MEng

Cyber Security and Digital Forensics

Teaching & Learning

What you'll learn

You’ll cover the fundamentals of digital forensics, including tools and methodologies in digital forensics investigations. You will review device operations, the location of digital artefacts, and how to safely preserve and acquire digital evidence whilst adhering to legal, ethical and professional practices.
Examine the principles involved in making information sharing possible, efficient and secure. You will gain an understanding of the techniques that networking protocols use to achieve successful communication, including error detection and recovery, multiplexing and security protection.
You will be introduced to the fundamentals of computer programming, including variables and data types, understanding sequence, selection and iteration, basic algorithms, and structured programming and reuse.
You’ll be introduced to the motives and methods of hackers, and the steps a hacker undertakes, and will learn to apply these same techniques to perform ethical hacking and penetration testing, to test the security of systems. Students will also explore ethics and privacy in the context of cyber security.
Discover the stages involved in the development of database systems and acquire database modelling and implementation skills. You will also examine the ethical and professional issues associated with the database development process.
Extend the basic knowledge of programming you have gained on the fundamentals module by focusing on the concept of object oriented programming and its associated design techniques.
You’ll cover the fundamentals of digital forensics, including tools and methodologies in digital forensics investigations. You will review device operations, the location of digital artefacts, and how to safely preserve and acquire digital evidence whilst adhering to legal, ethical and professional practices.
Examine the principles involved in making information sharing possible, efficient and secure. You will gain an understanding of the techniques that networking protocols use to achieve successful communication, including error detection and recovery, multiplexing and security protection.
You will be introduced to the fundamentals of computer programming, including variables and data types, understanding sequence, selection and iteration, basic algorithms, and structured programming and reuse.
You’ll be introduced to the motives and methods of hackers, and the steps a hacker undertakes, and will learn to apply these same techniques to perform ethical hacking and penetration testing, to test the security of systems. Students will also explore ethics and privacy in the context of cyber security.
Discover the stages involved in the development of database systems and acquire database modelling and implementation skills. You will also examine the ethical and professional issues associated with the database development process.
Extend the basic knowledge of programming you have gained on the fundamentals module by focusing on the concept of object oriented programming and its associated design techniques.

What you'll learn

The next stage in your understanding of digital forensics, this module will examine the various legal aspects of forensics and explore the tools and file systems that are available for analysis.
You’ll learn about human and organisational aspects of cyber security, including how IT risk can be managed in an organisation. You will build your technical and applied knowledge around cryptography, to encrypt and hash data, and around security principles of infrastructure security, including network, hardware, and cyber-physical security.
A comprehensive and accessible overview of security mechanisms, attacks and defences in modern web applications. This covers the OWASP Top 10 Web Application Security Risks extensively from a predominantly practical perspective to enable students to conduct security assessments of websites.
Develop an in-depth practical understanding of the analysis techniques and tools used by forensic examiners.
Further your professional and entrepreneurial skills by working within a small group to design, develop and present a solution to a real or case-study based problem.
The next stage in your understanding of digital forensics, this module will examine the various legal aspects of forensics and explore the tools and file systems that are available for analysis.
You’ll learn about human and organisational aspects of cyber security, including how IT risk can be managed in an organisation. You will build your technical and applied knowledge around cryptography, to encrypt and hash data, and around security principles of infrastructure security, including network, hardware, and cyber-physical security.
A comprehensive and accessible overview of security mechanisms, attacks and defences in modern web applications. This covers the OWASP Top 10 Web Application Security Risks extensively from a predominantly practical perspective to enable students to conduct security assessments of websites.
Develop an in-depth practical understanding of the analysis techniques and tools used by forensic examiners.
Further your professional and entrepreneurial skills by working within a small group to design, develop and present a solution to a real or case-study based problem.

Option modules may include

Focus on advanced programming techniques and study concepts including exception handling, defining interfaces and use of collections. You will also look at other topics such as analysis of algorithms.
Explore the design and development of dynamic websites. You will examine the design process alongside an introduction to server side web development, enabling you to build a well designed, interactive site.
Build on your experience of designing and implementing databases and apply your database application development and programming skills to build robust applications.
Focus on advanced programming techniques and study concepts including exception handling, defining interfaces and use of collections. You will also look at other topics such as analysis of algorithms.
Explore the design and development of dynamic websites. You will examine the design process alongside an introduction to server side web development, enabling you to build a well designed, interactive site.
Build on your experience of designing and implementing databases and apply your database application development and programming skills to build robust applications.

What you'll learn

This team-based module will enable you to further your professional and entrepreneurial skills. Working as part of a small group, you'll research, design, develop and present a solution to a real or case-study based problem. You'll individually research a topic related to the project, present your findings to the rest of the group, then document your research in a report.
You’ll configure (and audit the security of) Linux and Windows systems using advanced security controls, including access control lists (ACLs), containerisation such as Docker, mandatory access controls (MAC) such as AppArmor, and network-based authentication such as LDAP and Active Directory.
Gain a hands-on, in-depth view of the nuances of the analysis of alternative sources of digital evidence, beyond that of the standard computer. These sources include satellite navigation systems, mobile phones and networked environments.
This team-based module will enable you to further your professional and entrepreneurial skills. Working as part of a small group, you'll research, design, develop and present a solution to a real or case-study based problem. You'll individually research a topic related to the project, present your findings to the rest of the group, then document your research in a report.
You’ll configure (and audit the security of) Linux and Windows systems using advanced security controls, including access control lists (ACLs), containerisation such as Docker, mandatory access controls (MAC) such as AppArmor, and network-based authentication such as LDAP and Active Directory.
Gain a hands-on, in-depth view of the nuances of the analysis of alternative sources of digital evidence, beyond that of the standard computer. These sources include satellite navigation systems, mobile phones and networked environments.

Option modules may include

You will learn security monitoring techniques to monitor networks and systems to detect signs of attack or compromise, methods for recovering and restoring from security breaches, and investigation methods to identify the specifics of what has occurred.
Look at the ways in which data can be investigated and interpreted, including the development of analytical skills that can be used for interpreting complex data. This includes a critical application of legal and ethical issues pertaining to complex cases.
Focus on current developments, standards, tools and technologies within the area of internet application systems. You will learn to build professional web-based systems using a variety of current techniques.
Extend your programming skills and knowledge to a more advanced level and develop transferable programming and design abilities which will permit you to confidently work within industry.
Take a practical perspective on the domain of data and database development and management. You will seek to justify and implement appropriate modelling, design and programming strategies that satisfy the requirements associated with a range of modern data/database applications.
You will learn security monitoring techniques to monitor networks and systems to detect signs of attack or compromise, methods for recovering and restoring from security breaches, and investigation methods to identify the specifics of what has occurred.
Look at the ways in which data can be investigated and interpreted, including the development of analytical skills that can be used for interpreting complex data. This includes a critical application of legal and ethical issues pertaining to complex cases.
Focus on current developments, standards, tools and technologies within the area of internet application systems. You will learn to build professional web-based systems using a variety of current techniques.
Extend your programming skills and knowledge to a more advanced level and develop transferable programming and design abilities which will permit you to confidently work within industry.
Take a practical perspective on the domain of data and database development and management. You will seek to justify and implement appropriate modelling, design and programming strategies that satisfy the requirements associated with a range of modern data/database applications.

What you'll learn

Examine fundamental underlying software technologies (such as understanding and debugging C and assembly code) and perform reverse engineering and analysis of malware. Perform hands-on analysis of binary files using static and dynamic analysis techniques to determine the behaviour of malware.
Develop awareness of the methods and skills which are required in order to carry out Master’s level research successfully, and to reflect critically on your own development in the context of your chosen programme of study.
Learn concepts of digital image / video processing application and how to apply techniques such as image filtering, de-nosing, enhancement and restoration methods in different scenarios. Perform analytical and investigative techniques in handling image and video evidence data to maintain the authenticity of the original data and validity of any processing performed on the multimedia data.
The Final Dissertation provides an opportunity to engage in research or advanced scholarship in a subject area that is appropriate to your award and is of particular interest to you. You will carry out an in-depth research project, which will be discussed in a formal dissertation.
An in-depth experience of the technical underpinnings of software security. Gain experience with software vulnerabilities and review code with software design and implementation bugs (including buffer overflows, injection attacks, and other faults). Audit code for the presence of security vulnerabilities both manually and using advanced approaches such as fuzz-testing and static analysis.
Examine fundamental underlying software technologies (such as understanding and debugging C and assembly code) and perform reverse engineering and analysis of malware. Perform hands-on analysis of binary files using static and dynamic analysis techniques to determine the behaviour of malware.
Develop awareness of the methods and skills which are required in order to carry out Master’s level research successfully, and to reflect critically on your own development in the context of your chosen programme of study.
Learn concepts of digital image / video processing application and how to apply techniques such as image filtering, de-nosing, enhancement and restoration methods in different scenarios. Perform analytical and investigative techniques in handling image and video evidence data to maintain the authenticity of the original data and validity of any processing performed on the multimedia data.
The Final Dissertation provides an opportunity to engage in research or advanced scholarship in a subject area that is appropriate to your award and is of particular interest to you. You will carry out an in-depth research project, which will be discussed in a formal dissertation.
An in-depth experience of the technical underpinnings of software security. Gain experience with software vulnerabilities and review code with software design and implementation bugs (including buffer overflows, injection attacks, and other faults). Audit code for the presence of security vulnerabilities both manually and using advanced approaches such as fuzz-testing and static analysis.

This course offers the opportunity to take a ‘sandwich’ year – a year of paid employment in industry which will build your skills and experience. This is usually taken between the second and third year of your degree, typically making your course four years in total.

Students who choose the sandwich route find it helps with both their studies and getting a job after graduation. It can build your confidence, contacts, and of course your CV. Leeds Beckett advertise lots of placement opportunities and provide support in helping you find the right placement for you.