Aims
This course aims to:
• provide students an introduction to international security and the internet
• explain the conceptual component of cyber security and hacking
• examine how cyber has changed the fields of espionage, warfare, and terrorism
Content
This introductory course delves into the multifaceted realm of cybersecurity and international security, offering you a deep understanding of how digital security is maintained in a constantly evolving political and technical landscape. The curriculum begins with an exploration of Cyber Security, where you investigate the strategies and challenges involved in safeguarding digital infrastructures against a backdrop of dynamic global threats and regulatory changes.
In Anatomy of Hacking, the course dissects the methods employed by cyber attackers to infiltrate networks and achieve their malicious goals, such as disruption and data theft. This module provides a granular look at the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by hackers, enhancing your ability to anticipate and counteract these threats.
The module on Cyber Espionage examines the transformative impact of cyber capabilities on traditional espionage practices. You will examine case studies and real-world examples to understand how state actors employ cyber tools for intelligence gathering and covert operations.
Moving to Cyber Terrorism, the course explores how extremist groups leverage digital technologies and hacking techniques to further their objectives. This segment analyses the strategies used by these actors to disseminate propaganda, recruit members, and execute cyber attacks, providing insights into the evolving nature of terrorism in the digital age.
Lastly, the Cyber Warfare module focuses on the role of cyber operations in modern conflicts, drawing on case studies from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This part of the course highlights how cyber tactics are integrated into broader military strategies, the implications for international security, and the future of warfare.
By the end of this course, you will have a robust understanding of the critical issues and threats in the field of cybersecurity.
Presentation of the course
This course will be delivered in lecture format.
Course sessions
1. Cyber Security: Investigates how cyber security is achieved within a mutating political and technical environment.
2. Anatomy of Hacking: Dissects how attackers breach networks and achieve their objectives (e.g. disruption, data theft).
3. Cyber Espionage: Examines the revolutionary impact cyber is having on espionage.
4. Cyber Terrorism: Examines extremists use of digital technology before analysing how they utilise hacking.
5. Cyber Warfare: Focuses on cyber-warfare, drawing extensively on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Learning outcomes
You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.
The learning outcomes for this course are:
• an understanding of how cyber security is conducted
• an awareness of the conceptual components of hacking
• a basic knowledge of cyber-espionage, warfare, and terrorism
Required reading
Carr, Madeline, edited by Cornish, Paul, “A Political History of Cyberspace” in The Oxford Handbook of Cyber Security, 49-65 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021)
Lindsay, Jon R, edited by Cornish, Paul, "Cyber Espionage" in The Oxford Handbook of Cyber Security, 223-239 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021)
Perlroth, Nicole, This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race (New York: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020)
Pym, David J, edited by Cornish, Paul, "The Origins of Cyberspace" in The Oxford Handbook of Cyber Security, 7-21 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021)
