Comp 527: Course Syllabus

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DateTopicReadingAssignment
Week 1Wed, Jan 20Introduction, basic conceptsD&D, Ch. 2
Fri, Jan 22Ethics and responsibilityD&D, Ch. 18, 29, 31 + Thompson84 Ass1: Secure Web Services (implementation)
Week 2Mon, Jan 25OS security basicsLampson71
Wed, Jan 27Military & commercial security policiesClarkWilson87
Fri, Jan 29OS security architectures Plan 9
KeyKOS / KeySAFE
Ass1: Writeup due
Week 3Mon, Feb 1Common OS vulnerabilitiesD&D, Ch. 11 & 15
Wed, Feb 3Engineering stronger systemsBellovin96 (PostScript)
Fri, Feb 5Viruses & intrusion detectionD&D Ch. 6, 13, 14
Week 4Mon, Feb 8Networking: TCP/IP & DNSD&D Ch. 8-10Ass1 due
Wed, Feb 10Firewallslecture notes
Fri, Feb 12SpamSprocketLabs UCE Page, Vixie's Spam Page, CAUCE, Spam-L FAQAss2: Networking (written)
Week 5Mon, Feb 15Modern programming language basics
Wed, Feb 17Agents and mobile codeD&D Ch. 16Ass2 Due
Fri, Feb 19Untrusted platformsCT99, ST98Ass3: Mobile Code (written)
Week 6Mon, Feb 22Secret-key crypto basics
Wed, Feb 24No class (OSDI'99)
Fri, Feb 26Cracking cryptosystemsAss3 due / Ass4: Measuring RC4 (implementation)
Week 7Mon, Mar 1Public-key crypto
Wed, Mar 3
Fri, Mar 5Digital cash & other applicationsAss4 due
Week 8Mar 8-12No class (mid-term recess)Think up final projects!
Week 9Mar 15-19Formal modelling and assurance (Guest lectures by John McHugh from Portland State)Annotated Gypsy Logs, Gypsy Slides, Covert ChannelsFinal project proposals due
Week 10Mon, Mar 22Crypto infrastructure
Mar 24-26Crypto protocols & case studies Abadi94, Burrows89
Week 11Mon, Mar 29Smart cards & tamper resistanceAnderson96, (local copy), iButton security (read section 2)
Wed, Mar 31Tempest (+ Soft Tempest)Unofficial TEMPEST Page, Anderson98 (local copy)
Fri, Apr 2No class (spring recess)
For the next two weeks, we'll be covering public policy issues. This means less lecture and more discussion.
Week 12Mon, Apr 5Cryptographic export and key escrow
Wed, Apr 7Software bloat vs. securityFinal project status reports due
Fri, Apr 9Copyright and intellectual property
Week 13Mon, Apr 12Privacy, spam, and cyberactivism
Wed, Apr 14The Year 2000 problem
Fri, Apr 16Technology and Society in the 21st Century
Week 14-15Apr 19-30Final project presentations, 25 minute conference formatFinal writeups due Apr 30


Dan Wallach, CS Department, Rice University
Last modified: Sun Mar 28 16:47:05 CST 1999