This is a tentative syllabus for the course. Links will be added regularly with topics and assignments. Notes will be provided for each class, linked from the date. Unless otherwise indicated, chapter references are to the textbook Security in Computing, 5th edition, by Pfleeger, Pfleeger, and Margulies. Feedback is appreciated — typos, suggestions for more detailed explanations, additional examples, etc.

Date Topic Subtopics Chapter Out Due
Jan 8 Foundations Intro; password cracking Lab 0
Jan 11 Who is the opponent 1.1-1.6
Jan 13 Identification and authentication 2.1 Lab 0
Jan 15 Authorization and multilevel security; malware 2.2
Jan 18 MLK Day
Jan 20 Cryptography Symmetric encryption 12.1-12.2
Jan 22 One-way hashing 12.4 Encryption lab
Jan 25 Asymmetric encryption 12.3
Jan 27 Public Key Infrastructure 12.5
Jan 29 Attacks Non-tech: OSINT and social engineering
Feb 1 Local machine: Buffer overflow 3.1-3.2 Buffer overflow lab Encryption lab
Feb 3 Local machine: Return to libc and ROP 3.3
Feb 5 Midterm
Feb 8 Database server: SQL injection 7.1-7.4 SQL injection lab Buffer overflow lab
Feb 10 Web server: Cross site scripting 4.1-4.4
Feb 12 Defenses Defensive industry overview (guest speaker)
Feb 15 Side channels and countermeasures 6.4-6.5
Feb 17 Packet sniffing and spoofing 6.1-6.3 Packet lab SQL injection lab
Feb 19 Secure comms: TOR; VPNs; TLS 6.6
Feb 22 Firewalls 6.7
Feb 24 Penetration testing; ids/ips; network scanning 6.8-6.9 Firewall/IDS lab Packet lab
Feb 26 Physical security (guest speaker)
Mar 1 Secure systems development 10.1-10.3
Mar 3 Security management (guest speaker) 10.4-10.5
Mar 5 Privacy and the law Privacy 9.1-9.6 Firewall/IDS Lab
Mar 8 Legal issues, economics, ethics 11.1-11.6
Mar 10 The future Internet of Things/Cyber war 13.1-13.4
Mar 15 Final