93470 - Cybersecurity

Learning outcomes

The student will learn: historical perspective and motivations for cyber-security, principles of data security, principles of software security, component and connection security, network security.

Course contents

Cyber scenario

Cybersecurity goals: security and availability of information and services

Defensive and Offensive security

Analysis of cyber threats: actors and motivations 

(Too many) vulnerability human and technological issues

A top-down approach to cybersecurity

Cyber risk management

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation

Strategies, policies and technologies

Assessment and validation

Cyber threat intelligence

Modern approaches: Machine Learning for cybersecurity, Zero Trust, Deception

Competences and jobs related to cybersecurity

Readings/Bibliography

Slides, teacher's notes, book chapters, scientific articles and online resources indicated on the course website (virtuale.unibo.it).

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures and exercises in class. Interaction is appreciated and evaluated as a component of the final grade

Assessment methods

The students can choose between two alternatives.

(1) Oral exam that includes the analysis of a networked system and its services, discussion about cybersecurity issues, presentation of possible solutions.

(2) Project (max 3 students), presentation of the results and discussion.

The students interested to the option (2) must agree on the topic of the group project with the teacher before the end of November 2025 and complete the assessment in the first exam session (by the end of February 2026).

The students interested to the option (1) can take the exam whenever they want.

For all students the positive evaluation will go from 18 to 30 (possibly, cum laude).

Teaching tools

All the teaching material is available to the students on virtuale.unibo.it soon after each lesson.

Office hours

See the website of Michele Colajanni