighting | 30% |
| Instructions to Students | Students are required to select and implement one of the cybersecurity projects from the provided list or propose their own project with prior approval. Each group must submit a project report and present their project in class using slides. All work must be submitted on LMS by the due date with a completed Assignment Cover Page. |
| Format/Structure | – Report: MS Word format, 1.5 spacing, 11pt Calibri (Body) font, and 2 cm margins on all sides, with appropriate section headings. – Presentation: PowerPoint (PPT) or PDF format. – Code: Submit as a ZIP file or upload to a shared repository (link included in the submission). |
| Word/Page Limit | – Report: 3000 words (excluding references). – Presentation: Maximum of 10 slides. |
| Referencing Style | All sources must be cited in the text of the report and listed in a reference list using the IEEE referencing style. |
| Submission Guidelines | – Submit all deliverables (report, presentation slides, and code) via LMS before the due date. – Include a completed Assignment Cover Page. |
| Plagiarism and Academic Integrity | At CIHE, academic integrity is paramount. All students are expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and ethical behaviour. Ensure all submissions reflect original work and adhere to the principles of fairness and respect for intellectual property. Refer to the “CIHE Student Academic Integrity and Honesty Policy” on Moodle for details. |
| Late Submission Policy | An assessment item submitted after the due date, without an approved extension or mitigating circumstances, will incur a penalty. The standard penalty is a 10% deduction of the total mark per day late. Submissions made more than ten days after the due date will receive zero marks. |
Assessment: Cybersecurity Project Implementation and Report
Assessment Overview
- Objective: To allow students to apply cybersecurity concepts by choosing and implementing a project from a provided list or their own idea (with approval).
- Deliverables:
- Project Report: A comprehensive report detailing their project.
- Presentation: A slide deck summarizing the project for classroom presentation.
Report Structure
Students should adhere to the following structure while writing their project report:
- Abstract
- A concise summary of the project, objectives, and outcomes.
- Introduction
- Explanation of the project’s purpose and importance in cybersecurity.
- Brief overview of the selected topic or problem.
- Literature Review
- Summary of related work or research in the selected domain.
- Mention existing tools, methodologies, or studies.
- Methodology
- Detailed explanation of how the project was implemented, including tools, technologies, and frameworks used.
- Challenges faced during implementation.
- Implementation
- Step-by-step process with screenshots or code snippets.
- Description of key features or functionalities.
- Results and Analysis
- Output or outcomes of the project.
- Analysis of results, including challenges, limitations, or improvements.
- Conclusion and Future Work
- Summary of findings and lessons learned.
- Suggestions for future work or enhancements.
- References
- Citations of any resources, tools, or research papers used.
Presentation Structure
- Slide 1: Project title, team members, and objective.
- Slide 2: Introduction and purpose of the project.
- Slide 3: Methodology and tools used.
- Slide 4: Key features and functionalities.
- Slide 5: Results or outcomes.
- Slide 6: Challenges and future work.
- Slide 7: Conclusion.
Project Ideas
Project 1: Educational Trojan Horse Simulation for Cybersecurity Awareness
Objective: Develop a Trojan horse simulation to demonstrate deceptive behaviors of malicious software.
Key Features:
- Option to “scan and remove viruses,” which deletes .txt files in the current directory.
- Option to “make the computer faster,” which generates multiple copies of a .txt file.
- Option to “fix a problem,” which renames and hides a file.
Purpose: Teach students how malicious software operates while emphasizing ethical hacking principles.
Project 2: Cybersecurity Awareness Game
Objective: Create an educational game to teach cybersecurity concepts.
Key Features:
- Real-world scenarios (e.g., phishing attacks, password security).
- Multiple-choice challenges and feedback.
Topics:
- Phishing attacks
- Strong passwords
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Malware avoidance
Project 3: Phishing Email Detector
Objective: Build a GUI-based tool to detect phishing emails using keyword analysis and heuristics.
Key Features:
- Analyze subject lines, links, and email content.
- Identify suspicious patterns or words.
Project 4: Password Strength Checker
Objective: Develop a GUI-based tool to analyze password strength.
Key Features:
- Suggest improvements for weak passwords.
- Test against common password databases.
Project 5: Encryption/Decryption and Hashing Tool
Objective: Build a GUI tool for encryption, decryption, and hash generation.
Key Features:
- Implement AES and RSA algorithms.
- File integrity checking using hashing.
Project 6: Secure Chat Application
Objective: Create a messaging application with end-to-end encryption.
Key Features:
- Secure key exchange.
- Encrypted message storage.
Project 7: Vulnerability Scanner
Objective: Develop a tool to identify security weaknesses in web applications or network services.
Key Features:
- Integration with Nikto, OWASP ZAP, or Nessus.
- Generate detailed reports of vulnerabilities.
Project 8: Advanced Nmap Scanner
Objective: Design a GUI-based Nmap scanner with multiple scanning options.
Key Features:
- Quick scan, full scan, OS detection, vulnerability scan.
- Provide options for port ranges and save results.
Project 9: Keylogger Simulation with Awareness
Objective: Create a keylogger tool for educational purposes.
Key Features:
- Log keystrokes and store in a file.
- Send logs via email.
- Include educational content on preventing keyloggers.
Project 10: Secure Student Management System
Objective: Develop a student management system with robust security features.
Key Features:
- Two-factor authentication.
- SQL injection and XSS prevention.
- Encrypted database storage.
Project 11: Facial Authentication for Secure Systems
Objective: Implement facial recognition for a secure student management system.
Key Features:
- Facial authentication for login.
- Secure storage of facial data.
Project 12: Intrusion Detection System (IDS) with Machine Learning
Objective: Design and develop an IDS with machine learning for packet analysis.
Key Features:
- Capture network packets.
- Train an ML model to detect anomalies.
- Test packets through a GUI.
The detail description of some of the project idea can be found in the following folder “Assessment 3- Detailed description of Some Projects” on Moodle page.
Assessment Rubric
| Criteria | Excellent (5) | Good (4) | Satisfactory (3) | Needs Improvement (1-2) |
| Project Implementation | Fully functional with extra features. | Functional with minor issues. | Basic functionality achieved. | Incomplete implementation. |
| Innovation and Complexity | High level of creativity and complexity. | Moderate innovation. | Basic idea, less complex. | Minimal effort in design. |
| Report Quality | Well-structured, clear, and detailed. | Adequately detailed. | Basic content included. | Lacks clarity and structure. |
| Presentation | Engaging and professional. | Clear and adequate. | Basic slides, minimal effort. | Poorly presented. |
