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Cyber Security and the Law (LAWS90266)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable (login required)(opens in new window)
Contact information
April
Lecturers
Jonathan Gill (Coordinator)
Sarah Daniell
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
July
Lecturers
Jonathan Gill (Coordinator)
Sarah Daniell
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | April July |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
Cyber security is becoming increasingly important with recent statistics suggesting that cybercrime cost around US$8.4 trillion globally in 2022 and is expected to grow to US$23.8 trillion by 2027.
Addressing cyber security is an urgent and critical task for the government, the economy, and the protection of people’s rights. In response to the growing number and scale of cyber security incidents, there has been an increase in regulation imposed on both public and private sector entities and it is this regulation which is explored in this subject.
While lawyers are essential in navigating and responding to this shifting and complex digital landscape, company executives and advisers working in cyber security also gain enormous benefit in understanding the risks and complexities in the way the law applies.
This subject will examine the framework of laws regulating cyber security and the tensions that must be balanced in addressing cyber security risk, both for governments and private sector organisations. It will review the intersection of data security objectives and privacy rights and the ways these objectives are sometimes aligned and sometimes diametrically opposed.
The subject will look at the several overseas jurisdictions to assess the patterns in international regulation of cyber security and consider possible future developments, both in Australia and around the globe.
Principal topics will include:
- Introduction to cyber security. What is cyber security? What are the threats? What are the specific cyber security risks?
- Overview of current international legislative frameworks for regulating cyber security.
- The Australian legislative framework for regulating cybersecurity.
- Cyber security as a corporate governance issue.
- Cyber security risk assessments and reporting.
- The legal issues raised by the occurrence of a cyber security incident
- Cyber security issues in the finance, health and telecommunications sectors
- The impact and requirements of Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (Cth)
- The privacy implication of data security breaches.
- Contractual allocation of cyber security risks.
- Cyber warfare.
The focus of the subject is on the cyber security obligations of owners of critical infrastructure and controllers of data, especially personal information covered by privacy laws. The subject does not directly cover public international law obligations of state parties, cyber security in the military context, or any criminal liability of those perpetrating cybercrimes.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject should be able to:
- Analyse and explain the key principles in the law relating to cyber security in Australia and comparable jurisdictions;
- Identity the key cyber security legal risks arising in relation to a given public or private sector organisation;
- Discuss the cyber securities issues arising in the finance, health and telecommunications sectors; and
- Prepare a response to relevant regulatory authorities following the occurrence of a cyber security incident.
Generic skills
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to generate critical and creative ideas, and to critically evaluate existing legal theories, principles and concepts;
- Have the communication skills to clearly articulate and convey complex information regarding legal issues to relevant specialist and non-specialist audiences;
- Be able to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgment and responsibility as a practitioner and learner in the legal field;
- Be able to critically examine, analyse, interpret and assess the effectiveness of the current and proposed laws;
- Have a sophisticated appreciation of the factors and processes driving the regulation; and
- Have the ability to apply learnings to diverse practical settings.
Last updated: 17 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 17 April 2024
Assessment
April
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Class participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Option 1: Take-home examination
| 14 -17 June 2024 | 90% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 12 June 2024 | 90% |
Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance is required. | N/A |
July
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Class participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Option 1: Take-home examination
| 13 - 16 September 2024 | 90% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 25 September 2024 | 90% |
Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance is required. | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Students must choose assessment from the options listed above. If an option contains parts, all parts must be completed if that option is chosen.
Last updated: 17 April 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- April
Principal coordinator Jonathan Gill Coordinator Sarah Daniell Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 18 March 2024 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 15 April 2024 to 19 April 2024 Last self-enrol date 22 March 2024 Census date 16 April 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 17 May 2024 Assessment period ends 17 June 2024 April contact information
Lecturers
Jonathan Gill (Coordinator)
Sarah DaniellEmail: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au - July
Principal coordinator Jonathan Gill Coordinator Sarah Daniell Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 26 June 2024 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 24 July 2024 to 30 July 2024 Last self-enrol date 1 July 2024 Census date 25 July 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 30 August 2024 Assessment period ends 25 September 2024 July contact information
Lecturers
Jonathan Gill (Coordinator)
Sarah DaniellEmail: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a 'first in' basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of waitlisted places in subjects will be given as follows:
- To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
- To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for incoming international cohorts or where a subject is core to a specialisation with limited alternate options.
Last updated: 17 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS in the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-masters@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 17 April 2024