Computer Forensics BSc Honours

Course content

What will you study on the BSc Computer Forensics?

Core modules such as programming, networks, and IT security are covered in this course extensively. You will develop expert knowledge in the technological, ethical and legal issues in this field, including security, encryption, operating systems and information systems. In Year 2, you will have the opportunity to put what you've learned to practical use with a work experience placement at a company such as Apple.

What will you gain?

You will be prepared to deal with the legal implications of investigations and know how to collect and present evidence in an appropriate manner that is admissible in a court of law.

Modules

This module will provide you with the basic skills needed to succeed in networking related degree programs and will also help you develop the skills necessary to fulfil the job responsibilities of network technicians, network administrators, and network engineers. It provides a theoretically-rich, hands-on introduction to networking and the Internet.

This module will provide you with the knowledge to be able to differentiate between data and information in an organisation. You will explore ways to investigate efficient ways of storing, preserving, searching, retrieving and displaying information in an organisation as well as methods to visualise and conceptualise information in organisations through knowledge of modelling techniques. You will be able to design and implement a database system, and to utilise a mark-up language, and to reflect the information in an organisation. You will be proficient in SQL in an Oracle 11g environment, in particular, and be able to complete the Oracle Database 11g SQL Fundamentals exam necessary to pass Oracle Database PL/SQL Certified Associate ODCA.

This module covers fundamentals of Computer Forensics in three principal areas:

• Professional - Based on Guidelines from ACPO how to behave and act as a professional
• Technical - To be able to identify, dismantle and rebuild a PC
• Regulatory - Based on Regulatory Framework.

This module introduces computer programming techniques, with an emphasis on concepts that are relevant to a wide range of programming languages. There is a strong focus on practical work and you will be working together in pairs and small groups. You will learn how to solve problems by the design, enhancement and implementation of computer programs and you will develop the ability to document, test and debug your programs. You will be introduced to fundamental concepts of programming, data structures and algorithms and will be encouraged to work individually and in groups in a series of highly interactive and progressive activities.

This module aims to provide you with experiential knowledge of the four phases of a Digital Investigation:

• Seizure – this covers areas from the beginning of the crime scene and will discuss the ACPO guidelines on A Good Practice Guide for Computer Based Electronic Evidence, Locard’s exchange principle, the physical process of bagging and tagging and making and referring to contemporaneous notes
• Imaging – this covers areas of why it is necessary to image, verification of image, evidentiary integrity and how to image using Write-Blocker hardware
• Analysis using various software build up profiles of users from their digital fingerprints using appropriate software
• Reporting using appropriate software be able to explain, justify and defend any decision made in the analysis stage.

This module aims to explain File Systems. The three main file systems and their variants will form the syllabus of the module: FAT, NTFS, and EXT.

This module will provide the technical background to working with servers accessed through networks, their setup, maintenance and security aspects. Supporting language technologies, operating system utilisation and appreciation of protocols involved in data transfer are explored. Firewalls, viruses, malware and other security concerns are also covered in detail.

This module introduces computer programming techniques, with an emphasis on concepts that are relevant to a wide range of programming languages. There is a strong focus on practical work and you will be working together in pairs and small groups. You will learn how to solve problems by the design, enhancement and implementation of computer programs and you will develop the ability to document, test and debug your programs. You will be introduced to fundamental concepts of programming, data structures and algorithms and will be encouraged to work individually and in groups in a series of highly interactive and progressive activities.

The aims of the module are to cover knowledge and skills necessary for the five stages of a digital investigation and the evidential integrity of a mobile device.

The module aims to provide you with a sound understanding of the relationship between e-Discovery, e-Disclosure and Evidence Management. This module builds on the earlier Digital Investigation module and now focuses on how to incorporate forensic investigation skills in the processes of discovering electronic information. The module also equips you with the awareness of how company policies can be designed between key stakeholders in an organisation to produce policies that justifiably keep essential information, allow retention of useful information and allows removal of information that has outlived its usefulness.

This module aims to develop your understanding of the techniques and approaches used to develop and deploy a data warehouse for purposes of business intelligence. The module will examine data quality and data transformation methods and practices. Intelligent data mining theories and methods that aid knowledge discovery will be introduced. You will also learn about information retrieval, data presentation and pattern recognition techniques that are used in business intelligence applications.

This module will introduce the underlying theories for Social Network Analysis SNA and Visual Analytics VA and apply this theory to produce analysis on Social Media, such as Consumer Generated Websites, Information in Organisations, email, and information related to criminal and digital investigations.

You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.