Course Coordinator:Graeme Edwards (gedwards@usc.edu.au) School:School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement. |
Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
In this online course, you will learn the legal and organisational requirements of managing a digital crime scene including evidence identification, preservation and seizure, as well as the general management and preservation of the digital crime scene. You will learn about the volatility of digital evidence and how to manage it to preserve its integrity and prove its authenticity. You will also learn the way digital evidence is used to progress an investigation into a cyber breach and how the digital investigator contributes in a multidisciplinary investigation team. The course will analyse the forms of digital evidence you will find in your investigations and introduce evolving technology of specific relevance to the digital investigator including cloud computing and the Internet of Things.
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Online | |||
| Online – In addition to online library resources, teaching notes are made available online and a weekly online tutorial class is delivered synchronously via video conferencing. | 12hrs | Not applicable | Not Yet Determined |
Introduction to cybercriminals, motives, and methods
Digital evidence
Crime scene and evidence management
Investigating cybercrime types
Civil legislation relating to cybercrime investigation
Investiugating the cloud environment
700 Level (Specialised)
12 units
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | |
| 1 | Identify the different forms of cybercriminal, their motivations and skillsets. | Knowledgeable |
| 2 | Analyse and discuss the methodologies used in managing a digital crime scene including preparation of an investigation plan. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker |
| 3 | Analyse and discuss the many forms of digital evidence available and their relevance to a digital investigation. |
Creative and critical thinker Ethical |
| 4 | Demonstrate the requirements of competently handling digital evidence. | Empowered |
| 5 | Interrogate digital evidence to identify its value to an investigation | Creative and critical thinker |
| 6 | Understand and apply legal options available to the civil investigator |
Knowledgeable Empowered |
| 7 | Identify and explain the different legal considerations an investigator must understand when planning and commencing a digital crime scene examination including evidence preservation and capture as well as preserving the chain of custody. |
Knowledgeable Ethical |
| 8 | Demonstrate effective collaboration within a team | Empowered |
| 9 | Communicate the outcomes of your inquiries to non-technical audiences such as senior managers. | Engaged |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Enrolled in Program SC510, SC517 or SC704
Not applicable
Not applicable
Students will be assumed to have an understanding of technology and its role in society. They will be expected to have a working knowledge of computer systems and networks.
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Students will participate in continuous peer and self-assessment during tutorials. Students will also receive feedback during the case study working groups.
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Case Study | Individual | 25% | 2000 words |
Week 6 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 2 | Report | Group | 25% | 2500 words |
Week 10 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 3 | Case Study | Individual | 50% | 3000 words equivalent |
Exam Period | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Digital evidence case study | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | From a given case study, identify the different forms of physical and technical evidence that may be expected to be located in a cybercrime scene. Analyse the evidence and discuss how each may be used to advance your investigation and provide evidence as to the identity of the cybercriminal and their motivations. |
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| Product: | Case Study | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | The product to be presented is a 2,000-word analysis of the identified digital crime scenes and an explanation of the value of the physical and digital evidence that may be located within it. You will • Research and discuss what constitutes a digital crime scene. • Identify and discuss the forms of digital evidence located within and from the digital crime scene. • Explain the potential for identifying a suspect from the evidence collected. • Communication of research using academic writing conventions. • Identify a potential motivation for the crime from the evidence provided and your analysis. |
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| Criteria: |
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| All - Assessment Task 2:Investigation plan | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | Identify and describe the logistical requirements for attending to a digital crime scene including the necessity to ensure evidence preservation. You will also discuss the volatility of evidence you may locate and demonstrate the professional relationship between yourself as an investigator and the digital forensic officer. You will present a report explaining your reasoning including safety provisions. |
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| Product: | Report | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | 2,500-word group report - details on Blackboard. |
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| Criteria: |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:Digital crime scene presentation | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | Show an ability to prepare and provide a presentation to a legal practitioner and senior executive reporting on a digital crime scene examination where the content shows the scene examination, legality of actions, preservation of evidence and the correlation of evidence located. You will explain the evidence seized and the relevance to the investigation, as well as identifying new lines of inquiry. You will produce the investigation plan you have prepared to show your actions, and these will relate to your examination and plans for future inquiries. |
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| Product: | Case Study | |||||||||||||||
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| Format: | The product to be presented is a video recorded presentation to a legal practitioner detailing the circumstances and activity within a digital crime scene using material from a provided case study. |
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A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
This is an online course therefore access to a computer and the internet for 10-12 hours per week is essential.
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.