Information Security Law

Subject LAWS70057 (2010)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2010.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 7 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

September, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: The total class time is between 24 and 26 hours.
Total Time Commitment: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Prerequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Corequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Recommended Background Knowledge: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Non Allowed Subjects: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Core Participation Requirements: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.

Contact

For the most up-to-date information about this subject, contact the Melbourne Law Masters Office by email at law-masters@unimelb.edu.au or phone 8344 6190 or alternatively visit the subject website: www.masters.law.unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview:

Topics covered will be based on recent developments in information security law and policy in the United States, Australia, the European Union and through multilateral organisations.
Principal topics will include:

  • Information system security business and technology basics
  • Information warfare under international law
  • The impact of national critical information infrastructure protection policies on civil liberties
  • The emerging tort duty to secure information systems, and its relationship to contract and property rights in information systems
  • The application of computer crime laws to information security breaches
  • The relationship between information privacy/data protection laws and information security laws
  • The costs and benefits of using self regulation, markets, national regulation and international law to address information security issues
  • Developing legal compliance and risk minimisation strategies for different situations involving social, commercial and political uses of information systems.
Objectives:

A student who has successfully completed this subject should:

  • Understand information system security and information assurance as technical and business goals
  • Understand the concept of information warfare and how the law of war applies to attacks made on computer systems to advance national security interests
  • Understand some of the limits imposed by some national constitutions on government actions to promote information security
  • Understand tort, contract, property and criminal law issues raised by information security failures
  • Understand information security duties imposed by information privacy/data protection laws, security breach notification laws and other new regulations
  • Understand self regulation, markets, national regulations and international law as alternative approaches to information security law
  • Be able to identify strategies for reducing information security risks in different contexts such as Web 2.0 social networking activities, electronic commerce, civil society and international relations.
Assessment:

Class participation (10%)
Take-home examination (90%) (22-25 October)
or
9,000 word research paper (90%) (6 December) on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
Prescribed Texts: Visit the subject website for more information
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Links to further information: http://www.masters.law.unimelb.edu.au/

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