autumn 2025
SIK-2517 Cyber Security in Society - 10 ECTS
Course content
This course consists of four blocks: (1) civic cybersecurity, (2) organizational cybersecurity, (3) societal cybersecurity, and (4) cybersecurity and international politics.
Block 1 provides the students with the necessary competence to behave in a safe and secure manner in an increasingly digitalized society. It covers topics such as: main concepts and theoretical perspectives to cybersecurity, role of individuals in cybersecurity, digital rights and civic responsibilities, and pivotal cyberattacks against individuals.
Block 2 provides the students with the basic competence for managing cybersecurity as part of an organization’s operations. It covers topics such as: information systems and networks, pivotal cyber-attacks against organizations, cybercrime, and cybersecurity culture.
As all citizens and organizations operate in particular societies, block 3 summarizes and discusses the national arrangements for cybersecurity in Norway. It covers topics such as: digitalization and cybersecurity policies, actors in societal cybersecurity, pivotal cyber-attacks against societies,cyber and information operations, and critical infrastructure protection.
Finally, block 4 introduces the students with transnational cybersecurity politics and diplomacy. It covers topics such as: internet governance, resource competition and trade politics, cyber diplomacy, and international law.
Objectives of the course
Knowledge:
The student …
- understands the interconnections between digitalization, cybersecurity, societal security, national security, and organizational resilience.
- can explain the main approaches to cybersecurity and illustrate their different effects on organizations and society in general.
- can summarize the main cybersecurity threats to individuals, organizations, and society at large and advice protection against these threats.
- can summarize the national cybersecurity arrangements in Norway and discuss them critically.
- can identify different spheres of cybersecurity politics.
Skills:
The student …
- can illustrate security threats and risks in the digitalized society and apply this knowledge to situations e.g. at workplace.
- can recognize risks to his or her personal safety and security in the digitalized society and can solve occurring cybersecurity situations in his or her best interest.
- can break down different cyber threats against organizations and society at large and simplify the attack processes in order to explain them to others.
- can present systematic analysis of national arrangements and dimensions of cybersecurity politics.
General competences:
The student …
- has gained civic cybersecurity competence to protect him- or herself in the digitalized society, including inter alia the ability to recognize different cyber-attacks and to apply the learned knowledge and practical skills to these situations.
- can plan cybersecurity policies in organizations that meet both organizational and societal.
- cybersecurity requirements and justify these policies to others.
- can recognize and can analyse related threat depictions such as breaches of digital rights and different forms of cybercrime.
- becomes acquainted with complex transnational cybersecurity politics.
Teaching methods
The course is organized in three different blocks throughout the semester. Each teaching block takes place in a separate week.
The course includes:
Lectures/seminars (altogether 30 h), individual assignment, and group work.
Group work is divided over the whole course period i.e. the task description is given in teaching block 1 and the group work report is to be handed in a week before teaching block 3 during which group presentations and peer reviews will take place.
Schedule
Examination
Examination: | Duration: | Grade scale: |
---|---|---|
Off campus exam | 7 Days | A–E, fail F |
Coursework requirements:To take an examination, the student must have passed the following coursework requirements: |
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Participation | Approved – not approved | |
Individual assignment | Approved – not approved | |
Group assignment | Approved – not approved |
- About the course
- Campus: Harstad |
- ECTS: 10
- Course code: SIK-2517
- Responsible unit
- Institutt for teknologi og sikkerhet
- Tidligere år og semester for dette emnet