MCA-253 Cyber Security and Cyber Laws Notes cover all 4 units of this GGSIPU MCA Semester 3 open elective in a 59-page printed book: 56 tables, 12 Indian cases, the IT Act offence table, and 48 short-answer plus 36 long-answer exam questions, mapped to the syllabus for the batch admitted 2025-26 onwards.
Written by Prateek Talwar, Founder, Unnati Educations · Reviewed by Ritik Rawat, B.Tech, Senior Full Stack Developer · Checked against MCA syllabus PDF, ipu.ac.in (approved 01 Aug 2025) · Updated 14 October 2026 · Editorial policy
Scheme: MCA (Affiliated Institutes), A.S. 2025-26 onwards | Applies to: batch admitted 2025-26 onwards | Verified against: syllmcaaff050825900p.pdf, 01 Aug 2025
MCA-253 Cyber Security and Cyber Laws at a glance: GGSIPU MCA Sem 3 credits, units and exam pattern
MCA-253 is one of four Open Elective II choices; its listed prerequisite is computer networks. It sits with the other GGSIPU MCA Semester 3 papers.
| Code and title | MCA-253 Cyber Security and Cyber Laws |
|---|---|
| Course and semester | MCA (2 years), Semester 3 |
| Category and credits | Open Elective II · 3 credits · L 3, T/P nil (no practical) |
| Marks | 100: 40 internal + 60 end-term |
| Passing mark | 40 out of 100 (Important Note 9) |
| Applies to | Batch admitted 2025-26 onwards |
| End-term pattern | Q1 compulsory, short-answer, whole syllabus, 12 marks; one of two questions per unit, 12 marks each (12 + 48 = 60 marks) |
| Units and hours | 4 units: 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 40 hours |
| Paired lab | None |
With fewer than 20 takers in an institute, it may be done through a MOOC such as SWAYAM (Important Note 3). Result rules follow Ordinance 11.
MCA-253 Cyber Security and Cyber Laws Notes unit-wise: 56 tables, 12 Indian cases and 84 exam questions across 4 units
The official PDF numbers the units only, so the headings use the notes' titles. These Cyber Security and Cyber Laws notes in English end each unit with a revision table and an exam corner. Notes for other papers sit under GGSIPU MCA notes.
MCA-253 Unit 1: Introduction to Cyber Security
Unit 1 (pages 4 to 15, 6 sections) runs from the CIA triad and Internet governance to cybersquatting, cyber warfare versus cyber terrorism (Section 66F) and 14 classified cybercrimes such as data diddling. Then come mobile attacks, social engineering, cyber stalking and botnets. It has 11 tables, 5 Indian cases, 12 short-answer and 8 long-answer questions.
| Phase | What the attacker does |
|---|---|
| Reconnaissance | Gathers information passively (WHOIS, social media) or actively (ping, DNS queries) |
| Scanning and attack | Finds open ports with Nmap, then exploits flaws and plants backdoors |
| Covering tracks | Deletes logs, hides files, hides behind proxies or TOR |
Quick look: phases of a planned attack (from page 12)
- Phase
- Reconnaissance
- What the attacker does
- Gathers information passively (WHOIS, social media) or actively (ping, DNS queries)
- Phase
- Scanning and attack
- What the attacker does
- Finds open ports with Nmap, then exploits flaws and plants backdoors
- Phase
- Covering tracks
- What the attacker does
- Deletes logs, hides files, hides behind proxies or TOR
MCA-253 Unit 2: Cyber Security Vulnerabilities and Safeguards
Unit 2 (pages 16 to 28, 14 sections) opens with Risk = Threat × Vulnerability × Impact, then takes one attack per section with prevention: proxies and anonymizers, phishing and pharming, rainbow-table password cracking, keyloggers, eight virus types, Trojans, LSB steganography, seven DoS types, SQL injection, buffer overflow, the evil twin and identity theft (Section 66C). It has 13 tables, 12 short-answer and 9 long-answer questions.
| Basis | Virus | Worm |
|---|---|---|
| Host file | Needs one | Standalone |
| Spreading | Needs human action | Spreads on its own over networks |
| Main damage | Corrupts files | Eats bandwidth and resources |
Quick look: virus vs worm (from page 22)
- Basis
- Host file
- Virus
- Needs one
- Worm
- Standalone
- Basis
- Spreading
- Virus
- Needs human action
- Worm
- Spreads on its own over networks
- Basis
- Main damage
- Virus
- Corrupts files
- Worm
- Eats bandwidth and resources
MCA-253 Unit 3: Securing Web Applications, Services and Intrusion Detection
Unit 3 (pages 29 to 42, 16 sections) has two parts. Part A covers XSS and CSRF, HTTPS, PGP and SPF-DKIM-DMARC, backup, SSO and OAuth 2.0, authorisation patterns and firewalls up to the DMZ. Part B covers intruders, access management, IDS versus IPS, NIDS and HIPS, SIEM and file integrity monitoring. It has 17 tables, 12 short-answer and 9 long-answer questions.
| Type | What is copied | Restore |
|---|---|---|
| Full | All data every time | Fastest |
| Incremental | Changes since the last backup | Slowest: full plus every incremental |
| Differential | Changes since the last full backup | Full plus the last differential |
Quick look: three types of backup (from page 32)
- Type
- Full
- What is copied
- All data every time
- Restore
- Fastest
- Type
- Incremental
- What is copied
- Changes since the last backup
- Restore
- Slowest: full plus every incremental
- Type
- Differential
- What is copied
- Changes since the last full backup
- Restore
- Full plus the last differential
MCA-253 Unit 4: Cyber Laws, Computer Forensics and IPR
Unit 4 (pages 43 to 59, 25 sections) has three parts. Legal: CERT-In Directions 2022, DPDP Act 2023, the IT Act and its 2008 amendment, digital signatures and an 18-row offence table. Forensics: chain of custody, the eight-phase life cycle and the OSI evidence map. IPR: WIPO, Section 3(k) patents, domain disputes and e-contracts. It has 15 tables, 7 Indian cases, 12 short-answer and 10 long-answer questions.
| Section | Offence | Maximum punishment |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Hacking (Section 43 acts done dishonestly) | 3 years and/or ₹5 lakh |
| 66C | Identity theft | 3 years and ₹1 lakh |
| 66F | Cyber terrorism | Imprisonment for life |
Quick look: IT Act sections 66, 66C and 66F (from page 48)
- Section
- 66
- Offence
- Hacking (Section 43 acts done dishonestly)
- Maximum punishment
- 3 years and/or ₹5 lakh
- Section
- 66C
- Offence
- Identity theft
- Maximum punishment
- 3 years and ₹1 lakh
- Section
- 66F
- Offence
- Cyber terrorism
- Maximum punishment
- Imprisonment for life
DAC, MAC and RBAC access control models in cyber security: excerpt from page 37 of the MCA-253 notes
Excerpt from page 37
Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
In DAC, the owner of a resource decides who may use it and with what rights. Access is at the owner's discretion, which gives the model its name. It is put in place through access control lists and capability lists. File permissions in Windows and Linux are the everyday example: the owner of a file can share it with anyone. DAC is flexible and easy to set up, but it is less secure, because owners can hand out the wrong rights and a Trojan horse runs with the user's own permissions.
Mandatory Access Control (MAC) and OAC
In MAC, the system or a central authority decides access, not the owner. Every subject gets a security clearance and every object gets a label such as Top Secret, Secret, Confidential or Unclassified. A user reaches an object only if the clearance is high enough, and users cannot change permissions. Military and government systems use it, following models like Bell-LaPadula: no read up, no write down.
The syllabus also lists OAC. It is usually taught as organisation or originator-controlled access: the creator of the information, not its current holder, decides who may receive it next. It sits between DAC and MAC, so explain it alongside MAC in an answer. MAC is very secure and stops leaks, but it is rigid and hard to run in a commercial setting.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
In RBAC, permissions go to roles such as Manager, Clerk or Faculty, and users are given roles. In a college portal, the Faculty role can enter marks while the Student role can only view them. When an employee changes jobs, the administrator simply changes the role. RBAC supports least privilege and separation of duties; its weak point is role explosion, where too many roles pile up.
| Basis | DAC | MAC | RBAC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who decides access | Resource owner | System, through labels | Administrator, through roles |
| Flexibility | High | Very low | Medium |
| Security level | Low | Very high | Medium to high |
| Used in | Windows, Linux, home users | Military, government | Businesses, hospitals, banks |
DAC vs MAC vs RBAC (excerpt, page 37)
- Basis
- Who decides access
- DAC
- Resource owner
- MAC
- System, through labels
- RBAC
- Administrator, through roles
- Basis
- Flexibility
- DAC
- High
- MAC
- Very low
- RBAC
- Medium
- Basis
- Security level
- DAC
- Low
- MAC
- Very high
- RBAC
- Medium to high
- Basis
- Used in
- DAC
- Windows, Linux, home users
- MAC
- Military, government
- RBAC
- Businesses, hospitals, banks
MCA-253 exam corner: 48 short-answer and 36 long-answer questions by unit
The notes label these "2.5 Marks" and "12.5 Marks"; in the current pattern each unit question carries 12 marks, so treat the labels as a length guide.
| Unit | Short-answer | Long-answer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | 12 | 8 |
| Unit 2 | 12 | 9 |
| Unit 3 | 12 | 9 |
| Unit 4 | 12 | 10 |
| Total | 48 | 36 |
MCA-253 exam questions per unit in the notes
- Unit
- Unit 1
- Short-answer
- 12
- Long-answer
- 8
- Unit
- Unit 2
- Short-answer
- 12
- Long-answer
- 9
- Unit
- Unit 3
- Short-answer
- 12
- Long-answer
- 9
- Unit
- Unit 4
- Short-answer
- 12
- Long-answer
- 10
- Unit
- Total
- Short-answer
- 48
- Long-answer
- 36
The MCA-253 notes list 48 short-answer and 36 long-answer questions across 4 units.
One question per unit, with answer pointers:
- Unit 1: What is data diddling? Pointer: changing raw data just before processing and restoring it after, so records look normal (page 9).
- Unit 2: Explain SQL injection and buffer overflow with prevention. Pointer: prepared statements; ASLR, stack canaries and DEP (pages 24 to 25).
- Unit 3: Differentiate between IDS and IPS. Pointer: detect and alert, out-of-band, versus detect and block, inline (page 38).
- Unit 4: What is chain of custody? Pointer: a dated record of everyone who handled each item of evidence; a broken chain can make it inadmissible (page 49).
More practice sits in the MCA-253 important questions.
Who writes and checks the MCA-253 cyber security notes?
- Prateek Talwar, author: Founder, Unnati Educations; Associate Company Secretary (ACS), ICSI, membership no. 58704, since 15 May 2019; B.Com, University of Delhi (School of Open Learning), 2012. Author profile
- Ritik Rawat, subject reviewer: Senior Full Stack Developer, Unnati Educations; B.Tech.
These GGSIPU MCA Sem 3 Cyber Security and Cyber Laws notes follow the 2025-26 scheme and cite the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 63 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, the DPDP Act 2023 and the CERT-In Directions 2022. Updated 14 October 2026 under our editorial policy.
The same team prepares GGSIPU important questions for every course.
Do the MCA-253 notes cover the full GGSIPU syllabus?
Yes. Every topic in the 4 official units has a section in the notes; "OAC" is explained alongside MAC on page 37.
| Official unit | Official topics | Notes pages | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit I | Introduction to Cyber Security; Internet Governance; Cyber Threats; Classification of Cybercrimes | 5 to 10 | Covered |
| Unit I | Cybercrime: Mobile and Wireless Devices; Cyber Offenses (social engineering, cyber stalking, botnets, cloud) | 10 to 14 | Covered |
| Unit II | Cyber Security Vulnerabilities and Safeguards (proxies to ID theft, 14 topics) | 17 to 26 | Covered |
| Unit III | Securing Web Application, Services | 30 to 35 | Covered |
| Unit III | Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (incl. DAC, OAC, RBAC) | 35 to 41 | Covered (OAC with MAC) |
| Unit IV | Cybercrime and Cyber Security: The Legal Perspective | 44 to 48 | Covered |
| Unit IV | Understanding Computer Forensics | 49 to 52 | Covered |
| Unit IV | Intellectual Property in the Cyber Space | 53 to 58 | Covered |
MCA-253 official syllabus topics mapped to the notes
- Official unit
- Unit I
- Official topics
- Introduction to Cyber Security; Internet Governance; Cyber Threats; Classification of Cybercrimes
- Notes pages
- 5 to 10
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit I
- Official topics
- Cybercrime: Mobile and Wireless Devices; Cyber Offenses (social engineering, cyber stalking, botnets, cloud)
- Notes pages
- 10 to 14
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit II
- Official topics
- Cyber Security Vulnerabilities and Safeguards (proxies to ID theft, 14 topics)
- Notes pages
- 17 to 26
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit III
- Official topics
- Securing Web Application, Services
- Notes pages
- 30 to 35
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit III
- Official topics
- Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (incl. DAC, OAC, RBAC)
- Notes pages
- 35 to 41
- Status
- Covered (OAC with MAC)
- Official unit
- Unit IV
- Official topics
- Cybercrime and Cyber Security: The Legal Perspective
- Notes pages
- 44 to 48
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit IV
- Official topics
- Understanding Computer Forensics
- Notes pages
- 49 to 52
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit IV
- Official topics
- Intellectual Property in the Cyber Space
- Notes pages
- 53 to 58
- Status
- Covered
Verify it on the MCA (Affiliated Institutes) syllabus, A.S. 2025-26 onwards: MCA-253 is on pages 169 to 171 of that PDF.
Every course in GGSIPU notes is mapped to its official PDF the same way.
How to write MCA-253 answers: IT Act sections, Indian cases and four-step attack answers
MCA-253 has three answer types: attack (Units 2 and 3), concept (Unit 1) and legal (Unit 4). The six exam tip boxes printed in the notes give a clear plan for each, and the same plan works for the 12-mark unit questions in the current pattern.
A short answer needs a definition, two or three points and one example. "What is a botnet?" becomes: a network of malware-infected zombie computers, run by a bot-herder through a command-and-control server, used for DDoS, spam and click fraud; example, Mirai (2016).
A long answer follows this order: definition, a table or diagram, six to eight explained points, an Indian case or IT Act section, and a conclusion. Unit 4 answers gain most from the table step, because the offence table, the IPR table and the OSI evidence map are ready-made. Two diagrams are worth practising: the DMZ flow (Internet, firewall, DMZ servers, firewall, internal network) and the forensics flow from identification to reporting.
Worked plan: "Explain SQL injection with prevention" (page 24)
Attack questions take four steps:
- Definition: malicious SQL entered through a form or URL and run by the database.
- How it works: input is joined into the query, so
' OR '1'='1makes the condition always true. - Types: in-band (error and UNION based), blind, out-of-band; add the effects, such as login bypass and data theft.
- Prevention: prepared statements first, then input validation, least privilege and a WAF.
Legal answers gain from section numbers and case names: Shreya Singhal (Section 66A struck down), Satyam Infoway (domain names), Anvar P.V. (electronic evidence), Trimex (email contracts). The notes also flag pairs students mix up: email bombing versus spoofing, DoS versus DDoS, and steganography (hides that a message exists) versus cryptography (hides its meaning).
Practise this format on GGSIPU MCA important questions.
MCA-253 and the GGSIPU MCA Sem 3 papers it connects to
Paired lab: none. In the GGSIPU MCA syllabus, the Semester 3 labs go to the core papers and the two core electives only. MCA-253's alternatives in Open Elective II are MCA-249 Research Methodology, MCA-251 Operational Research and MCA-255 e-Content Development.
- MCA-221 Applied Cryptography: Unit 4 digital signatures (page 47) and Unit 2 steganography.
- MCA-103 Computer Networks (Semester 1): firewalls in Unit 3 and the OSI evidence map in Unit 4.
MCA-253 cyber security notes FAQs
How do I get the full MCA-253 notes?
Message Unnati Educations on WhatsApp at 9899436384 using the Get Full Notes button. The full MCA-253 notes come only as a printed book of 59 pages and are not available as a PDF. Delivery takes 5 to 7 days at most, depending on your location. The sample PDF shows one page per unit.
What is the passing mark for MCA-253 in GGSIPU MCA?
MCA-253 is marked out of 100: 40 internal and 60 end-term. The MCA scheme of examination states pass marks as 40%, which is 40 out of 100, for every paper (Important Note 9). Minimum end-term marks, re-appear and other result rules come from the university's Ordinance 11, so check it on ipu.ac.in or with your institute.
Is MCA-253 compulsory in MCA Semester 3?
No. MCA-253 is one of four options in Open Elective II, along with Research Methodology, Operational Research and e-Content Development, and you study only one. It carries 3 credits. If fewer than 20 students in your institute choose it, classes may not be held and you complete it through a MOOC platform such as SWAYAM.
Does MCA-253 have a separate lab or practical paper?
No. MCA-253 is a theory paper with 3 lecture hours a week and no practical hours. The Semester 3 labs, MCA-261 to MCA-267, belong to Design and Analysis of Algorithms, AI and Machine Learning and the two core electives, so the MCA-253 notes have no practical or viva section and focus fully on theory answers.
Do the MCA-253 notes use the new criminal laws, BNS and BSA?
Yes. Where older books cite the IPC and the Indian Evidence Act, the MCA-253 notes give the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, in force from 1 July 2024, with the old section numbers in brackets. Electronic evidence is explained under Section 63 BSA, earlier Section 65B. The DPDP Act 2023 is covered too.
Which IT Act sections should I learn for MCA-253?
For MCA-253, start with Section 66 (hacking), 66C (identity theft), 66D (cheating by personation), 66F (cyber terrorism), 43A (failure to protect sensitive data), 79 (safe harbour for intermediaries), 10A (e-contracts) and 3A (electronic signature). Add Section 66A, which the Supreme Court struck down in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015). Unit 4 explains all of them.
Get the full MCA-253 Cyber Security and Cyber Laws Notes on WhatsApp
These MCA-253 Cyber Security and Cyber Laws IPU notes are sold only as a printed book, not as a PDF.
| Part | Pages | Sections |
|---|---|---|
| Cover and contents | 1-3 (3) | – |
| Unit 1: Introduction to Cyber Security | 4-15 (12) | 6 |
| Unit 2: Vulnerabilities and Safeguards | 16-28 (13) | 14 |
| Unit 3: Web Applications, Services and Intrusion Detection | 29-42 (14) | 16 |
| Unit 4: Cyber Laws, Computer Forensics and IPR | 43-59 (17) | 25 |
| Total | 59 | 61 |
Pages per unit in the printed MCA-253 notes book
- Part
- Cover and contents
- Pages
- 1-3 (3)
- Sections
- –
- Pages
- 4-15 (12)
- Sections
- 6
- Pages
- 16-28 (13)
- Sections
- 14
- Pages
- 29-42 (14)
- Sections
- 16
- Pages
- 43-59 (17)
- Sections
- 25
- Part
- Total
- Pages
- 59
- Sections
- 61
Delivery: within 5 to 7 days at most; the exact time may vary with your location.
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Unnati Educations is an independent education provider based in Vikaspuri, Delhi. We are not affiliated with, authorised by, or endorsed by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU). 'GGSIPU' and 'IPU' are used only to describe the syllabus our notes follow. For official information, visit ipu.ac.in.
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