Task and Mark Distribution

In this coursework you are required to design a simple web application. And write a short report on the design choices made with regard to security implications.

The coursework has two components:

1. Design the infrastructure for a simple web application, based on the requirements below.
2. A Report on the security considerations in the website design. This should discuss and justify any design decisions made with regard to security.

Important Note on the Design

The coursework is asking you for a high level design of the website components and infrastructure. You are NOT required to implement it.

For example, your database design would include the types of information, and how they are stored (ie passwords stored as a hashed value), but not necessarily the database engine, or table structures.

Additionally, in the report, you do not need to justify non-security related design decisions. There is no need to justify the choice of database (SQLite, MySQL, mongo) UNLESS there is a specific feature of the database that has a security implication.

Website Requirements

You have been asked to develop a messaging platform to help with student engagement. The platform will try to use a similar approach to more traditional social media, and allow students to make and respond to posts on a feed.

The platform should support.

• Different levels of access
  • Only Students and staff should be able to access the system.
  • Students should be able to create, respond and view posts
  • Staff should also be able to add and update lecture materials.
• Admin Account
  • The admin account should be able to:
  • Add and remove users on the system
  • Change the access levels of users
  • View and edit course materials and posts

• Web API

  • There will also be a simple mobile app that tries to replicate the website functionality, this will happen through a simple REST API which should support:
    • Authentication. There should be the same authentication / authorisation as the web application
    • Create, Read and Respond to posts. Users should be able to view posts in the same way they can in the web app.

• Logging and Analytics

  • It has also been decided that the system will gather logging and analytics information, and the customer has asked for your feedback on this.

  • As this is going to be used to help track student engagement it users will not be able to opt-out. While there is currently no requirement for users to view the analytics, a dashboard is planned. The types of information they propose to collect include:

    • User name
    • Browser and OS details
    • Details of page clicks, and interaction with site elements
    • Geo-Location data.

Report Requirements

The report should be written in a style suitable for a technical audience. The report should provide details of the design of the system, and the security based decisions behind it. You are expected to justify your design choices by referring to the relevant literature

A suggested report structure is as follows:

• Introduction
  • Scope of the report, design overview
• Design:
  • Discussion of potential security issues for each element of the design.
  • Recommendations for dealing with potential security / data protection issues with the proposed designs requirements.
• Implementation details:
  • Description of how your design addresses potential security issues
• Summary:
  • Summary section, highlighting the issues resolved, and the key findings of the report.

NOTE: There is also an element in the marking scheme for Background Research. While I am not expecting a full literature review, you should support your design decisions using the relevant literature.

Important Note:

You are marked on the functionality of the system, rather than its look and feel. The site should be usable via a web browser. Other than that the choice of infrastructure is up to you.

Submission Instructions

Please submit:

• Your final report in PDF Format by the submission date.

Marking.

• Report (100%): Justification for the design choices.

Marking Scheme

Report:

Marking Matrix

Notes:

1. 1. You are expected to use the Coventry University APA style for referencing For support and advice on this students can contact Centre for Academic Writing (CAW).
2. Please notify your registry course support team and module leader for disability support.
3. Any student requiring an extension or deferral should follow the university process as outlined here.
4. The University cannot take responsibility for any coursework lost or corrupted on disks, laptops or personal computer. Students should therefore regularly back-up any work and are advised to save it on the University system.
5. If there are technical or performance issues that prevent students submitting coursework through the online coursework submission system on the day of a coursework deadline, an appropriate extension to the coursework submission deadline will be agreed. This extension will normally be 24 hours or the next working day if the deadline falls on a Friday or over the weekend period. This will be communicated via your Module Leader.
6. You are encouraged to check the origianlty of your work by using the draft Turnitin links on Aula
7. Collusion between students (where sections of your work are similar to the work submitted by other students in this or previous module cohorts) is taken extremely seriously and will be reported to the academic conduct panel. This applies to both courseworks and exam answers.
8. A marked difference between your writing style, knowledge and skill level demonstrated in class discussion, any test conditions and that demonstrated in a coursework assignment may result in you having to undertake a Viva Voce in order to prove the coursework assignment is entirely your own work.
9. If you make use of the services of a proof reader in your work you must keep your original version and make it available as a demonstration of your written efforts. Also, please read the univeristy Proof reading policy
10. You must not submit work for assessment that you have already submitted (partially or in full), either for your current course or for another qualification of this university, unless this is specifically provided for in your assignment brief or specific course or module information. Where earlier work by you is citable, ie. it has already been published/submitted, you must reference it clearly. Identical pieces of work submitted concurrently will also be considered to be self-plagiarism.