Cyber Security and Digital Forensic Laboratory

This laboratory course provides practical hands-on experience in cybersecurity, ethical hacking, penetration testing, and digital forensics. Students will work with Kali Linux, VMware, Burp Suite, DVWA, Ghidra, Autopsy, Volatility, and other security tools to identify vulnerabilities, analyze security incidents, and perform digital forensic investigations.

Instructor: Md. Shakil Ahmed

Term: Summer

Cyber Security and Digital Forensic Laboratory

CSE XXX · Core Laboratory Course · 1.5 Credit Hours

This laboratory course provides practical experience in cybersecurity, ethical hacking, penetration testing, and digital forensics. Students develop practical security skills through controlled laboratory exercises involving vulnerability assessment, security analysis, incident investigation, and digital forensic techniques.
Cybersecurity Ethical Hacking Penetration Testing Digital Forensics Kali Linux Burp Suite DVWA Python Cryptography OSINT Reverse Engineering Incident Analysis

Course Overview

This laboratory course emphasizes practical cybersecurity and digital forensic skills through controlled laboratory environments. Students will configure security testing environments, examine common vulnerabilities, perform security assessments, analyze digital artifacts, and investigate simulated security incidents.

Laboratory activities cover web application security, Python-based security tasks, cryptography, information gathering, reverse engineering, binary analysis, digital forensics, and responsible cybersecurity practices. All practical activities are conducted in authorized and controlled environments.

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO1 — Cybersecurity Fundamentals

Understand fundamental cybersecurity concepts, common vulnerabilities, security threats, and responsible security practices.

CLO2 — Security Testing

Apply appropriate tools and techniques to perform controlled vulnerability assessment, web application security testing, and penetration testing exercises.

CLO3 — Security Analysis

Analyze security incidents, system information, digital artifacts, and binary files using appropriate cybersecurity and analysis techniques.

CLO4 — Digital Forensic Investigation

Apply digital forensic techniques to acquire, examine, analyze, and interpret digital evidence in controlled investigation scenarios.

Prerequisites

  • No formal prerequisite.
  • Basic computer and operating system knowledge.
  • Basic networking and programming concepts are recommended.

Textbooks

  • Primary: Kali Linux for Hackers: Exploring Tools, Exploits, and Vulnerabilities by C. Campbell.
  • Primary: Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations by Bill Nelson.

Reference Books

  • Cybersecurity Essentials by Charles J. Brooks.
  • Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking by Christopher Hadnagy.
  • Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters by Justin Seitz and Tim Arnold.
  • Practical Reverse Engineering by Bruce Dang and Alexandre Gazet.
  • Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice by William Stallings.
  • Cybersecurity and Cyberlaw by Pavan Duggal.

Tools and Platforms

Cybersecurity Laboratory

Kali Linux, VMware, Burp Suite, DVWA, Python, and related security tools for controlled vulnerability assessment, web security testing, and security analysis.

Digital Forensics and Analysis

Autopsy, Volatility, Ghidra, and related tools for digital evidence examination, memory analysis, reverse engineering, and binary analysis.

Online Resources

Grading

Assessment Weight
Class Participation 5%
Assignment / Presentation / Viva 10%
Class Test / Lab Performance 15%
Midterm Examination / Project Evaluation 30%
Final Examination / Project Evaluation 40%
Total 100%

Course Schedule

Week Topic Description
1 Cybersecurity Laboratory Setup Introduction to the cybersecurity laboratory environment, VMware, Kali Linux installation and configuration, and basic security tools.
2 Burp Suite and DVWA Configuration of Burp Suite and DVWA for controlled web application security testing and vulnerability analysis.
3 Web Application Security Testing Practical study of common web application vulnerabilities, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, CSRF, clickjacking, and file upload vulnerabilities in controlled environments.
4 Python Scripting for Cybersecurity Introduction to Python scripting for security tasks, including network scanning, file analysis, and security automation in controlled laboratory environments.
5 Cryptography and Information Gathering Practical exercises involving encryption, decryption, hashing, OSINT, Shodan, IP lookup, and information-gathering techniques.
6 Reverse Engineering and Binary Analysis Introduction to reverse engineering using Ghidra and related tools, with practical exercises involving binary analysis and common memory-related vulnerabilities.
7 Digital Forensics and Cyber Law Introduction to digital forensic investigation, evidence handling, ethical and legal considerations, and responsible use of cybersecurity tools.
8 Final Project and Practical Evaluation Practical project evaluation covering security testing, incident analysis, digital forensic techniques, and responsible cybersecurity practices.