Information Security

This class exposes students to the fundamental concepts of cryptography, network security, and computer security. The growing importance of networks and distributed systems, and their use to support safety-critical applications, has made information security a central issue for systems today. The class centers on two main parts: security foundations (which includes security terminology, core cryptograhic principles, and secure protocols) and applied security (which discusses network security, computer security, software security, and web security). Students learn to critically assess the security properties of a system and make informed decisions about implementing secure processes. Most classes feature in-class labs where students are asked to implement a cryptographic primitive or secure protocol, or attack a vulnerable system.

REFERENCES

Required

• Cryptography and Network Security – Principles and Practices; William Stalling; 7th Ed., Pearson Intl., 2017

Supplemental reading - Additional handouts will be provided as needed, e.g.:

• Network Security: Private Communication in a Public World; Charlie Kaufman, Radia Perlman, Mike Speciner; 2nd Ed., Prentice Hall, 2002
• Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems; Ross Anderson; 2nd Ed., Wiley, 2008