CS 458 Computer Security and Privacy

Watch a video introduction to the course on YouTube.

Objectives

This course provides an introduction to security and privacy issues in various aspects of computing, including programs, operating systems, networks, databases, and Internet applications. It examines causes of security and privacy breaches, and gives methods to help prevent them.

Students completing this course should be better able to produce programs that can defend against active attacks, and not just against random bugs.

Intended Audience

Third or fourth year CS students, or first year CS graduate students.

Related Courses

Prerequisites: CS 350 or SE 350; Computer Science students only.

Antirequisites: ECE 458.

References

Security in Computing, 4th Edition, by Charles P. Pfleeger and Shari Lawrence Pfleeger.

Schedule

3 hours of lectures per week. Normally available in Fall, Winter and Spring.

Outline

Introduction to Computer Security and Privacy (1.5 hours)

The meaning of computer security; comparing security with privacy; types of threats and attacks; methods of defense

Program Security (6 hours)

Secure programs; nonmalicious program errors; malicious code; controls against program threats

Operating System Security (6 hours)

Methods of protection; access control; user authentication

Network Security (4.5 hours)

Network threats; firewalls, intrusion detection systems

Internet Application Security and Privacy (9 hours)

Basics of cryptography; security and privacy for Internet applications (email, instant messaging, web browsing); privacy-enhancing technologies

Database Security and Privacy (4.5 hours)

Security and privacy requirements; reliability, integrity, and privacy; inference; data mining; k-anonymity

Non-technical Aspects (4.5 hours)

Administration of security systems; policies; physical security; economics of security; legal and ethical issues