Overview of Network Security Assignment - Security Challenges in Emerging Networks

Purpose of the assessment - The purpose of this assignment is to develop skills to independently think of innovation. Students will be able to complete the following ULOs:

• Explain the major methodologies for secure networks and what threats they address;
• Identify and report network threats, select and implement appropriate countermeasures for network security.

Assignment Description -

The purpose of this assignment is to develop skills to independently think of innovation. In this assignment students will first learn how to develop knowledge based on current state of the art of an emerging knowledge domain. Then they will learn how to identify plausible security issues in this emerging network-based applications, and finally learn the skill of adding knowledge to existing domain by theoretically developing the corresponding protection mechanism for a particular issue.

The use of network technologies is rapidly growing in healthcare sector. Now, healthcare is considered as one of the emerging application of network-based applications. Different network scenarios using wireless, wired, and mobile communications can provide efficient solutions to access electronic medical records (EMRs), medical management systems, imaging, biomedical information, material management, patient accounting, admitting information, and online claims submissions. Today, healthcare systems can combine these tools into one network-based infrastructure to more effectively communicate and collaborate, reduce errors, and improve patient care and efficiency. As healthcare providers adopt new technologies, they also face new security threats. Hackers, malicious software (malware), disgruntled employees, and human error present real dangers to healthcare networks [1]. Security of healthcare networks is a prime concern in today's World.

This assignment includes four parts

1. Literature review on Healthcare Networks.

The literature review should be supported by at least three (3) academic (Journal/Conference) papers chosen from the current state of the art.

Your discussion should include:

i. Healthcare network architecture (consider networking devices such as routers, switches, firewalls, servers etc.)

ii. Recent developments in healthcare networks

iii. The importance of security in healthcare networks

2. Analyse critically, three current or possible future potential security issues in Healthcare Networks.

In this section you will analyse critically, three security issues in Healthcare Networks. These issues should be taken from the current state of the art literature. This section must be supported by at least three (3) references.

3. Propose a possible solution for one of the threats identified in section-2.

In this part you need to choose one of the issues identified in the previous section and propose a possible solution to the particular security issue.

4. Create a 3 - 5 minutes presentation and present your work during the Lab.

You have to create a 3 - 5 minutes presentation to present your work in front of your class fellows and tutor during the Lab in Week 11.

Section to be included in the report -

Introduction - Introduction of Healthcare Networks. Introduction should also discusses the report outline.

Literature Review - Literature review of Healthcare Networks

• Healthcare network architecture (consider networking devices such routers, switches, firewalls, servers etc.)
• Recent developments in healthcare networks
• The importance of security in healthcare networks

Analyse Critically - Analyse critically, three potential security issues in Healthcare Networks.

Threat Mitigation Technique - Discuss in detail a threat mitigation technique for one of the security threat.