Overview

Digital security breaches have the power to disrupt banks, hospitals and entire governments, making the fight against cybercrime one of the most pressing challenges in modern technology. The BSc (Hons) Cyber Security and Forensic Computing at the University of Portsmouth builds the technical and investigative skills needed to break down security systems, expose vulnerabilities and identify cyber intruders, while also training students to investigate cybercrime through to court proceedings. Students gain hands-on experience in dedicated cyber security and digital forensics labs, with close links to Hampshire Police's High Tech Crime Unit and guest input from industry professionals. The course suits students drawn to ethical hacking, malware forensics and cryptography, who want a practically grounded route into tackling real-world cyber threats.

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What You'll Learn

• Computer architecture, networking and the foundations of how systems communicate

• Core principles of cyber security, including how systems are protected and incidents managed

• Ethical hacking techniques for identifying and closing security vulnerabilities

• Digital forensics, including the collection, preservation and analysis of digital evidence

• Cryptographic techniques and how to defend systems against sophisticated attacks

• Malware forensics, including reverse engineering and monitoring malicious network activity

• Vulnerability discovery and exploitation from an attacker's perspective

• An extended project or specialist option applying advanced cyber security or forensic techniques to real-world problems

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to identify, analyse and respond to cyber security threats, applying strong technical knowledge of networks, cryptography and system vulnerabilities. They will be equipped to conduct digital forensic investigations, using industry-standard tools to collect, preserve and interpret evidence in a way that could support real criminal proceedings. Through hands-on lab work, ethical hacking exercises and malware analysis, students will develop practical, investigative skills mirroring genuine cyber security practice. Graduates will leave with a BCS-accredited, highly specialised skill set, well prepared for careers in digital forensics, cyber intelligence, penetration testing and cloud security.