Information and Information Technologies Security
-
DepartmentFaculty of Fundamental Sciences
-
Program code6211BX014
-
Field of studyComputer Sciences
-
QualificationMaster of Informatics Sciences
-
Duration2
Offered in cooperation with National Sun Yat-sen University (Taiwan). Students may spend one semester at the partner university, and upon earning at least 40% of study credits there, graduates receive master’s diplomas from both institutions.
Fun fact
Recurring and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks on government institutions and private enterprises have made information security a critical global priority. Lithuania has also faced numerous cyber threats, highlighting the urgent need for professionals capable of protecting the information assets of organisations in both the public and private sectors.
About
The Information and Information Technologies Security master’s programme prepares such specialists by providing advanced knowledge in system and network security, cryptography, ethical hacking, cybercrime investigation, and information security management. Students gain both technical and managerial competencies, learning to ensure, coordinate, and oversee security at an organisational level.
The goal of this programme is to prepare highly qualified information and IT security professionals who can systematically analyse, prevent, and mitigate information security threats. Students acquire state-of-the-art theoretical and practical knowledge in information security, developing the ability to apply modern protection technologies and methodologies across various systems and infrastructures.
The programme also fosters critical and analytical thinking, leadership, research, and innovation skills—essential for professionals operating in a rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape. With growing public concern about data protection and an expanding range of cyber risks, the demand for such specialists continues to rise across all sectors.
-
What will I be able to do?
Upon successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
• identify and mitigate cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and risks
• understand the principles and concepts of information and IT security
• design and apply mechanisms ensuring the security of modern information systems
• use secure system design methodologies and integrate security measures into diverse processes
• apply cryptography, secure programming, and ethical vulnerability assessment methods
• conduct cybercrime investigations
• design secure network and virtual infrastructures
• evaluate the security level and maturity of systems and organisations
• implement risk management methods, security standards, and regulatory requirements
• manage organisational information security processes, align them with business operations, and prepare companies for certification according to security standards. -
What are my career opportunities?
Graduates of this programme can pursue careers as:
• Information Security Officers (CISO) or Risk Managers
• Information Security Auditors or Compliance Managers
• Incident Responders or Threat Intelligence Specialists
• Penetration Testers
• Cybercrime Investigation Specialists
• Cybersecurity Solution Implementers
• Cybersecurity Architects or Project Managers with security expertise
• Doctoral researchers and educators in related fields.
Study subjects
1 Semester
-
FMISM20101 9 credits
Information Technology Security Methods
Module aim
To provide knowledge on information technology security methods and principles.
Module description
This module presents modern information technology security insurance aspects, necessary while studying the “Information and IT security” Master course. Basic concepts and models are being described and analyzed; major information security insurance technologies are presented and described. Primary attention is dedicated to technological information security aspects
-
FMISM20102 9 credits
Cryptographic Systems
Module aim
To expand knowledge of applied cryptography and information protection technologies used in computer systems.
Module description
Theoretical and practical foundations of cryptographic information security methods are acquired. Popular and advanced cryptosystems are analyzed, which provide information confidentiality, integrity and authenticity. Abilities to used obtained knowledge in information society technologies (e-business, e-money, bitcoin, e-government, e-voting etc.) are provided. Main module topics are: problems of information security; history of coding; symmetric and public key cryptography; DES; AES; RSA; stream ciphers; cryptographic protocols; authentication; electronic signature; management of electronic identity; block chain technology.
-
FMISM22304 6 credits
Ethical, Legal and Human Aspects of Information Security
Module aim
The aim of the subject is to familiarize students with the ethical, legal and human aspects of information security and to teach them to apply in practice.
Module description
The module provides an overview of the ethical, legal and human factor information security aspects: IT security, internet and intellectual property regulation, the fundamentals of legal regulation of privacy and personal data, cybercrime and regulation of their research, the principles of professional ethics of cyber security and the main professional codes of ethics and the influence of the human factor in information and cyber security
-
FMISM17104 3 credits
Master Graduation Thesis 1
Module aim
To acquaint with principles and methods of scientific research in infomatics, concentrating on the methods of observation, conceptualizing and analysis and to prepare literature review on mater thesis topic.
Module description
Research coprehension: aims, research philosophy, methods, scientific pfylosofy trands, reseach principles and methods, ethics in result citing. Research models (Jenkins, Wallace and others). Oservation, comprehension, analysis, evaluation and conceptualising of social reality.
-
FMISM17100 3 credits
Fundamentals of Scientific Research and Innovations
Module aim
To provide knowledge about the application of research methods and innovative solutions in the field of computer sciences and informatics engineering, to develop practical skills to prepare scientific and technical reports, master’s theses
Module description
The subject covers the methodology of scientific and engineering research, provides a broad overview of the most important research methods used in the field of computer sciences and informatics engineering, and provides basic knowledge about possible innovations in this field. Library research and other methods of information collection and data analysis are analysing, students are been taught to give out one’s ideas logically and argumentatively, and to describe complex material clearly and consistently. The subject also teaches how to write scientific, technical reports and other technical documents, prepare applications for research projects, and presents the process of planning and execution of research carried out in the master’s.
2 Semester
-
FMISM20201 9 credits
Computer Networks and Operating System Security
Module aim
The module aims at providing students theoretical and practical knowledge on computer network and operating system secure exploitation and management.
Module description
Appropriate computer network and operating system exploitation is a part of company’s information security policy that requires specific knowledge and practice. Efficiency of information security measures is directly proportional to understanding of information systems interconnections and their application as a complex of measures. The module reviews the main problem areas in computer network and operating system security and provides possible solution scenarios.
-
FMISM20202 6 credits
Ethical Hacking Techniques (with course work)
Module aim
To provide students with knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate information systems security from outside of the organization.
Module description
Ethical hacking and vulnerability scanning technologies are evaluated as compulsory part of any organization’s information system security evaluation. While studying this course students will get familiar with different vulnerability scanning technologies and learn how to act as an ethical hacker, detecting existing vulnerabilities in organization’s IT infrastructure without harming its functioning. The possessed understanding of methods and techniques used by hackers will also help the security specialist to plan appropriate countermeasures and evaluate their effectiveness.
-
FMISM17202 6 credits
Virtual Infrastructure and Cloud Computing Security
Module aim
Provide knowledge on virtualization technologies, virtual infrastructure and clouds, to develop ability to evaluate threats and vulnerabilities in virtuali infrastructure and clouds and to make decisions on security management in virtuali infrastructure and clouds.
Students must attend at least 60% of the time scheduled practical lectures.Module description
The course provides knowledge of virtualization technologies, Linux containers, virtual infrastructure architecture, virtual repositories, clouds, and relevant security solutions used in these IT technologies. It teaches to evaluate security threats and vulnerabilities in virtual infrastructure and cloud computing and to make decisions that mitigate security risk in virtual infrastructure. Subject deals with security threats of hypervisor, virtual network, repositories, covers security aspects of virtual desktop infrastructure, virtual infrastructure maintenance and operational activities are analyzed. Security of cloud models and methods is reviewed, also data privacy, identity,contract management aspects in the clouds are anlyzed, cloud security standards are reviewed.
-
FMISM17204 3 credits
Master Graduation Thesis 2
Module aim
To collect and analyze information on the topic of student’s Master’s Thesis by applying scientific research methods.
Module description
The search for information resources is carried out on the topic of master thesis. Evaluation of information sources, and methods of comparative and conceptual analysis are applied. Data needed for scientific research is collected, data reliability is evaluated, statistical data processing is performed. The research process is planned, a research plan is being prepared, research methods are analyzed. Report of the master thesis work is improved and expanded.
-
FMISM22204 6 credits
Application of Artificial Intelligence in Information Security Technologies
Module aim
To provide an understanding of the of modern artificial intelligence methods and their applications in the field of information security.
Module description
The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods in the field of information security is a game changer in many information security areas. This course is designed for students interested in exploring how AI methods such as machine learning and deep learning models can be leveraged to ensure information security. During this course, students will be introduced to key AI concepts, including machine learning, deep learning, and neural networks, as they apply to cybersecurity. Students will learn how AI-driven security solutions analyze vast amounts of data to identify anomalies, detect malware, and predict cyberattacks. AI use in intrusion detection systems, automated threat intelligence, and behavioral analysis of cyber threats will be also discussed. A significant part of this course will focus on practical applications and hands-on exercises, where students will apply ML and DL methods, security tools and frameworks for different type attack detection.
-
FMISM18200 6 credits
Malware Analysis Methods
Module aim
To get acquainted with malware functionality and how to detect it.
Module description
Malware analysis is one of the most critical skills for people, planning security analyst career. During this course, students will get known with malware, methods how malware is analyzed, what tools are used. Students that choose this course will create their own malware analysis laboratories where brief or in-depth malware analysis can be performed on infected documents, executables, media files. This course covers parts of reverse engineering, disassembly, network traffic analysis and other methods. Course is recommended for students, interested in incidence responses, work with malware and understanding how it acts and what methods exist to analyze and stop it.
-
FMISM17205 6 credits
Software Security
Module aim
To train students how to design secure systems and prepare complex information security project, covering the full range of information security insurance aspects.
Module description
The module provides basic competency on software security. A wide range of questions, such as secure development lifecycle, software development methods are reviewed. The students are taught to understand the methodology of security systems design, to apply the technique and tools, to create complex security project and to evaluate quality of this project.
3 Semester
-
FMISM20302 9 credits
Cyber Forensics (with course work )
Module aim
To provide specific knowledge, necessary to identify cyber crime events, implement reaction procedures and perfrom computer forensics tasks.
Module description
Increase of cyber crime has increased the need for organizations to have specialists with specific knowledge, necessary to identify, investigate them and take actions to minimize such cyber crime consequences. Demand for such specialists can be seen both from commercial organizations (for such event identification, informal investigation and response) and legal enforcement institutions (formal cyber crime investigation). In this module specific technical, law and organizational methods are analyzed, that are necessary to handle cyber crime cases and perform computer forensics tasks.
-
FMISM20301 6 credits
Information Security Management
Module aim
To provide students with knowledge and skills necessary manage information security related processes of an organization.
Module description
The course content oriented toward state of the art in information security management problems and solutions. The content contains most relevant and important topics about information security management purpose, tools and organization, processes and information sources particularities, vulnerabilities and associated risk. The course is adapted for MSc students, who have the Informatics or informatics engineering BS degree.
-
FMISM17302 6 credits
Secure Programming
Module aim
To present secure programming methods to students and form practical skills of using them.
Module description
This module covers a wide range of topics in area of secure programming, such as safe initialization, access control, input validation, symmetric and public key cryptography, typical programming mistakes and vulnerabilities, secure and vulnerable libraries, code parsing and analyzing methods and tools, software testing and evalution methods. Specific secure programming issues for different operating systems and WEB environment.
-
FMISM17303 3 credits
Master Graduation Thesis 3
Module aim
Experiment planning and execution on the topic of student’s Master’s Thesis and initial result evaluation.
Module description
This subject is dedicated to experimental research, that should approve or neglect the assumptions done while working on “Master Graduation Thesis 3” module. Student has to plan and execute the experimental research, to build prototype and perform the initial experiment. Achieved results should be evaluated. Student should get acquainted with experiment planning and execution methods, compare the achieved results with similar research done by other researchers and evaluate the results efficiency.
4 Semester
-
FMISM17400 30 credits
Master Graduation Thesis
Module aim
To formate students’s ability to formulate scientific conclusions of research done, prepare and publicate the major results of the research work, prepare the master’s thesis and present it to the comission.
Module description
The module is designed to develope the necessary knowledge, understanding and abilities to prepare The final work. This includes the problem formulation, problems analysis and evaluation. Students learn how to bid various information technology problems deals. Also, how to develop and provide software products and to provide for, apply new information technologies, how to present a final thesis statement, develope a capacity to deliver the final work for the jury.
Statistics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrolled students | 23 |
| Enrolled to FT | 23 |
| Min FT grade | 8.97 |