[Class Schedule] [Projects]

Instructor: Angelos Stavrou
Lecture: Tuesday 7:20pm - 10:00pm
Room: ENGR 5358 Office Hours: Tuesday 4:30pm - 6:30pm, and by appointment Email: astavrou(_)gmu.edu

Course Description:

This course provides hands-on experience in configuring and experimenting with commodity networked systems and security software in a live laboratory environment, with the purpose of understanding real-world security threats. This course will take both offensive and defensive approaches and expose students to a variety of real-world attacks, including viruses, worms, rootkits, and botnets. Possible mitigation and defending mechanisms such as firewalls and intrusion detection software will also be covered.

Course Objectives:

• An understanding on real-world security vulnerabilities, exploits and defense
  •  Mechanics of both aged but seminal works as well as state of the art
• First hand experience in network and system security experiments
  • Both network and host based attacks, defenses, forensics, diagnostics
• Install and test defenses including Intrusion and anomaly Detection Systems (IDS)
• Examine the functionality of Botnets, Malware, anti-virus, anti-spyware
• Obtain a deep enough understanding of existing tools (and the security concepts they implement) to not be a script kiddie

Prerequisites:

The prerequisite for this topics class is a C or better in CS 310 Data Structures and CS 367 Computer Systems & Programming; or permission of instructor.

·        Coursework will include substantial programming projects; in order to be able to complete the projects, you are expected to have competence in programming that can be applied to to systems and networking (C, Python, etc.)

·        You are expected to have a good understanding of operating system internals (system call internals, run-time memory organization, assembly language/x86)

·        To be clear, you will be exposed to, and expected to implement, projects related to some subset of these:

o   Web application security, wireless vulnerabilities, socket programming, C2 protocols, PE life-cycle, binary packers, x86 shellcode (arbitrary code execution via stack smashing, heap spray attacks, ROP gadgets), IDS and analytics, incident response, penetration testing, maliciously repackaging mobile applications.

o   If you had to Google any of that, then think seriously about not taking this course or expect a very steep learning curve at points along the way.

 The coursework will include substantial programming projects; in order to be able to complete the projects, the students must be comfortable with C and Systems' programming.

Grading:

The students must achieve a total score of at least 90 (out of 100) to be considered for an A. This class is an advanced graduate-level class and is geared towards understanding the fundamental concepts behind Digital Forensics. The students will be expected to participate in large projects under the guidance of the instructor.

Bibliography:

We are going to cover topics using the provided slides, papers, and online material.

On the course web page you will also find assigned reading from on-line articles, code snippets, and research publications. I will also have supplementary materials on reserve or handed out during class.

Computer Accounts:
All students should have accounts on the central Mason Unix system mason.gmu.edu (also known as osf1.gmu.edu)
and on IT&E Unix cluster zeus.ite.gmu.edu (Instructions and related links are here). Please read the FAQ if you have any questions. Students can work in IT&E computer labs for programming projects during the specified hours.

Honor Code:

Please read and adhere to the University's Academic Honesty Page, GMU Honor Code, CS Department Honor Code
Disability Statement If you have a documented learning disability or other condition that may affect academic performance you should:
1) Make sure this documentation is on file with the Office of Disability Services.
All academic accommodations must be arranged through the ODS. http://ods.gmu.edu
2) Talk with me to discuss your accommodation needs.

Other Usefull Resources
Writing Center: A114 Robinson Hall; (703) 993-1200; http://writingcenter.gmu.edu
University Libraries: “Ask a Librarian” http://library.gmu.edu/mudge/IM/IMRef.html
Counseling and Phychological Services (CAPS): (703) 993-2380; http://caps.gmu.edu
University Policies: The University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, is the central resource
for university policies affecting student, faculty, and staff conduct in university affairs.