Course Overview
Prerequisites
None.
Content
This course provides and introduction to information security. We
will cover various topics, including a brief introduction to
cryptography, network security, operating systems and programming
language security, and web security. We will also learn about
security as a process.
Objectives
Will understand the specific forms of the most common attacks on computer
systems, and the common methods for addressing these attacks.
We will understand the basics of cryptography, including
block ciphers, message authentication, and identification protocols.
We will understand the continuous process of securing real world
systems.
Textbook
There is no required textbook for this course. However, the
material covered in class will rely heavily on the following
book.
Title: Introduction to Computer Security 1st edition.
Authors: Michael Goodrich and Roberto Tamassia
Course Requirements
Grading
Homework -- 40%
Exams -- 60%
Of these exams the highest score will count 35%, and the lowest 25%.
Homework
There will be 4 homework assignments. Each one is due on a Monday, at
9am, and lab reports should be uploaded to blackboard. Students are expected to work
independently on these assignments, but are encouraged to seek help from the TA on homework related
questions. It is OK to seek help from
your peers on issues related to setting up the system environment.
Except in extreme cases (e.g. with a doctor's note), homework grades
will be reduced by 10% for each day that they are late. I will not
grant extensions, as I cannot fairly decide who deserves an extension
and who does not, and I am unwilling to provide any student with an advantage
over other students.
Exams
All testing is closed book, and notes are not permitted.
The two exams, including the final, each cover about a half of the
semester. The final is not cumulative. The date of the final exam, as
specified
by the university, is 12/19 at 4:30pm.
Tentative Schedule
Week |
Topic |
Material |
8/29 |
Introduction, and start of cryptography |
Lecture 1 slides and notes |
9/5 |
Cryptography: encryption |
Lecture 2 notes |
9/12 |
Cryptography: authentication |
Lecture 3 notes |
9/19 |
Cryptography: password security and identification protocols |
Lecture 4 notes |
9/26 |
Network security |
Lecture 5 notes. Hw1
due, 9/25. |
10/3 |
Network security |
Lecture 6 notes |
10/10 |
No Class |
  |
10/17 |
Midterm |
Hw2 due, 10/16 |
10/24 |
Web Security |
Lecture 7 notes |
10/31 |
Operating Systems security |
Lecture 8 notes |
11/7 |
Buffer Overflows |
Lecture 9 notes |
11/14 |
Malware |
Lecture 10 notes |
11/21 |
Anonymity and Privacy |
Lecture 11 notes. HW3
due, 11/20 |
11/28 |
Operations security; risk management; incident handling;
continuity planning |
Lecture 12 notes. HW4
due, 12/11 |
12/5 |
Catch up and Review |
|