Course description

• Course content
• Learning outcome
• Admission
• Prerequisites

• Overlapping courses
• Teaching
• Examination
• Evaluation

Course content

This course addresses key regulatory questions regarding cybersecurity and cybercrime. The point of departure of the course is the increasing focus on cybersecurity not only as a technical issue, but also as a regulatory and policy concern. Cybersecurity is now a top priority for governments, businesses and other policy-makers around the world. It is a prime concern for citizens too, as cyber threats also impact on their many everyday digital transactions and interactions. The course primarily studies cybersecurity norms in domestic, European and international law. These rules focus on cybersecurity in a variety of regulatory contexts, including national security, protection of critical infrastructure, data privacy and international warfare. The course takes account of developments of cybersecurity norms in a global perspective (with particular focus on the role of the ITU, OECD, WTO and other IGOs), the emergence of doctrines of cyber-sovereignty (particularly important, for example, in Russia and China), and unfolding regulatory policy on use of cryptography (with focus on legal rules governing the ability of law enforcement agencies to be given access to unencrypted or decrypted data). A second strand of the course focuses on cybercrime (both its substantive and procedural elements), along with digital forensics.

The chief ¡°hard law¡± instruments to be examined are the EU¡¯s Network and Information Security Directive (2016), security rules in the EU¡¯s General Data Protection Regulation (2016), and transpositions/equivalents of these instruments in Norwegian law, with a focus on Norway¡¯s Security Act (sikkerhetsloven). In the context of cybercrime, the course mainly examines the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (2001) and the EU Directive on Attacks against Information Systems.

Learning outcome

The primary objective of the course is to provide insight into cybersecurity and cybercrime

regulation.

Achievement requirements

Knowledge

• Good knowledge of how the European Union (EU) regulates cybersecurity.
• Knowledge of emerging cybersecurity laws at the global level, including in international law.
• Knowledge of relevant cybercrime norms.

Skills

• Ability to connect technical security issues to regulatory issues discussed in the course.
• Ability to participate in policy debates about emerging cybersecurity issues and their regulation at domestic, European and international level.

General competence

• Understanding of relevant regulatory roles played by international organisations, such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
• Understanding the role of risk management in cybersecurity.
• Understanding of weaknesses and strengths of EU law with respect to cybersecurity.

Admission

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information regarding admission requirements and procedures (in Norwegian only).

All applicants must fill the formal prerequisites.

International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Students must fill one of these requirements:

• Passed 1st - 3rd year of the 5-years degree Master of Laws (Master i rettsvitenskap at UiO) (or exams that qualify for exemption for these) or
• Hold a 5-years Master¡¯s degree in Laws (Master i rettsvitenskap at UiO) or equivalent.

Exemptions from the formal prerequisites will be given to students with admission to the faculty's own exchange or master¡¯s degree programmes. This rule does not apply to students with admission to other master¡¯s degree programmes at the University of Oslo, unless otherwise agreed.

Recommended previous knowledge

Three years of law studies. In addition, it is recommended that students have a general understanding of information and communications technology (ICT) law. It is recommended that students combine this course with other courses focusing on ICT law.

Overlapping courses

5 credits overlap with ICTLECOMM ¨C E-Commerce Law (discontinued)

Teaching

Lectures/seminars

Language of teaching for this course is English. This means that all communication during lectures/seminars will be in English, and all literature and auxiliary materials are in English.

Examination

Term paper with a maximum of 4000 words.

A draft should be handed in in the middle of the semester, maximum 1000 words. Delivery of the draft is mandatory. Students are awarded either a passing or a failing grade on the draft.

Use of sources and rules for citing:

Familiarize yourself with the use of sources and citations in legal writing. In an exam situation, using other people¡¯s material without declaring it in a clear manner may be considered cheating or an attempt at cheating. You must cite any sources you draw on.

Your exam paper must be your own independent work. Exam candidates are not permitted to communicate about the exam question(s) or distribute draft answers or exam answers.

If you break the rules, you may be suspected of cheating or attempted cheating.

 

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Marking criteria 

This  guide is used by examiners for grading this course.

Explanations and appeals

• Explanation of grades and appeals

Resit an examination

• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Resitting an examination.
• There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.

Withdrawal from an examination

It is possible to take this exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.

Special examination arrangements

Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.

Evaluation

The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.

Other

The language for this course is English. Students enrolled in the Masterprogrammet i rettsvitenskap must pass one English subject as part of their degree, this course will meet these obligations.