Modern applications typically need to access internal resources (hardware), which may lead to security flaws. Operating systems prevent applications from accessing internal resources directly, instead providing application programming interfaces that these applications can use to access such resources. This module introduces you to the internals and principles of modern operating systems (the underlying layer of modern applications), hence will aid to build secure systems. The module also introduces the topic of Biometrics and covers the technology within these systems, the legal and ethical issues often surrounding such systems and security/Hacking considerations in Biometric implementation with a potential AI / Robotic Future.

1. UNDERSTAND THE MAIN ELEMENTS AND INTERNAL FUNCTIONALITIES OF MODERN OPERATING SYSTEMS, BEING ABLE TO CRITICALLY COMPARE THOSE FROM DIFFERENT VENDORS
Enquiry, Analysis, Problem Solving

2. COMPARE THE VARIOUS PROTECTION AND SECURITY MEASURES USED BY MAJOR OPERATING SYSTEMS, AND BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE INTERNAL ALGORITHMS AND STRUCTURES OF MODERN OPERATING SYSTEMS.
Learning, Analysis, Application

3. DEMONSTRATE CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF A RANGE OF TOPICAL BIOMETRIC DEVICES AND SYSTEMS, AND BE ABLE TO DISCUSS ASSOCIATED LIMITATIONS.
Knowledge and Understanding

4. COMMUNICATE TO VARIOUS AUDIENCES THE APPLICATION OF THE UNDERLYING TECHNIQUES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH BIOMETRIC DEVICES.
Application,
Communication

5. DEMONSTRATE CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH HUMANS INTERACTING WITH BIOMETRIC DEVICES AND ANY SECURITY/LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT MAY APPLY Reflection

Assignment 1 covers Learning Outcomes 1 and 2. This will consist of a portfolio that documents and illustrates practical work carried out by the student to investigate Operating Systems.

Assignment 2 covers Learning Outcomes 3 to 5. This will require students to write a Biometric based essay.

Assignment 3 covers Learning Outcomes 3 to 5 and will involve students using their created report (Assignment 2) and presenting this in a presentation of 15 minutes.

Operation Systems content includes -
- Operating Systems Functions & Elements
- Instruction Set Architecture Overview
- Memory Management
- Virtual Memory
- Filesystem Management
- Process Management
- Network Management
- Inter-process Communication
- Basic Assembly

Biometric content includes –
Why Biometrics, Benefits and Key Terms
Accuracy in Biometric Systems
Finger prints
Iris, Retina and face scanners
Speech, hand, signature and keyboard
Vein, Palm, Ear, foot signatures, and gait
3D face, gesture, odour, DNA signatures, Bertillonage and Zebras
Privacy Standards
RFID devices
Customer facing Apps, Categorisation and Vertical markets
Designing a Biometric solution
Biometric Transactions, the need for strong authentication and Biometrics/Security and the Law

26 hours of lectures and 52 hours of practical/tutorials.

This module has a mix of learning methods, including lectures, tutorials/labs, independent reading and discussion.
The lectures explain the concept and the theoretical content that give the student a detailed understanding of the
topics. The tutorial/lab sessions will allow the student to carry out practical exercises.
The independent reading and discussion (during the tutorial sessions) will help to acquaint the student with the terminology in the field and current issues associated with the topic. In this module we will use open-source Unix/Linux as an example to elucidate the operating system concepts.

It is expected that students are involved in measuring the metrics of biometrics, and in the delivery of seminar sessions based on topical issues that they inform their peer group and provoke analysis and reflection.

Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR 2018 ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148:2011
Fox, R. (2014) Linux with Operating System Concepts. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1482235890
ISO 8000-8:2015 Data quality -- Part 8: Information and data quality: Concepts and measuring
Silberschatz, A. (2013) Operating System Concepts. 9th edn, John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-1-118-06333-0
Reid, P. (2004), Biometrics for Network Security, Prentice Hall, USA., ISBN 0-13-101549-4
Bespoke videos on current biometrics and social/political events Ranging from 2010 onwards
Stallings, W. (2017) Operating Systems: Internals and Design Principles, 9th edn. Boston: Pearson. ISBN: 9780131479548

Virtual machines
Linux and Windows operating systems

Pre-requisites Networking Concepts and Cyber Security