Data: controlled and secured
Unit Data: controlled and secured
Year level: 9-10 Topic: Digital Systems Time: 10 hours
Students should explore how data can be secured through various methods such as access controls, virus checking, encryption, backups, data masking, and data erasure. Examine malicious code such as computer viruses, malware, adware, Trojans and spyware that are used to commit cyber-attacks. As an extension, set up the challenge of designing a secure digital system.
Flow of Activities
Authorisation
Develop an understanding of how digital systems can be restricted to authorised use.Encryption
Examine how information is encoded and how with the relevant 'key' the computer decodes the message.Malicious code
Introduce and examine common types of cybercrime.Hackers and hacking
Set the challenge of designing a secure digital system.Activity Authorisation
What security measures are used to protect digital systems from unauthorised use?
Australian Curriculum Alignment
What's this about?
Students should develop an understanding of how digital systems can be restricted to authorised use. Authorisation is a key aspect of information security.
Learning tasks
- Explore approaches such as passwords, tokens, fingerprint readers, voice recognition, facial recognition and security passcards used to enter buildings with restricted access.
- Use mobile devices to explore the concept of biometric security – fingerprints used for most mobile phones or facial recognition with Windows Surface Pro-type devices. Voice identification is used by the ATO to authorise users. Why might this form of authorisation be used? Compare and contrast this with other security measures.
- Discuss why organisations might use email validation when setting up an online account.
- Brainstorm reasons for internet security and ways the internet is made safer and how we should protect ourselves online.
- Students could explore RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) emitters and readers to create a secure entry system with an Arduino electronics kit.
Supporting Resources





Lesson Ideas


Assessment
Explain the control and management of networked digital systems and the security implications of the interaction between hardware, software and users.
Suggested approaches may include
- Presentation or demonstration, Adapted worksheet, Artefact analysis, Labelling diagram, Text, Digital capture, Design plan.
Assessment Resources
Activity Encryption
How does encryption make the internet safer?
Australian Curriculum Alignment
- Digital Systems (ACTDIK034)
- Collecting, managing and analysing data (ACTDIP036)
- Evaluating (ACTDIP042)
What's this about?
Security is a key concern on the internet, especially when sending and receiving sensitive information. A common way of providing information security over the internet is through encryption. Information is encoded and with the relevant 'key' the computer decodes the message.
Historical examples are often given to help explain encryption. One such example is the Enigma code, a type of enciphering used by the German armed forces. Alan Turing famously cracked the code.
Learning tasks
- Provide examples of encryption and the use of public and private keys to decode.
- Relate information security threats to people's everyday use of the internet to bank, shop, and access social security, taxation and other personal information. Describe ways encryption and authentication are applied together to create a secure environment.
Supporting Resources






Assessment
Explain the control and management of networked digital systems and the security implications of the interaction between hardware, software and users.
Suggested approaches may include
- Presentation or demonstration, Adapted worksheet, Artefact analysis, Labelling diagram, Text, Digital capture, Design plan.
Activity Malicious code
How can cyber criminals threaten internet users?
Australian Curriculum Alignment
What's this about?
Cybercriminals use malicious code such as computer viruses, malware, adware, Trojans and spyware to commit cyber-attacks.
Learning tasks
- Introduce common types of cybercrime including viruses, malware, DDOS (Denial-of-service) attacks and phishing scams. List some of the ways cyber attackers trick users into divulging personal information or enabling them to infect their computers with malicious code.
- In collaborative groups, students define a cybersecurity threat and describe approaches to protect against this type of threat. They could create an advertisement, an infographic with relevant data, or create a new product idea and create a video to market it on Kickstarter.
- Research some of the emerging careers that are related to cyber security.
Supporting Resources




Assessment
Explain the control and management of networked digital systems and the security implications of the interaction between hardware, software and users.
Suggested approaches may include
- Presentation or demonstration, Adapted worksheet, Artefact analysis, Labelling diagram, Text, Digital capture, Design plan.
Activity Hackers and hacking
What is hacking?
Australian Curriculum Alignment
- Digital Systems (ACTDIK034)
- Collecting, managing and analysing data (ACTDIP036)
- Collaborating and managing (ACTDIP044)
What's this about?
Hackers, those that are involved in cybercrime, generally learn how computer systems and networks operate and then use this knowledge to gain unauthorised access to computer systems.
Learning tasks
- Set up the challenge of designing a secure digital system. For example, a business is setting up an online purchasing system. What approaches might be used to ensure customer safety of personal information as well as protecting the organisation against security threats.
Supporting Resources




Assessment
Explain the control and management of networked digital systems and the security implications of the interaction between hardware, software and users.
Suggested approaches may include
- Presentation or demonstration, Adapted worksheet, Artefact analysis, Labelling diagram, Text, Digital capture, Design plan.