Applying Information Technology Security in practice: case studies

This week’s topics

Applying Information Technology Security in practice: case studies

1. Case analysis
2. Linking theory to practice
3. Evaluating evidence

What you will be able to do

• 1.3 Analyse the value of information from contrasting perspectives.
• 1.4 Analyse the importance of information privacy and the potential consequences when information is not kept private.
• 2.3 Evaluate several key cyber security models and their focuses.
• 2.4 Analyse the role of risk management in identifying security threats and vulnerabilities.
• 3.3 Analyse a range of strategies for implementing secure design to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks.
• 4.3 Compare encryption to hashing.
• 4.6 Analyse a variety of encryption techniques.
• 5.2 Analyse the effectiveness of legal frameworks in ensuring information security.
• 5.3 Evaluate the trade-off between privacy and security in computer systems.

Activity

Start with this week’s video, then: Case-study workshop: apply the unit’s concepts to a real or realistic case and evaluate the outcome.

Study materials

Videos

• Mobile Device Security - CompTIA A+ 220-1202 - 2.8 · YouTube · Professor Messer · 10 min · for registered students

Further resources

• NIST SP 800-124r2, section 3: Threats to the Mobile Enterprise · PDF · NIST SP 800-124 Rev. 2 (2023), section 3: mobile security threats such as malicious apps and lost devices (a step up), pp. 9–14 · for registered students
• ENISA Threat Landscape 2025, 5.4: Finance · PDF · ENISA Threat Landscape 2025 (v1.3), 5.4: cyber threats facing banks and payment services, pp. 24–25 · for registered students
• ENISA Threat Landscape 2025, 6: Cybercrime · PDF · ENISA Threat Landscape 2025 (v1.3), 6.1 on organised cybercrime groups, pp. 28–30 · for registered students
• Understanding the Mirai botnet · Open-access article · Antonakakis et al. (2017), USENIX Security Symposium. How insecure IoT devices were hijacked into a botnet, with privacy and security lessons. · for registered students
• Android permissions: user attention, comprehension, and behavior · Open-access article · Felt et al. (2012), Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS). How smartphone users understand app permissions. · for registered students