CS 426 Syllabus

(Fall 2007)


   

Introduction and Basics

  • Class Introduction (syllabus, policies, and projects)
  • An Overview of Computer Security

Operating Systems Security

  • Operating Systems Security Basics
    • Authentication, access control, and audit
  • Unix Security Basics

Software vulnerabilities

  • Buffer overflow, format string bugs, integer overflow, race conditions, etc.

Access Control

  • Unix access control in depth: setuid,chroot, DTE, POSIX capabilities, securelevel, sandboxing
  • Mandatory Access Control
    • Bell-LaPadula model, Trusted Operating Systems
  • Integrity protection
  • Role-Based Access Control

Malware and defenses

  • Viruses, worms, rootkits, botnets
  • Defense mechanisms

Introduction to Cryptography

  • One-time Pad, Stream Ciphers, Block Ciphers, Modes of using block ciphers.
  • Public-key encryption algorithms
  • Message Integrity: cryptographic hash functions, Message Authentication Codes (MAC)
  • Digital Signatures
  • Authentication & Key Establishment Protocols
  • How to use cryptography correctly

Network Security

  • TCP/IP and DNS security issues
  • TLS/SSL
  • Firewalls
  • Intrusion detection systems

 

   

Web Security

  • Web browser security
  • Web application security
   

Other topics

  • Database security