CS3BC: Blockchain and Security

Module code: CS3BC

Module provider: Computer Science; School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Atta Badii, email: atta.badii@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST ( TAKE CS1PC20 AND TAKE CS2PJ20 ) OR ( TAKE CS1IP AND TAKE CS1OP AND TAKE CS2PP ) OR ( TAKE CS1PC20 AND TAKE CS2PP ) (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the Blockchain architectural layers involving the implementation of the primary layers, as a simulation of a basic Blockchain, to include transactions processing, blocks structuring, mining and validation. This will include asymmetric encryption, mining (Proof-of-Work), Proof-of-Stake, consensus algorithms including security, scalability, efficiency and environmental sustainability by design, smart contracts and Blockchain validation and privacy-aware integration.

Students will also be able to demonstrate their abilities in:

• critical thinking to reflect on: i) the relative efficiency and scalability gains achievable by deployment of Blockchain for given application domains and thus its suitability as a solution in given domains; and ii) the choice of alternative approaches to consensus algorithms as best suited to given application domain.
• professional and effective writing to describe methods, software implementation, data description and experimental evaluation.
• innovative design to reflect on the rationale, benefits and possible societal and environmental impacts, specifically carbon emissions, of deployment of Blockchain for various applications.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand the theoretical underpinning of the state-of-the-art Blockchain architecture at various levels of abstraction;
2. Address the issues relating to the efficient, secure and privacy-aware deployment of Blockchain layers including security-by-design and efficiency and scalability of consensus algorithms and the design requirements for integrity, security and legal admissibility of smart contracts;
3. Apply the criteria and design requirements for deployment of specific types of blockchain, in particular the integration of IoT, Blockchain and AI in cyber-physical System-of-Systems; and
4. Implement the primary layers of a Blockchain as a laboratory simulation of a small-scale Blockchain.

Module content

The module covers the following topics:

• Introduction to the fundamental concepts of a distributed trustless ledger such as immutability, irreversibility, the layers of Blockchain technology stack; including overview of the architectural layers of a Blockchain, network (peer-to-peer) and the data structures
• Transactions processing, hashing, asymmetric encryption
• Digital signature, consensus algorithms
• Consensus reaching using variants of Proof-of-Work, Proof-of-Stake and Proof-of-Authority algorithms
• Smart contracts - including semantics, security, and legal admissibility requirements
• Concepts re integrity and resolution of Blockchain, avoiding duplication of work
• Byzantine Fault Tolerance: fault tolerance amongst the peer-to-peer network of nodes
• Merkle root algorithm, forks resolution, interoperability
• Security & privacy, public versus private (Permissioned, Permissionless) Blockchain
• Security & Integrity by Design Requirements to minimise the exposure of Consensus Algorithms and Smart Contracts to various security threats
• Criteria and Design Requirements for deployment of Blockchain within Integrated IoT & AI enabled cyber-physical system of systems
• Approaches for ethical, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable design of Blockchains

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will include interleaving lectures, closely coupled laboratory-based and tutorially-supported practical exercises and assessments.

Practical laboratory tutorial sessions are designed to enable students to incrementally develop deeper understanding of the main elements of a basic Blockchain. Practical exercises are made available with worked examples and students have the opportunity to obtain feedback on their attempts at solving the problems set e.g., through comparing their answers with the structured model answers provided and/or receiving personal feedback on their work through the tutorial sessions.

This module consists of equally-weighted coursework and examination that will be based on the teaching materials as delivered within the lecture and laboratory tutorial sessions including the exercises in the laboratory sessions to extend the basic simulation developed to include consensus resolution and validation of Blockchain within a small simulated Blockchain.

Study hours

At least 44 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Practical exercises are made available with worked examples and students have the opportunity to obtain feedback on their attempts at solving the problems set e.g., through comparing their answers with the structured model answers provided and/or receiving personal feedback on their work through the tutorial sessions.

Reassessment

Additional costs