Instructor

Helen Jordin, B.Sc., CA, CISA, MBA
helen.jordin@ubc.ca
HA 460, 822-8368

Office Hours

Mondays and Wednesdays 10:30-11:30 a.m. or by appointment

Course Description

All computer systems and the data that they manage are vulnerable to theft, damage and error. Crimes are often perpetrated using computers. Networks that link the computers inside organizations and around the world allow crime and error to impact wider and wider areas of our lives. Businesses are becoming increasingly dependent upon information technology to manage their information and to compete effectively and often, are unprepared for the consequences of loss of data integrity and reliable ability to compute. This course will explore ways to detect and reduce or prevent computer vulnerability and computer error. Controls over computer data and use will be motivated through an exploration of what can go and has gone wrong with computerized systems.

Course Format

The course will consist of a series of nine 110 minute seminar/lectures. Each week there will be an assignment that will require you to submit a three to five page case analysis. In the sixth week of the course, you and your group will be responsible for presenting a topic, (approved by the instructor), that you have researched related to information technology risks and controls to your classmates.

Evaluation

Class participation:

20%

Assignments:

50%

Class Presentation:

30%

Required Text

None, course notes package to be distributed in class

Recommended Reading

Peter G. Neumann, Computer Related Risks,
ACM Press, Addison-Wesley, 1995

Date

Topic

September 6

Laour Day - no class

September 10

Introduction & Computer Unreliability

September 13

Computer Threats

September 15

Current Issues and Risks

September 20

Risk Assessment

September 22

Computer Controls

September 27

Vulnerability & Application Controls

September 29

Disaster Recovery / Continuity Planning

October 4

Communications security

October 6

Privacy, Ethics of Data Use

October 11

Thanksgiving - no class

October 13

Group Presentations

October 15

Group Presentations

Potential Topics for Information Technology Risks, Controls and Security Group Presentations

Internet Firewalls - Comparisons

Physical Security

Software Piracy

Comparison of UNIX vs. Microsoft NT Security

Security Audits

Information Warfare

Industrial Espionage

Website Security Certification

Other topics may be proposed for approval. When selecting your topic, remember that you will be evaluated by your instructor and by your classmates for the practical usefulness and significance of your analysis and recommendations for business in general and for our management goals and objectives in particular.